January 24, 2020
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Psalm? Here’s today’s reading:
Psalm 89 (ESV)
A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’ Selah......Continue Reading
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There is joy in praise
The tenor of the author of Psalm 89 is vastly different from Psalm 88. I find it interesting that both are identified as being an Ezrahite. I wonder if those who compiled the Tanakh placed these two Psalms adjoining each other as a contrast.
Psalm 89:1 (ESV)
I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
I see two methods of worship here, the first is internal with singing. Its intent is primarily for me to attune my heart to God, to remind myself of his mercies (KJV), steadfast love. The theme of his steadfast love is repeated several times throughout the Psalm (Psalm 89:1,2,14,24,28) and may reflect to Exodus 34:6 that declares mercy, steadfast love, as a fundamental aspect of God’s character.
The next is external to make known God’s faithfulness to all generations. We must enculturate our children and discuss the faithfulness of God continually. Even when we have doubts about what God is doing we can express those doubts and declare that we still trust God even though we do not understand his ways.
Psalm 89:10 is different than Psalm 87:4. In today’s reading, the Psalmist recalls God’s defeat of Egypt [Rahab] whereas Psalm 87:4 looks forward to a time when all of Israel’s enemies gather together to praise God. While this may appear to be bipolar, both are consistent. In the context of this Psalm, the author is considering the wonder of God and his steadfast love. In this context, how he has dealt with our enemies is important.
Tabor and Hermon are prominent mountains with Tabor in the south and Hermon in the north indicating that God’s mercies are endless.
Psalm 89:5-7 ‘holy ones’, ‘heavenly beings’ I suspect is talking angels. However, I wonder if it is referencing stars in the heavens because he talks about the ‘heavens’ and ‘skies’. Perhaps he is symbolically talking about both? However, God is ‘awesome above all’ than either of these!
I love the encouragement to worship with the festal shout (Psalm 89:15, 27:6, 33:3). Worship is expressive and something that should cause us to shout and exclaim his praises!
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
Steadfast love is mentioned so many times in this chapter, steadfast means immovable or firmly fixed in place. The comfort that comes from knowing that despite the storms we face and the raging of the seas He can still them and He is a constant in my life!
What a great Psalm showing the exalting praise that God is due for who He is and the promises He has made even when there are questions and doubts about what He is doing and why. What great expressions of truth are found here. Psalm 89:1 and Psalm 89:14 are my favorites. Yet there is also exalting praise for all that God promised David and the heritage that would flow from him. I can imagine this was written at the time of the exile of Judah, reflecting on the fall of the last heir of David sitting on an earthly throne. Imagine the disillusionment that followed about God promising David an everlasting throne. What a good reminder that God is faithful to HIs promises even when we don’t see how He can be. We know the promises made to David were on some level thwarted by the disobedience of his offspring. But we also know that the promises will ultimately be fulfilled through Jesus Christ and the throne He sits on now and will sit on for eternity.
The Psalm is also a good reminder that we bring all kinds of sentiments to God to have them resolved by Him. And He is faithful to minister to us through our doubts, fears and anger to reveal the deeper nature of His being and a deeper understanding of His purposes.
5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?
8 O Lord God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
with your faithfulness all around you?