Psalms 89:1-36

Psalms 89:1. Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. That is to say, an instructive Psalm, written by or for one Ethan, one of the great singers of David's day. He sings of the covenant, the covenant with David, ordered in all things and sure. There is no higher theme for song than the covenant of God's grace, one marvels that it has not oftener been sung by those who are the gifted children of poetry.

Psalms 89:1. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever:

Another subject might wear out, but this glorious topic will never be exhausted, Here is a theme which we can sing of in eternity as well as in time. Let others choose what subject they may, «I will sing of the mercies of Jehovah for ever.»

Psalms 89:1. With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

God's faithfulness is the mercy of his mercy. It is the center-point of his goodness that his goodness endureth for ever. We are not only to sing; we are to teach. The Psalmist says, «With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.» In telling his own experience, narrating what he had observed, as well as what he had proved of God's faithfulness to his promise and his covenant, he would do this so that following generations should know about it. We are the schoolmasters of the ages to come; I mean, saints who have experienced the mercy and the faithfulness of God. We ought to make known Jehovah's faithfulness to all generations that are yet to come.

Psalms 89:2. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever:

What a building, Mercy! God's mercy is to be built up for ever.

Psalms 89:2. Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

Like the great arch you see in the firmament on high, unbuttressed and unpillared, yet it stands fast. So shall God's faithfulness be built up, settled, and established in the very heavens. And now God speaks:

Psalms 89:3. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

Well might the psalmist say, in the second verse, «I have said,» when God in the third verse says, «I have sworn.» It is ours to say, it is God's to say with such tremendous solemnity that doubt cannot be tolerated. «I have made a covenant with my chosen:» King David, who is, however, but the type of his greater Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the heir of the dynasty of David. With him is this covenant made for ever.

Psalms 89:4. Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Whatever may happen in the world, David's Seed is always reigning; whatever kings may lose their crowns, King Jesus will never lose the many crowns that are on his head. God has sworn it: «Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations.» Then comes the word, «Selah.» Rest; meditate; and truly, here is enough to rest and meditate upon for many a day, if we went no farther into the Psalm.

Psalms 89:5. And the heavens shall praise thy wonder, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

The psalmist meant to praise God at such a rate that the sun, and moon, and stars, should hear his song, while angels and the host redeemed by blood should learn to praise God better than ever. «Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints:» one saint begins to sing of God's faithfulness, and the others take it up, for God is not faithful to one only, but to all his people. This is a subject which, when once started, will produce an echo in every believer's heart.

Psalms 89:6. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,

The holiest are always the most reverent. There is no fear of God in the assembly of the sinners; but he is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints.»

Psalms 89:7. And to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

The nearer they came to him, the more is their awe of him; the greater their love, the deeper is their humility. God will not have those about him who are flippant and irreverent; he is «to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.»

Psalms 89:8. O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

Note how the psalmist harps upon that one string, «faithfulness.» Ah, dear friends, there are times when this is the sweetest note in the whole scale! «Thy faithfulness»: we have a God who never forgets his promises, but keeps them to the moment; a God who never changes; a God who never turns away from his word. «Thy faithfulness.» Oh, what a blessed virtue is this in God! Let us praise him for it for ever. «Try faithfulness round about thee»: as if the Lord never went outside the ring of faithfulness, never did anything that broke his promises, or that made any of his children to doubt; and it is even so.

Psalms 89:9. Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

Are you now in a storm, my brother? My sister, are you now tempest-tossed? Listen to this word, and remember the Lord High Admiral of the fleet on the Lake of Galilee, and how, after he had been asleep for awhile, he arose, and rebuked the winds and the waves: «Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.»

Psalms 89:10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.

Rahab was Egypt. The word means «strong», «mighty», «proud», all of which were the characteristics of Egypt, which God brake in pieces at the Red Sea. Pharaoh was the greatest of monarchs at the time, but, oh, how soon he had to yield when God's right arm was bared for war!

Psalms 89:11. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them.

Sometimes we are tempted to think that the earth cannot be God's, all over the globe man is the master, he claims everything; if men could map out the heavens, we should have owners for every single twinkling star and, if they could have their way, we should have to buy our light by measure, and our sunshine by-weight. But «the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof;» and the heavens also are his.

Psalms 89:12. The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon

East and West, as well as North and South,

Psalms 89:12. Shall rejoice in thy name.

There is not a place where God is not to be found. All the points of the compass are compassed by God. You cannot go where the Lord's love reigns not, nor where Providence will not follow you.

Psalms 89:13. Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:

There are some who hear it, and yet are not blessed. Blessed are they who «know» it, know its peculiar accent, know its inward power, know its omnipotence, know its unchangeableness, know it by having tried it and proved it, and rested in it: «Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound.»

Psalms 89:15. They shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

It is all the light they want. Let God but smile, it makes their day. If every candle were blown out, yet the favor of God would make life bright enough for them.

Psalms 89:16. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

Even in God's righteousness. Until we know the Lord, we are afraid of his righteousness, but when we come to know him, his righteousness, which once frowned upon us, becomes our heaven. «God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love.» God is not unrighteous to cast away a soul that puts its trust in Christ. God is one with his people. When we rejoice all the day in his name, we are exalted in his righteousness.

Psalms 89:17. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

This is David first, but it is Christ high above David. One of ourselves, the carpenter's Son, yet has God made him to be the Head over all things for his Church: «I have exalted one chosen out of the people.»

Psalms 89:20. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: with whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.

The full power of God is with Christ. That same arm, that bears the earth's huge pillars up, and spreads the heavens abroad, is engaged on behalf of the cause and kingdom of the Son of David.

Psalms 89:22. The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him,

He had enough of that when he was upon the earth; but it is all over now. He has gone into his glory, and the enemy cannot touch him now.

Psalms 89:23. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him,

There is the portion of all haters of Christ. God will, somehow or other, in the order of his providence bring the evil home to them. If they will not have God's Son, they shall not have his mercy; they shall, sooner or later, be beaten down before his face.

Psalms 89:24. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.

He shall reign «from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.» We may go on to fight for him, for his triumph is sure.

Psalms 89:26. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

So he is. Firstborn among men, firstborn of kings, his throne is loftier than the most imperial power on the earth. Blessed be his name! Let us adore him tonight; and here, in the midst of his people, let us crown him Lord of all.

Psalms 89:28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

The Son of David is still King in the midst of the true Israel. Still Jesus reigns; and on and on, for ever and for ever, great David's greater Son shall be King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Psalms 89:37. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

Now let us read a passage from the New Testament, showing how the Lord Jesus dealt with the crowds that came to him.

This exposition consisted of readings from Psalms 89:1, And John 6:22.