Psalm 89 - The Contemplative Bible Meditation Series
Psalm 89 is a rich and deeply contemplative hymn that explores the steadfast faithfulness of God, the sacredness of divine promises, and the tension between human suffering and divine silence. Written by Ethan the Ezrahite, this psalm serves as a spiritual compass for those grappling with the uncertainties of life, reminding us that even in our darkest hours, God’s covenant and love endure. As we journey through this psalm, let us open our hearts and spirits to the wisdom it offers, drawing peace, comfort, and trust from its words.
Transcript
Psalm 89 is a rich and deeply contemplative hymn that explores the steadfast faithfulness of God,
The sacredness of divine promises,
And the tension between human suffering and divine silence.
This psalm serves as a spiritual compass for those grappling with the uncertainties of life,
Reminding us that even in our darkest hours,
God's covenant and love endures.
As we journey through this psalm,
Let us open our hearts and spirits to the wisdom it offers,
Drawing peace,
Comfort,
And trust from its words.
Psalm 89 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.
With my mouth will I make known your faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said,
Mercy shall be built up forever.
Your faithfulness you shall establish in the very heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen.
I have sworn to my servant David.
Your seed I will establish forever,
And build up your throne to all generations,
Selah.
And the heavens will praise your wonders,
O Lord,
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord,
Who among the sons of the Almighty can be likened to the Lord?
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints and to be held in reverence by all those around him.
O Lord,
God of hosts,
Who is mighty like you,
O Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds you.
You rule the raging of the sea when its waves rise,
You still them.
You have broken Rahab in pieces as one who is slain.
You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
The heavens are yours,
The earth also is yours.
The world and all its fullness you have founded them.
The north and the south you have created them.
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
You have a mighty arm,
Strong is your hand and high is your right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Mercy and truth go before your face.
Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound.
They walk,
O Lord,
In the light of your countenance.
In your name they rejoice all day long and in your righteousness they are exalted.
For you are the glory of their strength and in your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the Lord and our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Then you spoke in a vision to your Holy One and said,
I have given help to one who is mighty.
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
I have found my servant David,
With my holy oil I have anointed him.
With whom my hand shall be established,
Also my arm shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
I will beat down his foes before his face and plague those who hate him.
But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him and in my name his horn shall be exalted.
Also I will set his hand over the sea and his right hand over the rivers.
He shall cry to me,
You are my father,
My God and the rock of my salvation.
Also I will make him my firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
My mercy I will keep for him forever and my covenant shall stand firm with him.
His seed also I will make to endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven.
If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments,
If they break my statues and do not keep my commandments,
Then I will punish their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes.
Nevertheless,
My loving kindness I will not utterly take from him,
Nor allow my faithfulness to fail.
My covenant I will not break,
Nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips.
Once I have sworn to my holiness,
I will not lie to David.
His seed shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before me.
It shall be established forever like the moon,
Even like the faithful witness in the sky,
Selah.
But you have cast off an abhorred.
You have been furious with your anointed.
You have renounced the covenant of your servant.
You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
You have broken down all his hedges.
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
All who pass by the way plunder him.
He is a reproach to his neighbors.
You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries.
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
You have also turned back the edge of his sword and have not sustained him in battle.
You have made his glory cease and cast his throne to the ground.
The days of his youth you have shortened.
You have covered him with shame,
Selah.
How long,
Lord,
Will you hide yourself forever?
Will your wrath burn like fire?
Remember how short my time is.
For what futility have you created all the children of men?
What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave,
Selah?
Lord,
Where are your former loving-kindnesses which you swore to David in your truth?
Remember,
Lord,
The reproach of your servants.
How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples with which your enemies have reproached,
O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of your Anointed.
Blessed be the Lord for evermore.
Amen and Amen.
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.
With my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said,
Mercy shall be built up forever.
Your faithfulness you can establish in the very heavens.
There is power in remembrance and proclamation.
When we declare God's faithfulness,
It strengthens our hearts and those around us.
In our modern lives,
When we face uncertainty,
Whether it's financial struggles,
Whether it's health concerns,
Or whether it's personal losses,
Choosing to sing of His mercies keeps us anchored in hope.
Even when we don't feel like praising,
Our spirit is lifted when we focus on God's unwavering love.
Singing is not just about melodies.
It's about creating an atmosphere where gratitude flourishes and fear diminishes.
Today,
Let us take a moment to remember God's past faithfulness,
Knowing it will continue into the future.
I have made a covenant with my chosen.
I have sworn to my servant,
David.
Your seed I will establish forever and build up your throne to all generations,
Selah.
God's promises are eternal.
In a world where commitments are often broken,
Knowing that God remains faithful provides security.
When life feels unstable,
Remembering His promises restores our trust.
Just as He upheld His covenant with David,
He remains true to the promises He has placed over our lives.
Even when we do not yet see the fulfillment,
We can trust in His timing.
Every covenant God makes is a reflection of His character,
Unchanging,
Steadfast and true.
When our own commitments waver,
We can find stability in His unbreakable word.
And the heavens will praise your wonders,
O Lord,
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord?
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints and to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
O Lord,
God of hosts,
Who is mighty like You,
O Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
When we feel small or insignificant,
These verses remind us that we belong to a God who is beyond comparison.
In moments of anxiety or doubt,
Contemplating the vastness of God's power reminds us that He is fully capable of handling whatever burdens we carry.
The world may tempt us to place our trust in human strength,
To place our trust in financial security,
Or to place our trust in our personal accomplishments.
But nothing compares to the sovereignty of God.
The peace comes not from control but from surrender,
Knowing that the one who holds the stars also holds our hearts.
You rule the raging of the sea.
When its waves rise,
You still them.
You have broken the hub in pieces as one who is slain.
You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
Life's storms come in many forms.
Mental health battles,
Broken relationships,
Unexpected hardships.
Yet,
Just as Jesus calmed the storm on the sea,
God still speaks peace into our struggles today.
These verses encourages us to hand over our worries and trust that He will bring stillness in due time.
The waves of anxiety,
Fear,
And uncertainty may rise,
But they are not greater than the voice of God.
When we feel overwhelmed,
We must remember that the same power that stilled the raging waters lives within us through faith.
The heavens are Yours,
The earth also is Yours.
The world and all its fullness,
You have founded them.
The north and the south,
You have created them.
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.
You have a mighty arm.
Strong is Your hand and high is Your right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne.
Mercy and truth go before Your face.
Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound.
They walk,
O Lord,
In the light of Your countenance.
In Your name they rejoice all day long,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
For You are the glory of their strength,
And in Your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the Lord,
And our King to the Holy One of Israel.
The Dominion of God and His Blessings These verses remind us that we are living under God's authority.
When we align ourselves with Him,
We receive the blessings of righteousness.
In a world driven by self-sufficiency,
This passage is an invitation to surrender control and allow God to lead our paths.
Many of our struggles arise from trying to carry burdens that were never meant for us.
Trusting in God's dominion means acknowledging that He sees the bigger picture and His plans are for our ultimate good.
Verses 19-23 Then you spoke in a vision to your Holy One and said,
I have given help to one who is mighty.
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
I have found my servant David,
And with my holy oil I have anointed him.
With whom my hand shall be established,
Also my arm shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
I will beat down his foes before his face and plague those who hate him.
God's strength bestowed upon His chosen.
God anoints those He calls.
When we feel unqualified,
We must remember that it is God who strengthens us.
Whether in ministry,
Our careers or personal relationships,
We are equipped not by our own abilities,
But by His divine power.
When impostor syndrome,
When fear creeps in,
We must remind ourselves that God does not call the equipped,
He equips the called.
His anointing is not just for kings or prophets,
But for all who seek to serve Him.
But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
And in my name his horn shall be exalted.
Also I will set his hand over the sea and his right hand over the rivers.
He shall cry to me,
You are my Father,
My God,
And the rock of my salvation.
Also I will make him my firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
My mercy I will keep for him forever,
And my covenant shall stand firm with him.
His seed also I will make to endure forever,
And his throne as the days of heaven.
God's love is steadfast,
Even when human love fails us.
In today's world,
Where relationships can be fragile,
Knowing we are held by an unbreakable love brings peace.
No matter what mistakes we make,
His mercy remains.
His love is not conditional on our performance,
But is rooted in His perfect nature.
This truth liberates us from the fear of rejection and allows us to rest in His grace.
If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments,
If they break my statues and do not keep my commandments,
Then I will punish their transgression with a rod and their iniquity with stripes.
Nevertheless,
My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him,
Nor allow my faithfulness to fail.
My covenant I will not break,
Nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips.
Once I have sworn by my holiness,
I will not lie to David.
His seat shall endure forever,
And his throne as the sun before me.
It shall be established forever like the moon,
Even like the faithful witness in the sky,
Selah.
Discipline and Faithfulness Discipline is an act of love.
Just as a parent corrects a child to guide them back to the right path,
God's correction is meant for our growth.
When we face hardships,
Rather than seeing them as punishment,
We should ask,
What is God refining in me?
Refinement is rarely comfortable,
But it is always necessary for deeper intimacy with Him.
Verses 38-45 But you have cast off and abhorred,
You have been furious with your anointed.
You have renounced the covenant of your servant,
You have profaned his ground by casting it to the ground.
You have broken down all his hedges,
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
All who pass by the way plunder him,
He is a reproach to his neighbours.
You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries,
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
You have also turned back the edge of his sword and have not sustained him in battle.
You have made his glory cease and cast his throne down to the ground.
The days of his youth you have shortened,
You have covered him with shame cellar.
A lament over God's apparent withdrawal Sometimes we feel abandoned by God.
Perhaps prayers seem unanswered or suffering continues longer than expected.
This verse teaches us that it's okay to bring our honest emotions before Him.
Faith does not mean suppressing doubt,
It means trusting even in the silence.
When we cry out,
We are not met with condemnation but we are met with a loving father who understands our pain.
Verses 46-52 How long,
Lord?
Will you hide yourself forever?
Will your wrath burn like fire?
Remember how short my time is.
For what futility have you created all the children of men?
What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave cellar?
Lord,
Where are your former loving-kindnesses which you swore to David in your truth?
Remember,
Lord,
The reproach of your servants.
How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples with which your enemies have reproached,
O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of your Anointed.
Blessed be the Lord forevermore.
Amen and Amen.
The plea for restoration and the final praise even in the psalmist's sorrow,
The final verse declares,
Blessed be the Lord forevermore.
Amen and Amen.
This is faith in action.
Choosing to bless the Lord even when answers haven't come.
Let us carry this mindset into our daily lives,
Offering praise in every season.
A prayer.
Divine and everlasting one,
In times of joy and sorrow,
We turn to you.
Teach us to sing of your mercies even in the midst of trials.
Let our hearts be steadfast in trust,
Knowing that your covenant of love never fails.
Quiet the storms in our souls and remind us that you walk beside us always.
Blessed be your name forever.
Amen.
