Psalm 89:1-4, 19-29
Psalm 89 begins with the title, “A Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.”
I assume you do not know who Ethan is; I didn’t. He is mentioned in 1 Kings 4:31. God made Solomon wiser than any man alive. As a comparison, God says that Solomon was even wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite. Since God makes the comparison, we can assume that Ethan was a very wise man.
According to Strong’s and Brown-Driver-Briggs, a “Maschil” is a didactic Psalm (a teaching Psalm), and it is a “Contemplation” in that it reflects prolonged and serious thought. Ethan was a man who specialized in prolonged and serious thought.
Psalm 89 overflows with worship and praise for God and the greatness of His works, His mercy, and compassion. Contemplation (thinking about) God brings us to this place of worship. If it does not, we are not thinking according to the truth. We must learn to think about God by what He reveals of Himself in His word.
We are in clay vessels and live in a world of perishing things. The world and all it contains is wearing out. Our loved ones grow old, and our children grow up. We naturally think in terms of time and the limits of our lives. So, when the Psalmist says, “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever,” we should notice his reference to time.
The first four verses of Psalm 89 are very much focused on “forever.” Read them with me.
Psalms 89:1-4 (NKJV) 1A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. 2For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.” 3“I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 4‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah
The Psalmist speaks of “forever” and “all generations.”
We must adopt an eternal perspective if we want to contemplate God (think about God). An eternal viewpoint is not natural because everything we do is limited by time. God is the everlasting God. He is from everlasting to everlasting. His character, promises, and works are eternal.
What does the everlasting nature of God mean when it comes to His mercies?
The Psalmist can “sing of the mercies of the Lord forever” because those mercies will never change; they are everlasting. God has never been more merciful than He is right now, nor will He ever be less merciful.
The Psalmist also must last forever if he is going to sing forever. God created us to exist forever. When this body wears out or is destroyed, our spirit will continue to exist, and we will be either in the presence of God or separated from God forever. God tells us that “…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) God does not speak of another chance or purification after leaving this body.
When we get sick and God heals us, we say, “God is good!” God is good, and He is good when He chooses not to heal us. Nothing comes into our lives out of God’s control, and he can change, fix, stop, or prevent anything. And yet, bad things happen. The Psalmist deals with this truth in verses 46-48.
Psalms 89:46-48 (NKJV) 46How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire? 47Remember how short my time is; For what futility have You created all the children of men? 48What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah
Here we see the Psalmist confronting the chastisement (correction) of God. God’s rebuke and discipline come from His mercy as much as His comfort and abundance. Hebrews 12 tells us that the Lord disciplines the child that He loves.
Hebrews 12:5-6 (NKJV) 5And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”
Job spoke profound truth when he said:
Job 2:10 (NKJV) Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?
If all things are under God’s control, what is mercy?
The word used in Psalm 89:1 is “checed.” The root meaning of this word is goodness or kindness. However, “checed” is not about being polite; rather, it extends goodness to the lowly, needy, and miserable. The Psalmist says he will sing of the goodness and kindness of the Lord forever.
Humanity and each of us individually should sing of the goodness and kindness of the Lord forever. The reason is found in Psalm 40 where it says:
Psalms 40:1-3 (NKJV) 1… I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, and heard my cry. 2He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, [and] established my steps. 3He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; many will see [it] and fear, and will trust in the LORD.
The pit and the miry clay are of our own making, but God does not treat us as we deserve, and that is mercy.
Attached to mercy, Psalm 89 also speaks of God’s faithfulness. He says, “With my mouth will I make know Your faithfulness to all generations.”
God’s faithfulness is His “emunah.” This Hebrew word means “firmness, steadfastness, fidelity.” God’s faithfulness is closely associated with His mercy; because of His faithfulness, His mercies never fail or run out. As has been stated, God does not change. In Lamentations, the prophet Jeremiah says:
Lamentations 3:22-24 (NKJV) 22[Through] the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23[They are] new every morning; Great [is] Your faithfulness. 24“The LORD [is] my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
Here, as in Psalm 89, the Scriptures point to God’s faithfulness in His mercy.
With God’s mercy and faithfulness as the background, the Psalmist says:
Psalms 89:3-4 (NKJV) 3“I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 4‘Your seed I will establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah
Why would God make a covenant with man?
The nations of Europe have the “North Atlantic Treaty Organization” (NATO). NATO was formed after WWII for cooperative defense against the expansion of the Soviet Union. The nations who sign on to this treaty promise to defend and help each other.
God does not need our help or defense, so His covenant (treaty) is one-sided. God has made known to us His reason. Ephesians 2:4-5 say:
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NKJV) 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Because of mercy and love, God made a covenant with man. The covenant Psalm 89 speaks of is with God’s “chosen.” God swore to David to give him an eternal dynasty, a never-ending kingdom. But the one to sit on the throne is to be the seed of David.
The seed of David was born in a stable in Bethlehem. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and he is everlasting. Listen to what the Psalmist says about this seed of David.
Psalms 89:19-29 (NKJV) 19Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and said: “I have given help to [one who is] mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. 20I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed him, 21with whom My hand shall be established; also My arm shall strengthen him. 22The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. 23I will beat down his foes before his face, And plague those who hate him. 24“But My faithfulness and My mercy [shall be] with him, and in My name his horn shall be exalted. 25Also I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. 26He shall cry to Me, ‘You [are] my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.’ 27Also I will make him [My] firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him. 29His seed also I will make [to endure] forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.”
This Psalm is a prophecy about Jesus. When He came to the stable in Bethlehem, He came to suffer and die for our sins. Right now, He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God and is waiting until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. When He returns, He will be our conquering Lord and King. Every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. His kingdom will be everlasting as He is everlasting. David’s dynasty is eternal because God chose for the flesh of His Son to come through David’s lineage.
Since He is our King, please note that:
The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him.
This promise of protection and strength extends to us who are His. We do not deserve this; His mercy and faithfulness never change, so we are saved.
Do you keep this eternal perspective?
Is your hope in the Lord?
I just did a brief investigation into Heman the Ezrahite, who is often mentioned along with Ethan. I didn't know who either of them were until a few days ago! Lisa
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