Psalm 89

Introduction.—Ps. 89 has been called The Psalm of the Covenant. It recalls the promise that David’s throne was to be established forever and then expresses concern over the fact that God has apparently broken the covenant. The psalm falls naturally into two contrasting parts, the abrupt change from vs. 1–37 to vs. 38–52 being marked by the word “but.” Within the two larger divisions the following ideas occur: the keynote of praise (vs. 1–4), praise to God for His greatness and for His promises (vs. 15–37), complaint in view of the apparent failure of God’s promises (vs. 38–45), plea for fulfillment of the promises and restoration to God’s favor (vs. 46–51), doxology and double Amen (v. 52).

The unity of this psalm is seen by the recurrence of the words “faithfulness,” “mercy,” and “lovingkindness” (vs. 1, 2, 5, 8, 14, 24, 28, 33, 49), and the word “covenant” (vs. 3, 28, 34, 39).

On the superscription see pp. 617, 628.

1. Mercies. Heb. chasadim (see Additional Note on Ps. 36).

2. Built up. The psalmist seems certain that, despite present appearances, the promise made to David will ultimately be carried out. Like a well-built palace, it will stand forever.

4. Thy seed. See 2 Sam. 7:12, 13; cf. 1 Kings 2:4; Luke 1:32, 33. David’s literal descendants failed, but the glorious promises made to David and his house find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ (see PP 754, 755; see also Vol. IV, pp. 30–36).

Selah. See p. 629.

5. The heavens. Here, by figure, a designation for the inhabitants of heaven.

Wonders. See Ps. 88:10, 12.

6. For who? The rhetorical questions of this verse forcefully express the idea that God, the Author of the covenant, is supreme above all others.

Sons of the mighty. Possibly the angels, as indicated by the succession of parallelisms, and by the general sense of the passage (see on Ps. 29:1 cf. Ps. 103:20).

7. Assembly of the saints. Or, “council of the holy ones,” that is, the angels. This continues the parallels begun in v. 5.

9. The raging of the sea. Singularly impressive is the power that God holds over the raging waves of the sea (see Job 38:8–11; Ps. 65:7; 107:23–30; Matt. 8:26, 27). Equally impressive should be His power over the waves of trouble and affliction sweeping over our heads, which He stills so that not a ripple of distress disturbs our peace of soul.

10. Rahab. Here symbolically used for Egypt (see on Ps. 87:4).

Scattered. See Ex. 14:27–31; 15:6; cf. Num. 10:35.

11. Are thine. Compare Ps. 8:3; 24:1, 2; 33:6, 9; 115:16. God is Creator and therefore Owner.

12. Tabor. A mountain of about 1,829 ft. (561.7 m.) elevation, 12 mi. (19.2 km.) west of the point where the Jordan River leaves the Sea of Galilee (see on Judges 4:6).

Hermon. A mountain north of Palestine rising to an elevation of 9,232 ft.

14. Habitation. Or, “foundation.” The throne of God is established upon the principles of righteousness and justice (see Isa. 16:5; cf. Ps. 97:2).

Mercy and truth. See on Ps. 85:10; cf. Ps. 25:10; 26:3.

Shall go before. Or, “precede”. Wherever God goes, His mercy and truth accompany Him. It is said that after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, when the wrong word spoken might have provoked massacre, James Garfield cried to the excited mob: “Fellow Citizens, ‘Justice and judgment are the habitation of His throne.’”

Blessed. See on Ps. 1:1.

Countenance. Blessed are they who bask in the light of God’s smile (see Num. 6:25, 26).

“Jesus, the very thought of Thee,

With sweetness fills my breast;

But sweeter far Thy face to see,

And in Thy presence rest.”

17. Glory. Their strength gets its beauty from God.

Horn. A symbol of strength (see on Ps. 18:2; cf. 1 Sam. 2:1; Ps. 92:10; Ps. 112:9).

18. Defence. Heb. magen, usually translated “shield.” It may also mean “entreaty,” as the Ugaritic (see p. 618) has shown. The first half of the verse may be translated, “For the Lord is our supplication.”

19. Then. Evidently referring to the events recorded in 2 Sam. 7:8–17.

In vision. See 2 Sam. 7:4–8.

Thy holy one. Probably Nathan, to whom the revelation was made (see 2 Sam. 7:4, 17).

Saidst. From this point to the close of v. 37 the psalmist records the message of the vision, not verbatim, but with rhetorical coloring.

Laid help. God gave David capacity for the tasks to which he was being called. God’s “bidding are enablings” (COL 333).

Out of the people. See 1 Sam. 16:1–13. God chose David from among the ranks of the common people, not from the nobility. All the more apparent was it therefore that his power came from God (see 2 Sam. 7:8; Ps. 78:70–72).

20. Found David. See Acts 13:22.

21. Strengthen him. God was David’s constant aid and protection (see 1 Sam. 18:12, 14; 2 Sam. 5:10; 7:9).

22. Exact upon him. Or, “beguile him.”

25. The sea. See Ps. 72:8; 80:11.

The rivers. God’s promise to Abraham is comprehended in the words of this verse (see Gen. 15:18; see on Ex. 23:31).

26. My father. The relation between David and God is tenderly stated in this verse. David calls God by names that show intimacy and confidence; he is completely dependent on God, his Father, and his Saviour (see 2 Sam. 7:14; 22:2, 3, 47; cf. Deut. 32:15).

27. My firstborn. As David calls God Father, so God considers David His firstborn son. David was the first from whom a line of royal descendants was to extend to the Messiah (see Ex. 4:22; Jer. 31:9).

Higher. See Num. 24:7.

28. My covenant. See Isa. 55:3; cf. Ps. 89:33–37. The literal descendants of David broke the covenant, but the promises will be fulfilled in Christ (see on 2 Sam. 7:14–16; 23:5).

29. Endure for ever. See 2 Sam. 7:12, 16. If David’s line had remained true to God, this promise would have had literal fulfillment. This prediction will now have its fulfillment in Christ, the Seed of David, and in the spiritual Israel.

30. Forsake my law. David’s son, Solomon, began to forsake God’s law (see 1 Kings 11:1–8). Many of the kings that followed him “did evil in the sight of the Lord.”

32. Will I visit. Such punishment is a necessary part of the Father’s discipline of His children (see Heb. 12:6–11). God’s punishments in this life are salutary, conducted with the object of reclaiming the erring.

33. To fail. God cannot be untrue to Himself. His faithfulness was pledged in His covenant. There was born of the house of David in the city of David, the Messiah, in whom the promise made to David finds its ultimate fulfillment (see 2 Sam. 7:15, 16; 1 Kings 11:12, 13, 34–39; 15:4, 5).

34. Nor alter. God cannot alter His character (see James 1:17; Mal. 3:6; cf. Ps. 111:5, 9).

35. By my holiness. In the covenant God pledged His own holy nature. If God should fail in His part of the agreement, it would prove that God is not a holy God.

I will not lie. God’s faithfulness to David is but a sublime instance of His constant faithfulness in dealing with His children (see vs. 3, 4).

36. Endure for ever. See on v. 29.

As the sun. See Ps. 72:5, 17.

37. As the moon. See Ps. 72:5.

A faithful witness. Here probably the moon, as indicated by the parallelism of the clauses. As the moon is fixed, regular, and enduring, so God’s promises to David cannot fail.

With this verse the psalmist closes his praise of the attributes of God, on which the fulfillment of the promise depends.

Selah. See p. 629.

38. But. At this point in the psalm there is an abrupt change from praise and rejoicing to complaint and mourning. Despite the surety of God’s promises and the pledge of His faithfulness, it seems that the covenant has been broken and that not good, but only evil, has come upon Israel and the Lord’s anointed. How is this? the psalmist inquiries. What will be the outcome? Is God’s faithfulness failing? Verses 38–45 are a series of expostulations (see on Ps. 44:9–22). The psalmist sets forth the apparent facts, but through faith triumphs over appearances.

Thou. The pronoun in the Hebrew is emphatic, as if the psalmist were saying, Thou, the God who hast pledged faithfulness in the covenant relationship, art the same God who has falsified His promise and rejected His anointed.

40. All his hedges. All the king’s walls and fortifications have been destroyed (see Ps. 80:12; 2 Chron. 11:5–10; cf. Isa. 5:5, 6).

41. Spoil him. Compare 2 Kings 24:2.

Reproach. Compare Neh. 1:3; 2:17; see Ps. 79:4.

42. To rejoice. Every fall of Israel caused the enemies to rejoice.

43. Turned the edge. That is, turned the edge of the sword away, so that when the sword descended to strike, it did not cut the object aimed at. Israel had been unsuccessful in battle.

45. Hast thou shortened. His youthful vigor has been cut short. The king’s period of prosperity has been diminished.

With shame. The royal line had been reduced to disgrace. Everything in the appearance and circumstances of the king seems to indicate God’s displeasure.

Selah. See p. 629.

46. How long, Lord? The expostulation of the psalmist gives way to pleading. He pleads with God for surcease of trouble. This transition is the key to our understanding of the psalmist’s expostulation. Here the frail human spirit, sensing the wrong state of affairs, appeals to God to set things right. The pleading consists of two strains of three verses each. Verses 46–48 argue the shortness of human life; vs. 49–51, the dishonor that comes upon God when His enemies gain the victory.

47. My time. Heb. cheled, “duration of life.” The psalmist pleads that if God is ever to interpose, He must do so quickly, for the psalmist will soon pass away.

In vain. Compare Job 7:6; 14:1; Ps. 39:5, 11.

49. Thy former lovingkindnesses. That is, the manifold proofs of the fulfillment of the promise in ancient times.

Swarest. See vs. 3, 35; cf. Ps. 132:11.

50. In my bosom. The psalmist seems to carry on his heart the reproaches of all Israel. Like Moses (see Num. 11:11–15), the psalmist felt that the burdens of all his people rested upon him, and that he was no longer able to bear their weight.

52. Blessed. The doxology and double Amen (not essential parts of the psalm itself) mark the close of Book Three of the Psalter (see p. 626; see on Ps. 41:13; 72:18; 106:48; 150). However, there is singular appropriateness to the message of the verse at this point: in spite of all, “Blessed be the Lord!”

Ellen G. White comments

3–29PP 755

5–7SL 56

7 CG 538; ML 281; MYP 265; PK 236; 5T 268, 320

13–18PP 33

14 PP 34; 2T 448

14, 15 5T 190

15 Ev 121; TM 111; 8T 145

19 MYP 59; 1T 698; 2T 321; 5T 312; 9T 280

31–33PP 738

33 8T 276

34 FE 450; PK 165, 187; 8T 10, 39

37 GC 262