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RETURN TO THE LIST OF LESSONS

PSALMS 89
Lesson 18/P3
COVENANT OF FAITHFULNESS

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 89:52

• THIS IS THE LAST PSALM IN THIS THIRD SECTION CALLED THE LEVITICUS SECTION CONCERNING THE WORSHIP OF GOD. THIS PSALM GIVES US GOOD REASON TO WORSHIP GOD. HE IS A FAITHFUL GOD. THE WORD FAITHFUL OR FAITHFULNESS OCCURS TEN TIMES IN THIS PSALM. GOD IS FAITHFUL TO FULFILL HIS COVENANT.

• THE SUBTITLE: “Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.”
• AS WE HAVE SEEN IN NUMEROUS PSALMS BEFORE THIS THAT THE WORD, MASCHIL, MEANS = INSTRUCTION OF WISDOM.
• ETHAN THE EZRAHITE WAS THE AUTHOR OF THIS PSALM. HE WAS A SINGER FROM THE PRIESTLY TRIBE OF LEVI.

 

• READ PSA 89:1-52
• GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

 

• “…with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.”

 

(1)
• THE BELIEVER’S PRAISE TO GOD SHOULD BE BASED ON WHO GOD IS. HE IS A FAITHFUL GOD.
  • NOTICE THAT WE ARE TO PRAISE HIM WITH OUR LIPS BY TELLING PEOPLE OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.
  • NOTICE THAT WE ARE TO TEACH THE SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.
• THE BELIEVER’S PRAISE OF GOD SHOULD BE BASED ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO YOU IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL LIFE.
  • THIS MEANS THAT YOU HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
  • THIS MEANS THAT GOD IS WORKING IN AND THROUGH YOUR LIFE FOR WHICH YOU HAVE A BASIS FOR PRAISE.

 

• “…thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.”

 

(2)
• THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD GOES THROUGH ALL OF CREATION. IT’S A BASIC FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT OF GOD’S NATURE, AND A BASIC OF ALL THAT GOD DOES.
  • FAITHFULNESS IS BASED ON ORDER. GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER.
  • WHERE THERE IS ORDER, FAITHFULNESS RESULTS IN SECURITY. THEREFORE, WE CAN TRUST GOD AND IN WHAT HE DOES, WHETHER WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT OR NOT.
• ALL OF GOD’S COVENANTS WITH MAN ARE BASED ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.
• GOD’S COVENANT WITH DAVID (3-4)
  • READ 2SAM 7:13-16
    • ELEMENTS OF GOD’S COVENANT WITH DAVID:
      • AN ETERNAL THRONE WITH A KING FROM DAVID’S LINEAGE
      • AN ETERNAL LINEAGE
      • AN ETERNAL KINGDOM
    • GOD HAS NOT FULFILLED THIS COVENANT WITH DAVID. HOW CAN WE SAY GOD IS FAITHFUL?
      • WE DO NOT SEE A KING FROM DAVID’S LINEAGE RULING IN ISRAEL TODAY. IN FACT, ISRAEL HAS NOT HAD A KING FROM DAVID’S LINEAGE RULING SINCE THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM BY BABYLON IN 586 BC.
      • WE HAVE NOT SEEN DAVID’S LINEAGE MAINTAIN ITS IDENTITY THROUGH TIME.
      • WE HAVE NOT SEEN A KINGDOM ESTABLISHED IN ISRAEL SINCE 586 BC.
  • THIS COVENANT WILL BE FULFILLED BY JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S ETERNAL SON.
    • MAT 1:6 ESTABLISHED THE GENEAOLOGY OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH KING DAVID.
    • GOD’S FAITHFULNESS WILL FULFILL THIS COVENANT WITH DAVID AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.
      • JESUS WILL RULE AS KING OF KINGS.
      • JESUS WILL RULE AN EARTHLY KINGDOM FROM HIS THRONE ESTABLISHED IN JERUSALEM.
        • HE WILL RULE ON EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS.
        • THEN HE WILL RULE FOR ETERNITY OVER A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH.
    • THERE IS A “SELAH” AFTER VERSE 4. THE ETERNAL VICTORY OF JESUS CHRIST, HIS RULE, AND HIS KINGDOM IS WORTH CONTEMPLATING FOR IT IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO HIS WORD.
• THERE IS NO ONE LIKE OUR ETERNAL KING WHO WILL RULE FOREVER. (5-7)
  • THE CONGREGATION OF BELIEVERS WILL SPEND ETERNITY PRAISING JESUS CHRIST.

 

• “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints…”

 

(7) THE WORD “FEAR” IS TO HAVE AN AWESOME RESPECT FOR THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF GOD.

 

• “O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee?…”

 

(8)
• THE LORD GOD OF HOSTS REFERS TO THE ARMY OF SAINTS AND ANGELS.
• THE STRENGTH AND POWER OF GOD ARE ALSO FAITHFUL ACCORDING TO VERSE 8.
  • IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN DEPEND ON HIS POWER THAT IS ABOVE ANY OTHER POWER.
  • HIS FAITHFUL POWER GIVES US THE ASSURANCE OF DEPENDABILITY.
• GOD’S POWER OVER ALL CREATION (8-13)

 

• “Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces…”

 

(10)
• RAHAB REPRESENTS EGYPT IN A LIST OF NATIONS. (PSA 87:4)

 

• “…Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.”

 

(12)
• THESE ARE TWO MOUNTAINS. ALL THE EARTH SHALL REJOICE IN THE LORD.

 

• “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.”

 

(14)
• THESE ARE CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRIST’S KINGDOM ON EARTH AND FOR ETERNITY.
• CHRIST WILL REIGN WITH PERFECT JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT FOR 1000 YEARS ON EARTH.
• CHRIST WILL RULE WITH MERCY AND TRUTH. THERE WILL BE NO DECEPTION BY SATAN WHO WILL BE BOUND FOR 1000 YEARS.
• CHRIST’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS PEOPLE

 

• “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.”

 

(15)
• WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?
  • THEY REPRESENT THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS.
  • THEY ALSO REPRESENT THE NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS.
• IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF CHRIST, BELIEVERS WILL LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST’S TRUTH, ABLE TO SEE HIM AND BE WITH HIM.
• KEY WORDS IN VERSES 15-18 THAT CHARACTERIZE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST ARE THESE:
  • JOY AND LIGHT (15)
  • REJOICING AND RIGHTEOUSNESS (16)
  • GLORY AND FAVOR (17)

 

• “…our horn shall be exalted.”

 

(17)
• THE WORD “HORN” REFERS TO AUTHORITY AND REFUGE IN SCRIPTURE.
  • THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST HAS AUTHORITY IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
  • THE BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST HAS A PERPETUAL REFUGE IN CHRIST.
• DEFENSE (18)
  • THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THE KING.
  • THIS TELLS US SPECIFICALLY THAT THIS PSALM REFERS TO THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS.
• GOD’S FAVOR TO DAVID / JESUS CHRIST
  • WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO WE FIND ABOUT JESUS CHRIST?

 

• “…I have exalted one chosen out of the people.”

 

(19)
• THE AUTHOR REFERS TO TWO DIFFERENT ASPECTS THAT RELATE TO PROPHECY:
  • BIBLE PROPHECY HAS A FIRST FULFILLMENT CLOSE IN TIME TO THE TIME WHEN THE PROPHECY WAS WRITTEN IN ORDER TO VERIFY THE WRITER AS INSPIRED BY GOD.
  • BIBLE PROPHECY HAS A SECOND FULFILLMENT IN THE LAST DAYS THAT MIRRORS IN SOME ASPECT THE FIRST FULFILLMENT BUT IS MORE COMPLETE IN ITS DETAIL.
• THEREFORE, THE FIRST FULFILLMENT REFERS TO DAVID. GOD CHOSE HIM TO BE THE KING AND RAISED HIM TO THAT POSITION.
• THE SECOND FULFILLMENT REFERS TO JESUS CHRIST, FROM THE LINE OF DAVID, CHOSEN BY GOD AND RAISED TO THE POSITION OF KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
• JESUS CHRIST WAS CHOSEN, EXALTED, AND ANOINTED BY GOD (19-20)

 

• “With whom my hand shall be established…”

 

(21)
• IT IS BY THIS VERSE THAT WE KNOW THE AUTHOR IS NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT KING DAVID.
• THROUGH JESUS CHRIST GOD’S CHARACTER AND AUTHORITY IS REVEALED TO ALL MANKIND FOR ALL AGES INTO ETERNITY, FOR IT IS NOT THROUGH DAVID THAT WE KNOW GOD, BUT THROUGH CHRIST. (HEB 1:1-2)

 

• “The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.”

 

(22)
• DAVID WON MANY BATTLES, BUT HE DID NOT WIN THEM ALL.
• JESUS CHRIST IS THE UNDEFEATED ONE.
  • THE SON OF WICKEDNESS IS THE ANTICHRIST.
  • IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, CHRIST WILL APPEAR IN THE CLOUDS AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING TO FIGHT IN THIS BATTLE AND DEFEAT THE ANTICHRIST. (23)
• JESUS CHRIST DEFEATS ALL OF HIS ENEMIES AND ESTABLISHES HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS AT HIS SECOND COMING. (24)

 

• “…I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.”

 

(27)
• THE TITLE “FIRSTBORN” DOES NOT REFER TO DAVID BUT REFERS TO CHRIST AND HIS RESURRECTION.
• READ COL 1:14-18
• WHILE THE COVENANT WAS MADE WITH DAVID INITIALLY, VERSE 28 TELLS US THAT THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE COVENANT IS WITH JESUS CHRIST.
  • A RETURN TO DAVID (29-37)
    • THE AUTHOR AGAIN SPEAKS ABOUT KING DAVID AND NOT ABOUT CHRIST.
    • DAVID AND HIS DESCENDANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO GOD TO AVOID CHASTISEMENT FOR THEIR SIN.
      • WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO GOD’S PROMISES TO DAVID IF DAVID’S DESCENDANTS WERE NOT FAITHFUL TO GOD?
      • THIS IS THE POINT. DOES THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY DEPEND ON MAN?
        • NO, GOD, IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY, WILL FIND A WAY TO FULFILL PROPHECY EVEN WHEN MAN FAILS.
        • GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS WORD, TO HIS PROMISES, AND TO HIS COVENANTS EVEN WHEN MAN FAILS, AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS NO WAY LEFT TO FULFILL WHAT GOD PREDICTED. (33)
  • GOD REAFFIRMS THE COVENANT WITH DAVID THAT WAS MADE IN 2SAM 7 AND FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST.
• GOD’S REFFIRMS HIS OATH OF FAITHFULNESS TO THE DAVIDIC COVENANT (34-37) EVEN THOUGH THERE IS THE APPEARANCE OF A LACK OF FAITHFULNESS ON GOD’S PART:

 

• “But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.”

 

(38)
• AS WE HAVE NOTICED IN THE REAL WORLD, IT SEEMS THAT GOD’S COVENANT WITH DAVID HAS BEEN LOST FOREVER BECAUSE THERE IS NO HEIR OF DAVID, NO KING, AND NO KINGDOM.
  • THIS IS HOW THE WORLD VIEWS GOD AND HIS PROMISES.
  • MAN’S VIEW IS SHORT-SIGHTED.
• THIS IS MAN’S PERSPECTIVE OF GOD’S PROMISE:

 

• “Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.”

 

(39)
• GOD ALLOWED ISRAEL AS A KINGDOM TO FALL TO ITS ENEMIES.
• GOD ALLOWED THE LINEAGE OF KINGS TO BE DESTROYED AND TO DISAPPEAR.

 

• “Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.”

 

(40)
• THE WORD, “HEDGES” REFERS TO GOD’S SUPERNATURAL HAND OF PROTECTION OVER ISRAEL.
• THE STRONGHOLDS WERE ISRAEL’S OWN DEFENSES THAT GOD PERMITTED TO FAIL.
• BECAUSE ISRAEL HAS SUFFERED DEFEAT AND DESTRUCTION BY ENEMY ARMIES, IT WOULD SEEM THAT GOD HAS REMOVED HIS PROTECTION FROM ISRAEL.

 

• “Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.”

 

(44)
• THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL WAS AT ITS BEST UNDER KING DAVID AND KING SOLOMON.
  • DAVID UNIFIED THE KINGDOM AND DEFEATED MANY ENEMIES.
  • SOLOMON BUILT THE GLORIOUS TEMPLE. THE WEALTH AND PROSPERITY OF ISRAEL WAS KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD IN SOLOMON’S DAY. THE QUEEN OF SHEBA CAME TO SEE SOLOMON’S WEALTH.
• AFTER KING SOLOMON, CIVIL WAR BROKE OUT AND DESTROYED THE UNITY AND THE PROSPERITY. THERE WERE KINGS AND THRONES AFTER THAT IN A DIVIDED KINGDOM, BUT NONE OF THE KINGS OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL, NEITHER THE KINGS OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL APPROACHED THE GLORY OF SOLOMON’S DAY.

 

• “…thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.”

 

(45)
• IT IS WORTH STOPPING TO CONSIDER THE SELAH AFTER VERSE 45.
  • ISRAEL HAS SUFFERED GREAT DEFEATS AND SHAME BECAUSE GOD PERMITTED THE DESTRUCTION OF SOLOMON’S GLORIOUS TEMPLE BY THE BABYLONIANS.
  • THE PEOPLE HAD LOST THE LAND GOD GAVE THEM WHEN THEY WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE TO BABYLON FOR 70 YEARS.
• WHY DID GOD REMOVE HIS HAND OF PROTECTION OVER THEM?
  • IT WAS BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK OF FAITHFULNESS TO GOD.
  • IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE RAMPANT WORSHIP OF IDOLS AND FOREIGN GODS THAT KING SOLOMON PERMITTED.
• IT IS WHEN GOD’S FAITHFULNESS LOOKS HOPELESS THAT WE LOOK UP AND CRY TO GOD FOR HELP AND MERCY.

 

• ” How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?”

 

(46)
• BECAUSE MAN’S LIFE IS COMPARATIVELY SHORT, HE HAS A LIMITED PERSPECTIVE. (47)
• BECAUSE MAN IS IMPATIENT BY NATURE, HE REMINDS GOD OF HIS REPUTATION OF FAITHFULNESS.

 

• “…hast thou made all men in vain?”

 

(47)
• THE IDEA HERE IS THAT IF GOD IS NOT GOING TO BE FAITHFUL TO HIS COVENANT, AND IF WE CANNOT TRUST GOD’S WORD, THEN MAN’S LIFE IS IN VAIN.

 

• “…he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.”

 

(48)
• WITH THE “SELAH” COMES THE ANSWER TO CONTEMPLATE.
• THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, GOD HAS MADE ETERNAL LIFE POSSIBLE FOR MAN. THEREFORE, WITH GOD MAN’S TIME IS NOT SHORT.
• THEREFORE, THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD IS RELATED TO THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. THE RESURRECTION IS THE SIGN OF GOD’S FAITHFULNES TO THE COVENANT.
• MEANWHILE, WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES, WE MUST BEAR THE SUFFERING AND REPROACH OF MAN UNTIL GOD’S PLAN IS FULFILLED.

 

• “Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.”

 

(52)
• PRAISE TO GOD IS A FITTING WAY TO END THIS PSALM AND THIS SECTION OF PSALMS BECAUSE GOD IS FAITHFUL, HE WILL FULFILL HIS WORD.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR LIFE AS YOU TRUST IN THE FAITHFULNESS OF CHRIST