Rev. Doug Floyd

Pentecost +5
Rev. Doug Floyd
Psalm 89

King David wants to build a house for the Lord. The Lord says, “No but I will build you a house; the house of David is established by God forever. This means the kingship will never pass from David’s family through all time and time again.

Now we come to our Psalm for today. Psalm 89 is a celebration of God’s faithfulness to the house of David and therefore faithfulness to Israel. In verses 3 and 4, we read, “You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ” (Psalm 89:3–4, ESV)

The Psalm is celebrating and emphasizing God’s pledge to Israel. The Psalm moves back and forth between the faithfulness of God and the faithfulness of David’s house. At times it might seem unclear who is being referenced. For instance, “For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.” (Psalm 89:17–18, ESV)

The Lord is a shield of protection to Israel. The house of David is a shield of protection to Israel. The name David is associated with all future kings in the line of David. The horn of Israel is the king.

In a beautiful and poetic picture, the Psalm connects God’s faithfulness to His creation with His faithfulness to David. It speaks of the three-fold creation we see in Genesis: the heavens above, the earth below, and the waters under the earth. The Psalmist sings, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”” (Psalm 89:2, ESV)

We look up to the heavens, the sky, the clouds, the sun, moon, and stars, and we see the absolute surety of God’s promise. The unseen spiritual powers in the heavens have joined in the chorus: “Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?” (Psalm 89:5–7, ESV)

Now the Psalm moves down the waters below the earth: “O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.” (Psalm 89:8–10, ESV)

Finally, the earth, “The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted.” (Psalm 89:11–16, ESV)

All creation moves in a festal shout and a dance of joy before the Creator. At the center of His creation, the Lord has raised up David and he will be like a god among the nations. “I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.” (Psalm 89:25–29, ESV)

As the Psalm continues, the Lord promises that the house of David will stand even if the people are unfaithful.

“If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, 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. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” (Psalm 89:30–37, ESV)

After David dies, Solomon his son and many other kings of Judah introduce idolatry in the land. The idolatry leads to a series of sinful behaviors such as false worship, sexual slavery, oppression, the rich taking advantage of the poor. God shows mercy to the kingdom year after year after year. Eventually, the prophets declare enough: the Day of the Lord is at hand. Babylon invades the land, takes the people captive, kills the king’s sons, blinds the king, and drags him to Babylon.

Then they destroy the Temple and salt the land. The once thriving city of Jerusalem lays in ruins. The house of David has fallen. And there will never be another king on the throne…until Messiah comes.

In verse 38, today’s Psalm takes a sharp turn.

“But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not made him stand in battle. You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame.” (Psalm 89:38–45, ESV)

The kingdom has fallen like a tree chopped down. The house of David is no more. The people are cast off and cast out. Abandoned, Captured.

“By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.” (Psalm 137:1, ESV)

After spending most of the Psalm extolling God’s faithfulness, the psalmist now offers a sort but earnest plea to God:

“Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations, with which your enemies mock, O Lord, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.” (Psalm 89:49–51, ESV)

Where are you Lord?!? The kingdom is shattered. The world has come to an end. A pagan country that follows pagan gods now rules God’s chosen people. Where is our king? We know you are faithful, why have you forsaken us?

A small percentage of Jews will eventually return home and even rebuild the Temple. But life will be difficult. There is still no king on the throne. The glory seems to have faded in spite of the prophets assuring the people that the latter glory is greater than the former glory. Hundreds of years will pass as the people continue to cry out for the king. Different empires will rule over Israel and eventually Rome will take charge, and the false king Herod will rule Jerusalem.

Jesus comes as the true king. He will restore the House of David. And he will rule forevermore. He does not look like the king they’ve been expecting. He has no army. He is gentle. And like a lamb led to the slaughter, he is handed over to be killed. When Jesus is lifted up on the cross, He is lifted up as the true and final King of the Jews. Pilate puts an inscription on the cross reading, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” It is written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek. This is the King.

Many Jews and Gentiles still cannot see Jesus as the true King, the Messiah. Yet Scripture promises that all humans will kneel and acknowledge Jesus Christ as the last King of the Jews (Philippians 2:9-11).

We don’t know exactly when Psalm 89 was written, but it is at least 2,400 years old and possibly longer. We are not Jews. We do not have an earthly king. How do read this Psalm about God’s faithfulness to the House of David?

1. The psalm praises God for His faithfulness to His people and looks to God’s faithfulness in all creation. Just the regularity of sun and moon speaks to us of God’s sustaining care of His creation. While we see repetition in nature and call these laws like the laws of motion, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism. G.K. Chesterton reminds us that behind the law is a will. God wills His creation, and He is never absent from His creation. So might we take more time to meditate upon the heavens above, the sea below, and the earth abroad. We might take time to praise God’s faithfulness to is creation.
2. The psalm celebrates the House of David. We acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Sovereign Ruler, but we do not live under human kings like ancient Israel. We do have leaders who make decisions that impact our lives: leaders in government, in business, in healthcare, and all across our society. We should pray for all our leaders and for wisdom as they serve.
3. Finally, this Psalm explores the great disappointment when it seems God has abandoned David, sent Jerusalem into exile, and allowed foreign nations to rule over Israel. If we look at history, we realize Israel is not the only nation to fall. Every great and glorious work falls and fades. It doesn’t mean the end of the world is at hand. But it can mean that the world as we know may dramatically change. This may happen in government, business, healthcare, and other places. And this can be difficult and even painful. This may really hit home in business when a new leader comes and reorients the whole workplace. I’ve experienced this many times and I know many of you have. During times of great change, we may not like what is happening all around us, so we pray. We look to our Lord, King Jesus, knowing that He rules and sustains all things. We may never go back to where we were, but we can learn a new path forward. He can lead us and teach us how to live in this new era. Disappointment can lead to bitterness, but I would hope it might lead us to trust, to pray, and ultimately to thanksgiving to our faithful God. So that even after we have cried out for God to remember us and even if our situation does not change, we might join with today’s final verse in Psalm 89,

“Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.” (Psalm 89:52, ESV)