Psalms 89:4–37

In Psalm 89 the psalmist celebrates the mercies of the Lord and His faithfulness. He tells of them to all generations. David's throne must be restored. God has promised. He has bound Himself by covenant and by oath not to lie to David (verses 3, 4).

Psalm 89 is a wonderful psalm. The previous one dealt with the law and turned to Mount Sinai. This one takes up grace and the covenant of unfailing promise in David. It expresses the miseries of Israel. Christ takes them up as His own in connection with promise, as earlier He had taken up the curse under the law. But here He appeals to promise, the sure mercies of David. He does not look at the miseries as bowing under the righteous curse of the law.

The song joins David's throne and seed together, just as the promise to David joined them. It also names the length of time — "for ever"... The psalm notes failure in verses 38-51, in relation to David's seed. Anything committed into the hands of men results in sad and grievous failure. The psalm in its fullness and blessing waits to be fulfilled in another Seed, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God pledged Himself to David: He would establish his offspring forever and build his throne for all generations (Psalm 89:4). But He did not bind Himself to keep Solomon, Rehoboam, or anyone else in power. Everything now waits for the appearing of "His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was descended from David according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3). When He comes out from heaven, the throne of David will be set up again, and will once more be the throne of Jehovah on earth.

In Acts 13 Paul stands up to speak in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia. In that speech he refers to the "faithful mercies of David" (Acts 13:34)... But Israel rejected and killed their Messiah. Humanly speaking, at that point all was lost. But what did God do? He "raised Him from among the dead, no more to return to corruption". Then He spoke like this: "I will give you the faithful mercies of David." God had promised David a descendant to sit on his throne (2 Samuel 7:16). This promise is certain, sure and unchangeable. To fulfil it, God raised up Christ from among the dead. But how was this possible? Israel had crucified the very One who was to bring them blessing. How could God still bless them? Only pure grace and mercy could make it true.

But how is the length of the blessing defined? "His seed also I will make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven." Again, "As the sun before me; it shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven." The wording is all the more striking here. According to full New Testament revelation this throne is eternal. It never passes from David's Son, though as man He gives it up to take it as "God all in all". Yet even when the psalm speaks of the part of the blessing that is eternal, its language does not go beyond the furthest limit of time — "it shall be established for ever as the moon."

This Psalm is about the unchangeable promises of God and the sure mercies of David. If the people stand before God on the ground of the law, that can only end in the darkness of judgment and death. If they stand on the ground of the covenant of grace made with David, it leads to this: "Mercy shall be built up forever: your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens" (v. 2) — in the heavens, where nothing can ever touch it.

"And the heavens shall praise your wonders," for they also recognise His works below, and so they minister to one another.

On earth, for now, things may seem to be in conflict with this. From the Jewish standpoint, the witness of many generations might seem to be against it. The tree of David's house is levelled to the ground and Israel are wanderers among the nations. But for faith the heavens have another story to tell, because the Crucified has become the Glorified. They will have a marvellous witness to give when the fruits of the cross are seen in the multitude of the redeemed in heaven.

Again the heavens come in with their praise. For a Jew, the "congregation of the holy ones" would at first thought have to mean the angelic host. But once we take the deeper meaning into account, they may be the "seed" already spoken of, royal and heavenly. As such, they will proclaim His faithfulness and the wonder of His grace.

The Old Testament does not speak of the saints who will inherit heaven. Yet no doubt they are included in the prophecy. Certainly all the heavenly company will find great delight in praising the Lord for His wonders in the blessing of Israel that is still to come.

There are two corresponding words in the Hebrew, and both occur in Psalm 89. Hosios corresponds with chasid, "your holy One," in Psalm 89:19. Hagios corresponds with qadosh, "the holy One" in Psalm 89:18 — the singular of the word translated "saints" in Psalm 89:5, 7.

The psalmist then celebrates the glory of Jehovah — the One who has made the covenant with David. The heavens declare His wonders; the saints His faithfulness. No creature can be compared with Jehovah. In His supreme glory as God there can be none likened to Him. In the assembly of His saints He is the object of reverent fear.

The psalmist then celebrates the glory of Jehovah — the One who has made the covenant with David. The heavens declare His wonders; the saints His faithfulness. No creature can be compared with Jehovah. In His supreme glory as God there can be none likened to Him.

To put the question is to answer it — where is one like Him as far as infinite space extends? And the sons of the mighty — perhaps rather of might (a "plural of majesty") — who among them can be compared to Jehovah? Think of Him in connection with the assembled wisdom of the holy ones: He is an object only of reverent fear to and above them all. More than that, He is the unchanging God of hosts, whom they all serve. Where then can there be might like the might of Jah — the strong, decisive name? And His faithfulness — here is the comfort of it all — is all about Him, matching the outgoing of His glorious power.

It is impossible to deny that "sons of God," in the early books of the Bible (Job 1:6, Job 2:1, Job 38:7), are found applied to angels. So in a slightly different form of the Hebrew we read in Ps. 29:1 and Ps. 89:6... there is no ground from Old Testament usage to question this. The phrase applies to angels, not to men — even faithful and righteous men.

It is surely not an address to angels, as perhaps mostly held, but to the mighty of the earth, in view of what follows... They are to ascribe glory and strength to Jehovah as the only Source of these.

All the heavenly company will find great delight in praising the Lord for His wonders in relation to the eventual blessing of Israel. Though there will be multitudes in heaven, none can compare with the blessed Lord of glory (v. 6).

Take the angels who "excel in strength." The most glorious and excellent of them, in wisdom, power, and every attribute, still has only a creature excellence. Beyond that stretches just as far the infinity of distance to Godhead... God is God, and man is man, and his happiness is to know that this is eternally true.

The growing disregard of reverence for sacred things is a sad thing. It marks the last days we live in. Even professing Christians speak of God as if He were someone like themselves. In the big modern evangelistic campaigns you often hear people pray to God as if they were on very familiar terms with the Most High. They speak to Him as freely as if He were little more than themselves — in a way they would not dare to address the highest official in their land.

At verse 5 a strain of rest and triumph begins, and it runs to verse 18. Verses 5-7 praise the faithfulness of the Lord, in keeping with the perfect worship presented to Him now and in the future in the heavenly places. His faithfulness will be celebrated there in long-lasting songs. The singers are those who are to be presented faultless before the throne of God, because He is able in faithfulness to save.

Once again the heavens come in with their witnessing praise. To a Jew, the "congregation of the holy ones" would at first mean the angelic host. But if we take the deeper meaning here into account, in this application they may be the "seed" already spoken of, royal and heavenly, who as that seed will proclaim His faithfulness and the wonder of His grace.

For He is God, greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, whether in heaven or on earth. Those who have the privilege of being in His presence are to hold Him in reverence (v. 7). Then the psalmist breaks out in genuine adoration of Him who is "Lord of hosts": "Who is mighty like You, O Lord?" (v. 8). He does not say "as mighty as You," for only He is mighty at all. None others are really mighty in any way. They may be mighty compared to others, but in contrast to Him, they have no might whatever.

The story of Achan, in Joshua 7, is solemn and moving in the highest degree. It says in our hearing, with the deepest emphasis, words our careless hearts are only too ready to forget: "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of His saints, and to be held in reverence by all who are around Him." Had Achan remembered this, it would have taught him that he must nip the covetousness of his heart in the bud. That would have spared the whole assembly the humiliating defeat at Ai, and all the sorrow and discipline that followed.

In Psalm 89:7 we read, "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all who are around Him." But it is the Christian's privilege to know God in a far nearer and more blessed relationship than Old Testament saints could. We know God as Father; we know Christ as Firstborn among many brothers; we know that when He appears we shall be like Him. Then surely our fear of God, and reverence for God, should greatly exceed that of the psalmist of old. But does it?

The growing disregard of reverence for sacred things is sad, and it marks the last days in which our lot is cast. Even professing Christians speak of God as if He were one like themselves. In big modern evangelistic campaigns you often hear people pray to God as if they were on very intimate terms with Him, the Most High. They approach Him as casually as if He were little more than themselves. They would not presume to speak that way to the head of their own government.

Then the psalmist breaks out in genuine worship of Him who is "Lord of hosts": "Who is mighty like You, O Lord?" (v. 8). He does not say "as mighty as You," for only He is mighty at all. No one else is truly mighty in any way. They may be mighty compared to others, but in contrast to Him, they have no might whatever.

The psalmist then celebrates the glory of Jehovah — the One who has made the covenant with David. The heavens declare His wonders; the saints His faithfulness. No creature compares with Jehovah. In His supreme glory as God, there is no one like Him. In the assembly of His saints He is the object of reverent fear. Supreme in strength, as the Lord God of hosts, He acts in faithfulness on every side.

The name Jah first appears in Exodus 15:2, right after God delivered the people from Pharaoh at the Red Sea. We meet it often in the Psalms in the well-known compound word Hallelujah... Look at the context of most of the places where it occurs, and I think you will agree: the name is not just a shortened form of Jehovah. It has a meaning of its own. It reminds His people that He has stepped in with power on their behalf, and that He will do so again... Jah marks Him out as the Deliverer who brought His people out of Egypt in the past, and who will deliver them from all their enemies again.

To put the question is to answer it... No, He is the unchanging God of hosts, whom they all serve. Where then can there be might like that of Jah? — using the strong, decisive word.

And His faithfulness — here is the comfort of it all — is all about Him; commensurate with the outgoing of His glorious power.

"You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves arise, You still them" (v. 9). The Lord Jesus did this to a literal sea when He was on earth (Mk. 4:39). He will one day fully subdue the sea of the raging nations. In the meantime He rules them behind the scenes, letting them go "so far and no farther"... The psalm mentions Rahab, that is, Egypt, the first nation to hold Israel in slavery.

In Psalm 89, the godly remnant look for salvation in the mercy of God, and in His faithfulness to His covenant with David. That covenant secures their blessing, even though God casts the nation off for a time.

Its subject is the mercies of Jehovah — His kindness toward Israel — and the fact that they never change. They are the sure mercies. There was faith to say "for ever," for it was grace... He then recites the covenant first made with David. That covenant is the expression of mercy, and it is what Jehovah was to be faithful to: the sure mercies of David. He then turns and goes on praising Jehovah (vv. 5-18), recalling the ancient rescue from Egypt.

Then the psalmist bursts out in sincere worship of Him who is "Lord of hosts": "Who is mighty like You, O Lord?" (v. 8). He does not say "as mighty as You," for only He is mighty at all. No one else is truly mighty in any way. They may be mighty compared to others, but in contrast to Him, they have no might whatever. "Your faithfulness also surrounds You," like armor that nothing can pierce and nothing can weaken.

The Lord Jesus did this with real water when He was on earth (Mk. 4:39). He will also subdue the sea of the raging nations completely in the end. In the meantime He rules them behind the scenes. He lets them go "thus far and no farther," and He orders events in a way that shows His sovereign authority over them. Rahab is mentioned, that is, Egypt, the first of the nations to hold Israel in bondage, and how she was broken to pieces like someone killed. So she is made an example for all the enemies of God, whom He scatters with His mighty arm (v. 10).

His glory in keeping that covenant faithfully is then celebrated. He is the Redeemer (vv. 9-10), the Creator (vv. 11-12), the Ruler (vv. 13-14), the Shield of His people, and their King.

His voice was enough to still the elements. "Peace! Be still!" Long before He became man the Psalmist wrote of Him, "You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them" (Ps. 89:9). He laid aside not one attribute of Deity when He became man. His almighty power and His perfect knowledge shone out in Him whenever there was occasion to show them. Demons, disease, death, winds and waves all fled before His word.

One example more. The blessed Lord Himself was storm-tossed on the lake. The cry of His terrified followers woke Him from sleep, and He rose from the pillow to still the storm. Now, if the Lord is no longer here with us in person to calm our fears by stilling our storms, He sits above the storms to do what is still more wonderful — to calm our troubled hearts. So we read it is "through Christ Jesus" that the peace of God keeps our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:7).

A poetical name, meaning "insolence," given to Egypt. Psalm 87:4; Psalm 89:10; Isaiah 51:9. The same word occurs in Isaiah 30:7. There the Revised Version reads, "therefore I have called her Rahab who sits still."

The psalm mentions Rahab, that is, Egypt — the first nation to hold Israel in slavery — broken to pieces like one killed. So she stands as an example for all the enemies of God, whom He scatters with His mighty arm.

The sea is the very type of unruled strength and pride; but He stills the tossing of its angry waves. Rahab — that name of pride, Egypt — lay crushed before His might, as if slain. Here history supplies the psalmist with the experience. They were enemies to Him, and He scattered them.

It was in remembrance of His promise to Abram that He had broken Rahab in pieces (Genesis 15:14-16). The same faithfulness would in due time break the rod of pride for good. Pharaoh was a figure of another, the deliberate opposer of the Lord's power. That one will set himself up proudly, with a vast army, against the name and heritage of God.

Then come His dealings on earth — Rahab slain, and the enemies scattered. That is, first Antichrist and pride, and then the other nations. It is the same order as elsewhere: first Egypt, then the nations of Canaan.

The Lord Jesus has always been the Executor of the purposes of God. He acted in the mighty scenes of creation. It was He who cut Rahab in pieces — a name meaning "Arrogance," given to Egypt in contempt. He dried up the sea, when God brought the people out of the land where they were slaves, under Moses. When He puts on strength and acts in the future day, there will be a far greater deliverance.

The godly recall the exercise of the Lord's power, when at the Red Sea He broke the power of Egypt ("Rahab") and scattered His enemies with His strong arm. The Lord owns heaven and earth by His rights as Creator. If He overthrows the power of the world, pictured by Egypt, He does it so that His mighty arm may establish His own throne — a throne marked by justice and judgment, mercy and truth.

God has promised, and bound Himself by covenant and by oath, not to lie to David. And God is Almighty. He had taken up the cause of His people in Egypt, then breaking Rahab in pieces.

Psalm 89 has one remarkable feature we should notice here. It relies on the faithfulness of God according to His original word of promise, when everything on the outside is contrary to it. Yet it expects that promise to be fulfilled on the ground of mercy — in fact on Christ, in whom all the promised mercies gather.

Jehovah is the possessor of heaven and earth by His rights as Creator. And if He overthrows the power of the world, as represented by Egypt, He does it so that His mighty arm may establish His own throne, marked by justice and judgment, mercy and truth.

The kingdom of Christ will extend over the whole world and all who live in it. His first claim to all is that He is the Creator of all — "He has founded it."

This was true long before men existed. But all mankind will recognise it in that day when the Lord asserts His sovereign rights.

We all know He is the possessor of heaven and earth now in real title. But where is the witness to it on the earth today? Where is the power that enforces it? As far as one can see, man is the possessor of the earth now. And if one bows to Scripture, who can deny that the devil is the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air? Only faith can say that God is truly so. But in that day it will be evident to all. His possession of heaven and earth will be manifest when the Lord Jesus comes.

I come now to examine how He takes possession of it all. He does so under four titles. As God, Creator of them. As Son, and appointed Heir of them. As Son of man, according to Psalm 8, the Man of God's counsel. And as Redeemer of His inheritance, which had fallen under Satan's power through the desires of man when he fell.

God has promised, and bound Himself by covenant and by oath, not to lie to David (3, 4). And God is Almighty. He had taken up the cause of His people in Egypt, then breaking Rahab in pieces. He is the God of heaven, and the God of the earth also. He has founded it all (11).

The heavens are His too, and the earth — yes, the inhabited world with everything people count as their treasure. The north with its darkness and frost, the south with its rich plenty: they are His as their Creator. And they celebrate: Tabor and Hermon, the visible examples set before Israel's eyes, sing for joy at His name.

God is Almighty. He had taken up the cause of His people in Egypt, breaking Rahab in pieces. He is the God of heaven, and the God of the earth also. He has founded everything (11). North and south, Tabor (that is, the west) and Hermon (that is, the east), shall rejoice in His name (12).

Tabor is a noticeable mountain in Galilee, about seven miles east of Nazareth. It formed the boundary between the tribal lands of Issachar and Zebulun. Tradition makes this the mount of the Transfiguration. But some part of Mount Hermon was more likely the place of the Transfiguration.

The north has its cold winds of hardship and often mystery. The south has its pleasant circumstances. In a coming day everyone will know clearly that both are under the control of the living God. Tabor (meaning "You will purge") and Hermon ("devoted") sing for joy at His name (v. 12). When God's purging has taken place, the devotion that sings together in harmony goes with it. How different from the sad depression of Israel through so much of her history!

Jehovah is the possessor of heaven and earth by His rights as Creator. And if He overthrows the power of the world, as represented by Egypt, He does it so that by His mighty arm He may establish His own throne, marked by justice and judgment, mercy and truth.

Psalm 89 has one remarkable feature we should notice here. It is reliance on the faithfulness of God according to His original word of promise, when outwardly everything is contrary to it... Yet there is confidence. Whatever the state of things may be, He has accomplished redemption and broken the power of the enemy... His arm is mighty, His right hand high, whatever condition they are in. Heaven and earth are His, though until Christ comes we cannot say Possessor of heaven and earth. Justice and judgment are the constant attributes of His throne. Mercy and truth announce Him when He goes out. This way of putting it is beautiful. God has a throne. There everything must be brought into agreement with it.

Most of this Psalm praises the Lord's loving-kindness and faithfulness. It makes the covenant with David prominent. We must of course look beyond David and see Him, the Son of David, in whom this covenant will be confirmed. Verses 4-37 tell us of all the blessings that will be on earth when our Lord, the Son of David, is King. … Justice and judgment will be the foundations of His throne, mercy and truth will go before His face (verse 14).

If this is true among men, it is also true in the ways of God. So we read that "justice and judgment are the habitation of Your throne" (Ps. 89:14) — the habitation, or establishment, meaning the pillars, as it were, on which the throne of God is built.

Righteousness and judgment are the basis of this government. They are not merely a sentiment of what is right, but right carried out. Meanwhile loving-kindness and truth, in matching activity, go before the face of the glorious King.

God is love in His nature, but He is also the just God. Justice is His public and necessary attribute, the measure and witness of His every act. To do wrong in any sense would be to dethrone Himself (Ps. 89:14). So, in fulfilling His eternal purpose towards men, He proves His justice first. Only then does He satisfy Himself in expressing His love.

The ark with its mercy-seat was the throne of Him who dwelt between the cherubim. Of Him it was said, "Justice and judgment are the foundation of Your throne," but at the same time "mercy and truth go before Your face" (Ps. 89:14). How then could these be reconciled towards man? Only by the precious blood pictured by what the faces of the cherubim looked towards. The torn curtain has witnessed the value of that blood. Through it the "righteousness of God" is now "toward all," and the sanctuary of His presence has become the place of refuge for the sinner.

Then all mankind will clearly see that righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. What a striking contrast to all the previous thrones of the kings of the earth (v. 14)! But alongside righteousness and justice are the gentle qualities of mercy and truth.

What is the joyful sound spoken of here? The Hebrew word is t'ruah, the sound of a trumpet. But not every trumpet sound had this name. It took no such sound to gather the people to the door of the tent of meeting. The single blast that called the leaders together was not this one. This special sound came when the camp in the wilderness had to move. The people took down their tents, broke camp, and kept close to the sign of God's presence as it went before them or travelled among them.

This is not the announcement of the Jewish festivals in general, as is often supposed, since no such trumpet blast was blown for them. The reference is surely to the first day of the seventh month. After a pause in their feasts since the day of Pentecost, the trumpet sounded to tell the people that Tisri had begun. In that month they kept the day of atonement and the feast of Tabernacles, and from time to time they proclaimed the year of Jubilee.

The third occasion on which we read of the sound of the trumpets is "an alarm." Translators have rendered this word in Psalm 89:15 as "the joyful sound." But it was both. It was heard when the enemy was stirring. To the trained ear it was a "joyful sound": the Lord of Hosts was with His people, and no enemy could take them by surprise. But it was "an alarm" too. It roused the faithful to stay watchful against a watchful foe, and to the enemy it sounded the alarm of coming defeat and ruin.

This is a government in which the divine Ruler does not withdraw Himself from His people. On the contrary, He seeks to be known and to show Himself to them. The people who know the signal-sound — the trumpet-call that summoned Israel to attention in the wilderness — shall walk in the light of His countenance.

"To behold the face of the king" was the supreme privilege. Anyone allowed into his presence could count himself happy. "Happy are your servants," said the queen, "who stand continually before you." And again it says, "Blessed are the people who know the shout of joy: they walk, O Jehovah, in the light of Your countenance." To see the king's face is to enter his close company.

This understanding of God gives the sense of blessedness in the middle of sorrow… The heart takes hold of all this in the middle of sorrows, so that a person can be sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. This gives sweet blessing to the heart of the saint. Trouble only increases it. It makes him feel how precious the faithfulness and favour of God are. It shows him that nothing separates him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The inward revelation of divine favour makes the path of sorrow full of sweetness.

So all the attributes of God will be beautifully clear in the thousand-year reign of the Lord Jesus. Well might we be told, "Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!" Why? Because "they walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance." This will be particularly and openly true in the thousand years of peace. Yet it is spiritually true now for all who know Christ as Saviour.

Nothing can stop it! Faith recognises it and rejoices in it! "Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound!" How full and free for people is the final invitation in the inspired book — "let the one who desires take the water of life without price" (Revelation 22:17).

This is a government in which the divine Ruler does not withdraw Himself from His people. On the contrary, He seeks to be known and to show Himself to them. The people who know the signal-sound — the trumpet-call that summoned Israel to attention in the wilderness — will walk in the light of His face. Such people are truly blessed: in His name they exult all the day, and in His righteousness they are exalted.

The name of Jehovah signifies what He is in Himself, the revelation of His character, and also of His relationship with His people. His name (or glory) and His people's blessing go together... So "glory and strength" are in that name (Ps. 29:1); "mercy and truth" (Ps. 115:1); "goodness" (Ps. 25:7); "loving-kindness" (Ps. 138:2); "righteousness" (Ps. 143:1); when faith counts on the revealed name there is "trust" (Ps. 9:10); we get "victory" through that name (Ps. 44:5)... we may well "rejoice" in that name (Ps. 89:16).

He turns then, and continues his praises of Jehovah (v. 5-18), recalling the ancient deliverance from Egypt... and the blessedness of the people that know the joyful sound. In His name they would rejoice all the day, in His (for we are in grace here) righteousness be exalted. He was the glory of their strength; and in His favour their horn will be exalted.

We shall find the righteousness of God to be in direct contrast to the righteousness of man. It cannot be by law either, for God cannot be under the law. He was the law-giver... But it is the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel, on the principle of faith. It was announced again and again in the Old Testament, and now it is explained, or revealed. "There is no God besides me, a righteous God and a Savior... Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth" (Isa. 45:21-24). "...who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted" (Ps. 89:16).

This understanding of God gives the sense of blessedness in the middle of sorrow... All of it is realised in the heart in the middle of sorrows, so that one can be sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. Trouble only increases it, because it makes him feel how precious the faithfulness and favour of God are. Trouble also makes him feel that nothing separates him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Verses 16 to 18 continue the subject of Israel rejoicing in the person of their Messiah, the Lord Jesus. This happens when they are brought to Him in the day of His millennial glory. They rejoice without stopping in the name of the Lord. In His righteousness they are exalted — that is, when He reigns in righteousness. The glory of their strength then will be seen to be in Christ (v. 17), for by His favour (His grace) their horn (power) is exalted.

In Psalm 89 the wisdom of Ethan instructs us. What does this other wise man speak of? Of grace! This Psalm is about the unchangeable promises of God and the sure mercies of David. If the people stand before God on the footing of the law, that can only lead to the darkness of judgment and death. But they stand on the basis of the covenant of grace made with David. That leads to this: "Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness" (v. 2; older translations read "Mercy shall be built up for ever") — in the heavens, where nothing shall ever touch it. This magnificent Psalm is the hymn of grace. It sings all the glory of God which this grace has established and brought to light.

The last verse of this section states the outcome of their being with God in this way, and applies it to Israel: "For you are the glory of their strength." He is the One through whom their strength becomes so great, and so real a cause of rejoicing. "By your favor our horn is exalted." Israel, brought into line with God's conditions of blessing, will find this fulfilled to them.

Horns were worn in the East as a symbol of exaltation and power. Jehovah was David's horn of salvation. He exalted the horn of His people, and broke the horns of the wicked. Ps. 18:2; Ps. 75:10; Ps. 148:14.

Verses 16 to 18 continue the subject of Israel's rejoicing in their Messiah, the Lord Jesus. This is the day of His millennial glory, when God brings them to Him. They always rejoice in the name of the Lord, and His righteousness lifts them high — that is, when He reigns in righteousness. Then it will be clear that the glory of their strength is in Christ (v. 17), for by His favour — His grace — He exalts their horn, that is, their power. Their protecting shield comes from the Lord, for the Holy One of Israel gives them their King (v. 18).

Its subject is the mercies of Jehovah — His graciousness (chasdee) towards Israel. These mercies never change; they are the sure mercies. There was faith to say "for ever," for it was grace… And so it will be, when Satan is cast down. It is the very description of the millennium… He then turns and continues his praises of Jehovah (vv. 5-18). He recalls the ancient deliverance from Egypt… and the blessedness of the people who know the joyful sound. In His name they would rejoice all the day; in His righteousness (for we are in grace here) they would be exalted. He was the glory of their strength, and in His favour their horn will be exalted.

This name appears three times in the Psalms, and all three times in the third book (71:22; 78:41; 89:18). Psalm 78 retells the people's history. It sets their rebellious ways against God's faithful goodness. The One they limited was the Holy One of Israel. Psalm 89 closes the third book of Psalms, the book that deals with Israel as a nation, not just with the remnant of the Jews. It takes up the story of God's grace where Psalm 78 left it, and shows how the Holy One of Israel is their shield and their resource. The King is about to take His place among the chosen people, and they can say, "The LORD is our defence, and the Holy One of Israel is our King."

Such was the blessedness of being linked with Jehovah in His favour. But this blessing lay in the faithful mercy shown to David. And where was that found? Verse 18 answers: Jehovah, the Holy One (kodesh) of Israel, is their King.

The One whom David represents in this picture has, by His blessed work, given God a throne on earth such as He alone could delight in. "Jehovah our Shield — the Holy One": these things could never have been joined together, if He, the Mediator, had not joined them. So the ark of the covenant declares Him — made of two materials, holding and enclosing Jehovah's law — and so does the golden mercy seat, which was His throne among the people.

There are two matching words in the Hebrew, and both occur in Psalm 89. The Greek hosios matches chasid, "your holy One," in Psalm 89:19. The Greek hagios matches qadosh, "the Holy One," in Psalm 89:18 — the singular of the word translated "saints" in Psalm 89:5, 7. In its plural form, hosios is translated "mercies" in "the sure mercies of David" in Acts 13:34.

What makes this word interesting is that it is the same word used in verse 1: "I will sing of the mercies of Jehovah for ever." This gathers all the mercies of Jehovah into one person — the man chosen out of the people, David His servant. He is able to carry all the attributes of Jehovah. He is the channel of them, and He turns them all into mercy towards His people.

This is the first great work recorded in Luke. The possessed man says to Him, "I know who you are—the Holy One of God." This appears to be the same character in which Psalm 89 speaks of Christ, where it says, "Jehovah is our shield; and the Holy One of Israel our King" (verse 18). The psalm is full of interest, because the Holy One there is the only ground of the people's hopes, and the support of the house of David, which is otherwise ruined. The point of Psalm 89 is that every hope depends on Him. Israel have come to nothing; the glory faded, and at last departed; the throne is cast down to the ground. But He is the King, and so it is perfectly secured.

The true force in verse 19 is, "Then You speak in vision of Your Merciful (or Holy) One." He gathers into Himself all the sure mercies the psalmist sings of in verse 1. They are "the mercies" of David, no doubt, but — and this is of all importance — of Jehovah also. Jehovah is called the Holy One of Israel, which is quite a distinct word and thought. He speaks of Christ as His Holy or Gracious One.

Here, no doubt, the immediate subject is David; but in the mind of God a greater, even Christ, is here. The evil spirit admits that this Holy One is present in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. Help was indeed laid upon the Mighty One. He had overcome Satan completely, and He could have delivered man from all the miserable results of Satan's power, even death itself. But man would have none of Him. Man must be redeemed or lost.

What high honour God put upon Samuel in sending him to anoint the man "after God's own heart"! God had spoken in vision to His holy prophet Samuel. God let him pour the holy anointing oil on the head of David the beloved, and that was the crowning event of his life.

The strength in Him was no mere creature-strength. On Him rested the carrying out of all God's purposes of grace through the cross. "I have laid help upon One that is mighty" may indeed be said of Him. But how wonderful is this endurance in Him who learns obedience through the things He suffers! The very power to stoop to such a place could only belong to a divine nature.

God has a Man on whom He can lay His hand. And if He lays His hand on Him, it means He is committing everything to Him, for His own glory. There is no doubt who that Man is. "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand" (John 3:35).

That Psalm puts a special stress on mercies. The "David" in it is God's "Holy One" (verse 19). He is to be made "My Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth" (verse 27), and God says, "My covenant shall stand fast with Him" (verse 28). The Psalm clearly has in view the Son of David, and David was only a picture of Him. The mercies of the Psalm come true only in Christ risen from the dead. First among those wonderful mercies are the forgiveness of sins and justification from all things.

In the mission field, humanly speaking, one's heart would fail with the cry: Who is sufficient for these things? Thank God He has laid help upon One who is mighty.

The verses that follow set out in detail the covenant God made with David, and His faithfulness to that covenant. God had spoken in a vision to Nathan (2 Sam. 7:4–17) about David. He is the one chosen from the people and lifted high. He is anointed as the servant of the Lord (v. 20). He is victorious over all his enemies (vv. 21–23). God's faithfulness and mercy establish him, to reign over the full extent of the land as given to Abraham.

This is always the way of grace. It goes to work only after man has been proved completely unable… And this grace always uses the weak thing and the foolish thing of this world as its instrument. Such was Jesus of Nazareth, such was Paul with a thorn in his flesh, and such is David now. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." Man had already looked on the outward appearance, as we have seen. He found what he wanted in Saul, the finest-looking man in Israel. But God does not choose by that measure.

He, too, was "one chosen from the people" — that is, from the mass that men saw nothing special in. Among these, in grace, our blessed Lord was found.

The vessels of the tabernacle were anointed with oil to consecrate them, or set them apart, for God (Ex. 40:9; Lev. 8:10–12). The Holy Spirit sanctifies (1 Pet. 1:2)… The "holy oil" (Ps. 89:20) reminds us that the Spirit is holy and makes holy.

He was also anointed with a horn of oil, in contrast to Saul, who was anointed using a vial of oil (1 Sam. 10:1). The horn speaks of stability, whereas a vial is something fragile. All of the kingdoms of this world have come to an end or will come to an end. There is only one kingdom that will last forever, the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

David had been chosen from the people, and he is a type of the Lord Jesus. Scripture says of Him, "With My holy oil I have anointed him" (v. 20). This happened when John the Baptist baptised the Lord Jesus in the Jordan. The Spirit of God, pictured by the holy oil, came down on Him. That anointed Him for the ministry He came to do, both as King and Priest.

He had spoken of… a chasid. In him all the chasdee — the same word in the plural as chesed, mercy — all the mercies were to be gathered. To him God would show His unchangeable faithfulness: the sure mercies of David.

Verses 38–51 sound a note of failure about David's seed. Anything put into the hands of men ends in sad and grievous failure. The psalm, in its fullness and blessing, waits to be fulfilled in another Seed, the Lord Jesus Christ.

With Him the hand of God will be fully established. The Lord Jesus, taking the place of dependent Man, would find His strength in the living God.

Here, no doubt, the immediate subject is David; but in the mind of God a greater, even Christ, is here. The evil spirit admits that this holy One is present in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. Help was indeed laid on the mighty One. He had fully overcome Satan, and He could have delivered man from all the miserable fruits of Satan's power, even death itself. But man would have none of Him. Man must be redeemed, or lost.

Next we see Him as the Anointed One — the Christ. In His case the Spirit of God is the anointing. He is marked out as "servant" again, for this is how the Spirit of God comes upon Him: rising up from the waters of the Jordan. John's hearers had taken their place in those waters, "confessing their sins" and owning that death was their due.

We read in Psalm 89:19–20: "I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him." This prophecy was fulfilled on the banks of Jordan when Jesus was baptised and the Holy Spirit came down to remain on Him. God could not let Him be placed on the same level as those who needed repentance. He publicly announced: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).

But what follows carries us on into what is still future — His glory as king, seen by all. Jehovah's hand is firm with Him, and His arm strengthens Him. No enemy takes advantage of Him. No son of wickedness afflicts Him, and His enemies are beaten down before His face. Yet "David and his afflictions" were as true a picture of Him as David in his glory. What seems to contrast with His glory here is in fact the display of His fullest glory.

God has a Man upon whom He can lay His hand, and if He lays His hand upon Him, it means that He is committing everything for His own glory to Him. There is no doubt who that Man is. "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand" (John 3:35).

Psalm 89 has one remarkable character which we should notice here — reliance on the faithfulness of God according to His original word of promise, when outwardly everything is contrary to it, but the expectation of fulfilment founded on mercy, in fact on Christ, in whom all promised mercies concentrate themselves.

First we see the Mighty One on whom Jehovah has laid help, and His might is God-given might. He is true man, and dependent. No one needs to argue this about David himself. It is true also of Him who has taken the place of Man on earth, and He holds that place in reality, not in mere appearance... The psalm goes no further than this. Still, it lets us see a Figure greater than David. David in the Spirit owns Him as his Lord, even though after the flesh He is his Son.

The enemy could not gain the slightest advantage over Him (v. 22), and God would not let the son of wickedness afflict Him. For God would beat down His foes before His face and send a plague on those who hate Him. This was the general rule. There was one exception: the Lord's sufferings from wicked men at the cross of Calvary. But God limited even those sufferings. He ended them once they had been enough to bring glory to God. And this scripture foretells the final beating down of all the Lord's enemies at the time of the end.

"I have laid help upon One that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant," and so on. Here the immediate subject is David, no doubt. But in the mind of God a greater One, even Christ, is in view... God did lay help upon the Mighty One. He had overcome Satan completely, and He could have delivered man from all the miserable fruits of Satan's power, even death itself. But man would have none of Him. Man must be redeemed or lost.

But what follows carries us on into what is still future — His visible kingly glory. Jehovah's hand is firm with Him, and His arm strengthens Him. No enemy exacts upon Him, and no son of perversity afflicts Him. His adversaries are beaten down before His face. Yet "David and his afflictions" were as true a picture of Him as David in his glory was. What looks like the opposite of His glory here is in fact the fullest display of that glory.

"Moreover," God adds, "I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them any more" (v. 10). This is a promise of remarkable blessing for Israel. They have never seen anything like it to this day. Yet God will fulfil it in absolute perfection in His own time.

He had said in faith that mercy, God's goodness shown to us, will be built up for ever. God set His faithfulness where nothing could reach it. And so it will be, once Satan is cast down. This is the very description of the millennium.

(vv. 19-28) These verses set out the covenant God made with David. They also give the assurance that God will keep it. God had spoken in a vision to Nathan (2 Sam. 7:4-17) about David. God chose him from the people and lifted him up. He is anointed as the servant of the Lord (v. 20). He triumphs over all his enemies (vv. 21-23). God's faithfulness and mercy establish him, so that he reigns over the full extent of the land God gave to Abraham.

With Him the hand of God will be fully established. The Lord Jesus would take the place of dependent Man and find His strength in the living God. The enemy could not gain the slightest advantage over Him (v. 22). God would not let the son of wickedness afflict Him. For God would beat down His foes before His face and send a plague on those who hate Him.

This was a general fact. There was one exception: the Lord's sufferings from wicked men at the cross of Calvary. But even those sufferings God limited. He brought them to an end when they had served to bring glory to God. And this scripture is prophetic. It foretells the final beating down of all the Lord's enemies at the time of the end.

Jehovah's hand is firm with Him, and His arm strengthens Him. No enemy takes anything from Him, and no wicked man afflicts Him. God beats down His adversaries before His face. Yet "David and his afflictions" gave as true a picture of Him as David in his glory did. What looks here like the opposite of His glory is in fact the display of His fullest glory.

Then His kingdom fills the full limits of God's gift to Abraham. It reaches as far as the Sea (the Mediterranean) and the rivers (the Euphrates and the Nile). He stands to God as a Son to a Father. In God He has His sanctuary of strength, His might and His salvation. Yes, He is firstborn Son. So His kingdom swells into a worldwide empire, and He becomes supreme over the kings of the earth. God's covenant with Him stands fast for ever, and God's love never changes towards Him. Here David is only a faint, though true, picture of a wider glory.

The psalm is about the mercies of Jehovah — His graciousness towards Israel. It is about how those mercies never change. They are the sure mercies. There was faith to say, "for ever," because this was grace… Mercy, that is, goodness shown, will be built up for ever. God set His faithfulness where nothing could reach it. And so it will be, Satan being cast down. It is the very description of the millennium.

From this we may observe that discipline is not forgetfulness. It is the sign that God remembers. David's throne lies in the dust for a season because of transgression, but God has not forgotten it. The enemy uses this to reproach… They say, "Where is the promise of His coming?" But God never takes back His gifts and His calling. The covenant is as full and fresh in God's remembrance as it was in the days of David himself.

The verses that follow set out in detail the covenant made with David, and the assurance that God will be faithful to His covenant. God had spoken in a vision to Nathan (2 Samuel 7:4-17) about David. He is the one chosen from the people and lifted high. He is anointed as the servant of the Lord (v. 20). He triumphs over all his enemies (vv. 21-23). God's faithfulness and mercy establish him, so that he reigns over the full extent of the land God gave to Abraham, from the sea (the Mediterranean) to the rivers (the Euphrates and the Nile).

God's faithfulness and mercy would be with Him, so that in God's name His horn (His power) would be exalted (v. 24).

The mercies of Jehovah are concentrated in one person: the man chosen out of the people, David His servant. He is able to carry all the attributes of Jehovah. He was spoken of earlier as the channel of them all, and He turns them all into mercy towards His people. It is the same word in verses 24, 28 and 33. The whole seems to present Christ as the person who sustains Chesed, and what comes from that to those who are united to Him.

Its subject is the mercies of Jehovah — His graciousness towards Israel — and the fact that they never change. They are the sure mercies. There was faith to say "for ever," for it was grace... Jehovah was faithful. He had said in faith that mercy, goodness shown in action, would be built up for ever, and that faithfulness stood where nothing could reach it.

The horn stands for power. Usually it is the power of a kingdom, and so of a king. But it means the king as the one in whom the power of the kingdom is concentrated, not the king as an individual, except so far as that is true of him.

We now have the establishment of His power, and it is first defined as representative authority. His horn is exalted in Jehovah's Name. He is the true King of Israel, acting for God and glorifying Him in all things. So God's faithfulness and loving-kindness are always with Him... David is plainly only a faint, though true, picture here of a wider glory.

Preaching in the synagogue at Antioch, the Apostle Paul quoted the words "the sure mercies of David," and connected them with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. These words also connect with what we find in Psalm 89, especially verses 19-29. That Psalm gives a special place to mercies, and its "David" is God's "Holy One" (verse 19), who is to be made "My Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth" (verse 27)... The Psalm is looking at the Son of David, of whom David was only the picture. All the mercies of the Psalm will only be made good in Christ risen from the dead. First among those wonderful mercies are the forgiveness of sins and justification from all things, which Paul preached at Antioch.

These verses set out in detail the covenant made with David, and the assurance of God's faithfulness to it. God had spoken in a vision to Nathan (2 Sam. 7:4-17) about David. He is the one chosen from the people and raised up. He is anointed as the servant of the Lord (v. 20). He triumphs over all his enemies (vv. 21-23). God's faithfulness and mercy establish him, so that he reigns over the full extent of the land as given to Abraham, from the sea (the Mediterranean) to the rivers (the Euphrates and the Nile).

His right hand of power would not only subdue His enemies; it would also provide refreshment for the need of His people.

Then His kingdom fills the full limits of God's gift to Abraham, as far as the Sea (the Mediterranean) and the rivers (the Euphrates and the Nile)... He is the firstborn Son, and so His kingdom grows into a worldwide empire: He becomes supreme over the kings of the earth. With Him God's covenant stands fast for ever... Here David is only a faint, though true, picture of a wider glory.

The psalm presents this great fact: God not only has mercies and faithfulness, but nothing man does can touch these blessed qualities. They are beyond the reach of man's corrupting hand. Mercy is built up for ever, and faithfulness stands firm in the very heavens.

Its subject is the mercies of the Lord — His graciousness towards Israel — and the fact that they never change. They are the sure mercies. There was faith to say "for ever," because it was grace... He had said in faith: mercy, goodness shown to us, will be built up for ever, and faithfulness stood firm where nothing could reach it. And so it will be, when Satan is cast down. It is the very description of the millennium.

The mercy of God's own choosing, on which Israel's promised blessing rests, is made secure in Him whom the Church already worships and glories in as her exalted Head. "Jesus Christ, the offspring of David" (2 Tim. 2:8) is at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens. Faithfulness and mercy are built up and established in Him, and He Himself is the covenant of His people's endless peace.

The verses that follow set out in detail the covenant God made with David, and the assurance of God's faithfulness to His covenant. God had spoken in a vision to Nathan of David: the one chosen from the people and lifted high, anointed as the servant of the Lord (v. 20), and victorious over all his enemies (vv. 21-23). God's faithfulness and mercy establish him to reign over the whole land as given to Abraham, from the sea (the Mediterranean) to the rivers (the Euphrates and the Nile). He is appointed to rule in dependence on God as his might and his salvation (v. 26), and so he stands above the kings of the earth (v. 27).

His relation to God is that of a Son with a Father. In Him He has His sanctuary of strength, His might and His salvation. Yes, He is firstborn Son. So His kingdom grows into a worldwide empire, and He becomes supreme over the kings of the earth. With Him God's covenant stands fast forever, and His love stays with Him, unchanging. Here David is clearly only a faint, though true, type of a wider glory.

He alone would have the right to call God "My Father, My God, and the Rock of my salvation." Others may follow Him in this, but in a different measure. For the Jews knew that when He called God His Father, He was "making Himself equal with God" (John 5:15). Believers call God their Father in an infinitely lesser degree.

It brings out the relationship in which the incarnate Son of God, the promised Messiah, is with God. God accepts and owns Him. "I will be to Him a Father and He shall be to Me a Son." God declared and confirmed this relationship out loud at His baptism, and again on the mount of transfiguration. No angel could ever have such a relationship.

It referred first of all to Solomon himself, as a type of Christ. In all his glory and splendour, Solomon held the relationship these words describe, ruling over God's people. But how weakly he pictured it! He showed this blessed relationship only in part, and only for a time. In any full sense it is true only of God and His blessed Son.

The other word is tsur, a rock. It is usually sharp and steep, "a place of shelter and security": "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I"; You are "my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation." "My God is the rock of my refuge." Ps. 61:2; Ps. 89:26; Ps. 94:22.

The psalm states with force that all will be well in the end and forever. The mercies of the Lord are "forever." Mercy is built up "forever." The seed of David is established "forever," and so on. Here the soul finds its confidence and joy in all the mercies promised by covenant to David, to His throne, and to His people. Whatever the appearances, the believer is sure that "the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." And we know that the resurrection of Christ has made David's mercies "sure." (Acts 13)

The song joins David's throne and his descendants together, just as the promise given to David joined them. It also keeps the same length of time — "for ever"… Verses 38-51 sound a note of failure about David's seed. Anything put into the hands of men ends in sad and grievous failure. The Psalm in its fullness and blessing waits to be fulfilled in another Seed, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Among men, being born first usually brings the rights of the firstborn, but not always. In the natural order of birth Esau had the birthright, yet it was transferred to Jacob, the younger. David had many sons born before Solomon (1 Chron. 3), yet God granted the royal rights of succession to David's throne to Solomon. That is why Solomon appears in the family line of the Messiah, traced through Abraham and David (Matt. 1:6), though he was not David's eldest son. God's sovereign grace gave this high distinction of "firstborn" to the son of David and Bathsheba (Ps. 89:27). It shows that firstborn rights did not always follow the order of birth.

Scripture also uses the word to mean pre-eminence and dignity. God speaks of Ephraim as "My firstborn", though Manasseh was in fact Joseph's first-born son (Jeremiah 31:9). God also says of David, "And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth" (Psalm 89:27). Here the word expresses the pre-eminence of David over the kings of the earth, and so makes him a figure of Christ.

In Psalm 89 David, and not Solomon, is in question. There we read, "And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth" (ver. 27). David was that in a certain sense. Christ will be that in every sense of the word.

He will strike the nations and rule them with a rod of iron. As a result our blessed Lord will set up His throne of universal supremacy on the earth. He is already exalted at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities and powers subject to Him. In that day He will be exalted in this world too. Then He will "have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." It will be the fulfilment of the promise, "And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth." (Psalm 89:27.)

The Firstborn is the Heir, the beginning of the display of the glory and power of God. God says of the Son of David, "And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth" (Ps. 89:27). So God brings the Messiah into the world holding this place in relation to Himself. He is the Firstborn — the immediate expression of the rights and the glory of God. He has universal pre-eminence.

The title is not a question of His being the firstborn in point of time, but in point of importance. In human families the firstborn was the chief heir of the father. In the same way Christ is rightfully the sole heir of God His Father, because God has given Him the rights of the firstborn. In a lesser sense, believers become heirs of God also — "joint heirs with Christ" (Rom. 8:17). This is entirely by grace, because He delights to share His place of glory with them.

The verses that follow set out the covenant made with David in detail. They also show God's faithfulness to that covenant. God had spoken in a vision to Nathan (2 Samuel 7:4-17) about David. He is the one chosen from the people and lifted high. He is anointed as the servant of the Lord (v. 20). He triumphs over all his enemies (vv. 21-23). God's faithfulness and mercy set him up to reign over the whole land promised to Abraham. For him God's mercy will be kept forever, and "with him" God's covenant will stand firm (v. 28).

In Psalm 89 the wisdom of Ethan instructs us. What does this wise man speak of? Grace! This Psalm is about the unchangeable promises of God and the sure mercies of David. If the people stand before God on the ground of law, it can only lead to the darkness of judgment and death. If they stand on the ground of the covenant of grace made with David, it leads to this: "Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness" (v. 2) — in the heavens, where nothing can ever touch it.

God's mercy and God's covenant would stand firm with Him, never to be broken, as Israel broke their covenant of law (v. 28). God would also make the objects of His grace (His seed) last forever. That reminds us that those who are His are secure forever (v. 29).

For many centuries that was the end of David's throne. Yet God had guaranteed that throne with a promise. No failure of man could set it aside. In fact, when He gave the promise, God had that failure in view, and He said what He would do: "I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules... then I will punish their transgression with the rod... but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips" (Psalm 89:29-36).

The holiness of God is a witness that God cannot change His word, the word by which blessing is made sure to David and his descendants.

Paul preached in the synagogue at Antioch. He quoted the words "the sure mercies of David" and linked them to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. These words also connect with Psalm 89, especially verses 19-29. That Psalm puts special weight on mercies. Its "David" is God's "Holy One" (verse 19). God will make Him "My Firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth" (verse 27), and says, "My covenant shall stand fast with Him" (verse 28). Clearly the Psalm has in view the Son of David; David himself was only a picture of Him. All the mercies of the Psalm are made good only in Christ risen from the dead.

He begins by presenting a brief history of the people of Israel, quickly leading up to the point that God fulfilled His promise to His people Israel by giving them Christ in incarnation (vv. 32-33). But Israel rejected and killed their Messiah. Humanly speaking, at this point, all was lost. But what did God do? He "raised Him from among the dead, no more to return to corruption," and He said, "I will give to you the faithful mercies of David." God had promised David a descendant to sit on his throne (2 Samuel 7:16). That promise is certain, sure and unchangeable. To fulfil it, God raised up Christ from among the dead.

The song joins David's throne and his seed together, just as the promise to David joined them. It gives both the same length of time — "for ever." "I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations" (verse 4)… Verses 38–51 sound a note of failure about David's offspring. Anything committed into the hands of men results in sad and grievous failure. The psalm in its fullness and blessing waits to be fulfilled in another Seed, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The subject of this psalm is the mercies of Jehovah — His kindness towards Israel — and how they never change. They are the sure mercies. There was faith to say "for ever," because it was grace… He said in faith: mercy, goodness shown to us, will be built up for ever. God set His faithfulness where nothing could reach it… He then repeats the covenant God first made with David. That covenant expresses mercy, and it is what Jehovah would be faithful to — the sure mercies of David.

Our Lord Jesus is the David, or David's seed, here spoken of… The psalm says with force that all shall be well in the end, and for ever. The mercies of the Lord are "for ever" — mercy is built up "for ever" — the seed of David is established "for ever" — and the like… Despite all appearances, the believer can be sure that "the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." And we know that the resurrection of Christ has made David's mercies "sure." (Acts 13)

God would also make the objects of His grace (His seed) endure for ever. This reminds us that those who are His are eternally secure (v. 29). "His throne as the days of the heavens" testifies that His rule lasts for ever.

Scripture had said that it would be "as the days of heaven upon earth" (Deuteronomy 11:21). Of the throne of the King it says, "his throne as the days of the heavens" (Psalm 89:29). And the Gentiles were to know that "Heaven rules" (Daniel 4:26).

For many centuries, that was the end of the throne of David. Yet God had guaranteed that throne with a promise. No failure of man could set it aside. In fact, when God gave the promise, He had already taken the failure into account, and He said what He would do: "I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his children forsake my law… then I will punish their transgression with the rod… but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness."

How long does the blessing last? "I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens." Again, "his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies." This wording is all the more striking because it describes what is eternal, as the New Testament fully reveals — the throne. That throne never passes from David's Son, though He gives it up as man to take it as "God all in all." Yet even when the psalm speaks of the part of the blessing that is eternal in itself, its language never goes beyond the outer limit of time.

Then Psalm 89 gives us the mercies and faithfulness of the LORD, tied to the promise made to David, to David's Son, and to David's throne — a throne to be disciplined if needed, and never abandoned. But now it was overthrown and left in ruins… Under law there was no hope. Here there was a sure promise, even though everything lay in ruins at the time. And it was exactly this, through grace, that drew out the appeal to the promise.

So for many centuries that was the end of David's throne. Yet God had guaranteed that throne with a promise no human failure could set aside. In fact, when He gave it, God had already taken the failure into account, and had said what He would do.

Sadly, David's descendants failed completely. They abandoned the law and did not walk in God's judgments. They broke His statutes and did not keep His commandments (vv. 30-31). So the rod God had threatened (v. 32) has fallen on the nation. They are cast off, and it looks as if the covenant has been cancelled. Their land is ruined and they are in disgrace. Their enemies have the upper hand over them. Their glory is gone, their throne is brought down, and shame covers them.

Psalm 89 quotes this covenant, but it adds a condition about David's children: if they were not faithful, they would know the judgment of the Lord. And we know how that turned out. The promise that was made conditional on the faithfulness of David's children was lost by them and lost to them. Generation after generation in the history of the kingdom of Judah showed it.

And so Israel as God's nation could not be consumed, because God's gifts and calling are without repentance (Rom. 11:29), because His compassion towards them could not fail (Lam. 3:22). Their transgressions were to be visited with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes, but the divine loving-kindness was not to be utterly taken from David and his nation (Ps. 89:33). Correction is ever in covenant love.

From this we can see that discipline is not forgetfulness. It is the sign of being remembered. David's throne lies in the dust for a time because of transgression, but it has not been forgotten… The covenant is as full and fresh in God's memory as it was in the days of David himself.

God's covenant dealings in Psalm 89:32 include punishing their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. God cannot overlook the sins of His own people as He does the sins of the world. He brings them under discipline now. Sin in one of God's people is far more serious than sin in an unbeliever, because God's glory suffers so much more at our hands.

Verses 38-51 sound a note of failure about David's seed. Anything placed in human hands ends in sad and serious failure. The psalm's full blessing waits for another Seed to fulfil it: the Lord Jesus Christ.

For many centuries this was the end of the throne of David. Yet God had guaranteed that throne with a promise which no human failure could ever set aside. In fact, when He gave it, God had that failure in view, and He said what He would do.

When His seed come into view, and not Himself — as if there could be doubt about Him — the necessary conditions of divine holiness appear. His seed too will be established forever, just as His throne is unchangeable. But here God foresees failure as possible, and He provides for it. In this case chastening must show His holiness. God must maintain His character.

The word translated "statutes" comes from the word for engraving. That implies these are unchangeable words. "Commandments" call for obedience.

Sadly, the seed of David completely broke down. They forsook the law and did not walk in God's judgments; they violated His statutes and did not keep His commandments (vv. 30-31). So the threatened rod (v. 32) has fallen upon the nation. They are cast off, and the covenant seems to be void.

"Then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes" is among the covenant dealings of Psalm 89:32. God cannot pass over the sins of His saints as He does over those of the world. He brings them under present discipline. Sin in a saint of God is far more serious than in an unbeliever, since the glory of God suffers so much more at our hands. What might seem a small thing in another is not so in us.

God has ways in government with His people, and He has ways in grace. It is most necessary to notice the difference. Under the righteous government of God, the Jews have been and still are under His chastening hand. Their sins and their refusal to repent brought this on. But the grace and love of His heart towards them never change. Notice the terms of the covenant: "And I will afflict the offspring of David because of this, but not forever" (1 Kings 11:39). This is a principle of immense importance, not only for Israel and the church, but for the individual Christian.

Notice from this that discipline is not forgetfulness, but a sign of remembrance. David's throne is for a time in the dust because of transgression, but it has not been forgotten.

But with Christ, the true David, there can be no failure — and therefore no breach of covenant in His case. Here holiness itself is pledged on His behalf, for God has sworn to Him by it, and cannot take it back.

The sins a child of God commits must come under God's governmental chastening in this life. But he cannot come into God's penal judgment when the world is condemned. 1 Corinthians 11:32 makes the distinction clear between God's chastening and God's eternal judgment: "But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world." See also Psalm 89:31-33 and Hebrews 12:5-11. They describe His governmental chastenings in disciplining His redeemed children.

God had guaranteed that throne with a promise that no human failure could ever set aside. In fact, in giving it, God had already taken the failure into account, and declared what He would do.

After this God speaks to David about Solomon, no longer as a picture of Christ, but as a fallible man who, as such, would carry responsibility. He can fall under God's discipline and correction. "When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men" (v. 14). But God will establish his line for ever.

God's promises about His people Israel did not depend on how they behaved. But in His governmental ways they could not escape punishment for their sins… Read the history of the kings of Judah, and you learn how necessary it was for God, in His ways, to carry out this discipline. God had to discipline even the best of the kings who sat on David's throne. In the end the nation was carried into captivity because it had turned away from the Lord.

God would punish their transgressions with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes. But He would not completely take His loving-kindness from David and his nation (Ps. 89:33). Correction is always within covenant love. "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities" (Amos 3:2). To walk comfortably and without interruption, as on a level path, we must walk watchfully, as with the Lord.

"I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes" is one of the covenant dealings of Psalm 89:32. God cannot pass over the sins of His saints the way He passes over those of the world. He brings them under present discipline. Sin in a saint of God is far more serious than in an unbeliever, since the glory of God suffers so much more at our hands.

Verses 30 to 32 show that the millennium is in view here, not the eternal state… this verse in Psalm 89 clearly shows there may be cases of disobedience in Israel that will call for discipline from God. So they may be unfaithful to some degree. Not so with the Lord Jesus, from whom God will not take His loving-kindness.

With the seed there is the possibility of failure and the governmental consequences that follow (vv. 30-32). Still, God will not completely take His loving-kindness from them, or let His faithfulness fail… The holiness of God is a witness that God cannot alter His word — and that word secures blessing for David and his seed.

So the throne of David came to an end for many centuries. Yet God had guaranteed that throne with a promise, and no failure of man could set it aside. In fact, when He gave the promise, God had already taken the failure into account and said what He would do.

It is the same word used in verse 1: "I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever." The mercies of the Lord are concentrated in one person — the man chosen out of the people, David His servant. He is able to carry all the attributes of the Lord. He was spoken of before as the channel of them, and He makes them all mercy towards His people. It is the same word in verses 24, 28 and 33.

Psalm 89:28-37 also sets the two things before us very plainly. The first is the certainty of God's counsels, His fixed purpose. The second is the way He governs, in view of man's responsibility.

God would punish their transgressions with the rod and their iniquity with stripes. But He would not take His loving-kindness away completely from David and his nation (Ps. 89:33). Correction is always in covenant love… If David had walked in integrity, and humbly with his God, God would have spared him this discipline. But now "he must bear the rod."

In this psalm we can see mercy and faithfulness joined together… Our mercies are covenanted mercies — pledged, promised, undertaken, sealed, and in a great sense purchased. So discipline is not forgetfulness. It is a sign that God remembers. David's throne lies in the dust for a time because of transgression, but God has not forgotten it.

Let the weak-hearted believer notice this, for his comfort. God's unchangeable purpose of salvation is held safe for him for ever in the changeless character of God. And one written clause of the covenant of blessing is this: the Father of spirits graciously disciplines every son He brings near to Himself in Jesus… He has undertaken to bless us. In true faithfulness, He uses whatever discipline He sees will lead us to fuller joy in Him.

It is a great comfort to see that God can record the failures of His saints in His word. He does not hesitate to record them. These failures were written down to teach us. In them, and through them, God shows that His faithfulness never fails, despite man's failure… He cannot let His truth fail; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Tim. 2:13.)

The "everlasting covenant" assured David of this: through his seed, God would establish his kingdom and throne for ever (see 2 Samuel 7:12-17; Ps. 89:34-37; Jer. 33:19-32). Acts 13:34 shows that the Spirit of God points to Christ as the promised seed of David. It also shows that God secures the sure mercies of David through Christ risen from the dead.

Psalm 89 has one remarkable feature we should notice here. It rests on the faithfulness of God according to His original word of promise, at a time when everything on the outside is against it. And it expects that word to be fulfilled on the ground of mercy — in fact on Christ, in whom all promised mercies come together.

With the seed there can be failure, and the consequences that God's government brings (vv. 30-32). Still, God will not take His loving-kindness away from them completely, nor let His faithfulness fail. God will not break His covenant, nor alter the word that has gone out of His lips (vv. 33-34). The holiness of God is a witness that God cannot change the word by which He secures blessing to David and his seed.

But with Christ, the true David, there can be no failure — and so no breach of covenant in His case. Here holiness itself is pledged on His behalf, for by it God has sworn to Him; and God cannot take it back.

This Psalm is about the unchangeable promises of God and the sure mercies of David. On the footing of the law, the people's relationship to God can only lead to the darkness of judgment and death. On the basis of the covenant of grace made with David, that relationship leads to this: "Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness" (v. 2) — in the heavens, where nothing shall ever touch it.

In the "everlasting covenant" God assured David that, through his seed, He would establish his kingdom and throne for ever (see 2 Samuel 7:12–17; Ps. 89:34–37; Jer. 33:19–32). Acts 13:34 shows us that the Spirit of God points to Christ as the promised seed of David. It also shows that God secures the sure mercies of David through Christ risen from the dead.

Israel could not have these mercies without death and resurrection. So the sure mercies of David are proof of resurrection. Nothing was sure until then. If they trusted in a living man, everything failed.

The first case we read of in the chapter is a man who vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge. He must not break his word. He must do everything that comes out of his mouth. Do we not know who this is? We know the One who never needs to recall a word: indeed, there is none other. His word stands; we can trust it without fear.

A few words now on Psalm 89 in detail. Its subject is the mercies of Jehovah — His graciousness, chasdee, toward Israel. These mercies never change; they are the sure mercies. There was faith to say, "for ever," for it was grace... He then repeats the covenant God first made with David. That covenant is the expression of mercy, and Jehovah was to be faithful to it — the sure mercies of David.

God will not break His covenant, nor alter the word that has gone out of His lips (vv. 33-34). The holiness of God is a witness that God cannot alter His word by which blessing is secured to David and his seed.

So for many centuries, that was the end of David's throne. Yet God had guaranteed that throne with a promise that no human failure could set aside. No — in giving it, God had contemplated the failure, and declared what He would do.

They may be in some measure unfaithful. But it is not so with the Lord Jesus. God will not take His loving-kindness from Him, for God's faithfulness will remain untouched whatever may be the failure of His people. How could He ever alter the word that has issued from His lips? Indeed, He who cannot lie has sworn to David by His holiness (v. 35).

In this case, holiness must show itself in discipline: the character of God must be maintained.

But with Christ, the true David, there can be no failure — no breaking of covenant in His case. Here holiness itself is pledged on His behalf, for by it God has sworn to Him, and cannot recall it.

More than that, God confirmed this great covenant with His own oath (Ps. 89:35-36). And He was about to come: the Son of David in the flesh, but also David's Lord, the One who spoke these words to Nathan. Then came God's own announcement: "the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign forever and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:32-33). That throne and that kingdom He has not yet received.

But Israel rejected and killed their Messiah. Humanly speaking, at this point, all was lost. But what did God do? He "raised him from among the dead, no more to return to corruption"... God had promised that David would have a descendant to sit on his throne (2 Sam. 7:16). This promise is absolutely certain, sure and unalterable. In order that it be fulfilled, God raised up Christ from among the dead.

So, for many centuries, the throne of David came to an end. Yet God had guaranteed that throne with a promise that no failure of man could ever set aside. In fact, when He gave it, God had taken the failure into account, and declared what He would do.

But with Christ, the true David, there can be no failure — and so no breaking of covenant in His case. Here holiness itself is pledged on His behalf, for God has sworn to Him by it, and cannot take it back.

David's seed shall endure forever and his throne as the sun (v. 36). Of course, this can refer only to the Lord Jesus, the Root and Offspring of David.

Verses 38-51 sound a note of failure about David's seed. Anything put into the hands of men ends in sad and grievous failure. The Psalm in all its fullness and blessing waits for another Seed to fulfil it — the Lord Jesus Christ.

The sun and the moon last, and they witness to something that lasts longer still: the throne of the Lord Jesus. They are witnesses in the heavens, and all mankind can see them.

Do the symbols used not even seem to point to the kingdom of Christ in its full sun-like glory, as He represents it? And then to those lesser thrones around the throne, like planets, where the light is only reflected, like the moon's, and yet where stability is just as certain?

The Apostle Paul preached in the synagogue at Antioch. He quoted the words "the sure mercies of David," and connected them with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. These words also connect with what we find in Psalm 89... Clearly the Psalm has in view the Son of David, of whom David was only a picture. All the mercies of the Psalm will only be proved true in Christ risen from the dead. Chief among those wonderful mercies are the forgiveness of sins and justification from all things, which Paul preached at Antioch.

More than that, Jehovah confirmed this great covenant with an oath... He was about to come — the Son of David according to the flesh, but also David's Lord, the One who had spoken these words to the prophet Nathan. Then God announced: "the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:32-33). That throne and that kingdom He has not yet received. He fills the Father's throne in the highest heaven, but all heaven and earth wait for the appointed time when He will come again to claim His rights as king and receive the world-wide kingdom.

They may be unfaithful in some measure, but it is not so with the Lord Jesus. God will not take His lovingkindness from Him. God's faithfulness will remain untouched, whatever the failure of His people may be. How could He ever alter the word that has gone out from His lips? Indeed, He who cannot lie has sworn to David by His holiness (v. 35).

When His seed are in view, rather than Himself — as though there could be any doubt about Him — the necessary conditions of divine holiness appear. Yet His seed too shall be established for ever, just as His throne is unchangeable. But here God foresees failure as possible and makes provision for it. In that case, holiness must show itself in chastening: the character of God must be maintained.

David's seed shall endure forever and his throne as the sun (v. 36). Of course, this can refer only to the Lord Jesus, the Root and Offspring of David. The sun and the moon last, and they witness to the greater durability of the throne of the Lord Jesus — witnesses in the heavens, seen by all mankind.

A note of failure is sounded in verses 38–51, concerning David's seed. Anything entrusted to the hands of men ends in sad and grievous failure. The psalm, in its fulness and blessing, waits to be fulfilled in another Seed, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The throne and kingdom of David passed to his son Solomon, so that he might hold them as glorious in the eyes of the nations. So the throne of David became a second witness of God's authority and power on earth. But the house of David, like Israel before it, quickly corrupted itself… So the Lord has been left without a proper and appointed witness to His glory as Lord of the earth. But Scripture tells us at length that Israel is to revive as though from their present state of death. Israel will be established by Christ and under Christ (who is the Faithful Witness to the glory of the Father) in the person, and with all the rights, of "Son of David."

How is the length of the blessing defined? "Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies." The wording is all the more striking because it is applied to something eternal, according to full New Testament revelation. That is the throne, which never passes from David's Son, though He gives it up as man to take it as "God all in all." Yet even where the blessing is eternal in itself, the language used does not go beyond the outermost limit of time.

The stability of His throne is assured again. The comparisons used carry our thoughts as Christians up to the heavens, where that throne belongs. There a glorious fulfilment of this seed will also be found, in the days all this points forward to. Then the thrones around the Throne will hold a company John foresees in the Spirit and pictures for us — a company who cast their crowns at the feet of the Lamb.