Psa 89:38-51 | KingComments | STEP | The current situation is at odds with the firmness and fulfillment of the covenant and is reminiscent of new moon. It is night, without the light of the moon. David, the chosen king, has been cast off and rejected by God ( ). David is rejected through his own fault. His descendants, the people of Israel, have also been cast off by their own sins. Christ, the Lord and the Son of David, was also cast off and rejected. However, this is not because of His own fault, but because He has become the guilt offering ( ). This made it possible for God to show lovingkindness to David and his descendants. We are in the time immediately preceding the fulfillment of the promise, the time of the great tribulation. God has become wrathful toward His people and the descendants of His anointed king because they have become unfaithful to Him. In the opinion of the believing remnant, God has nullified the old covenant with His servant ( ). God has “profaned his crown in the dust”, his crown of royal dignity. There is nothing left of the former greatness and honor. The city of God, the city of David, has become a ruin ( ). The city has become freely accessible through the breaches in the walls. The defenses are down, the fortifications are in ruins. Ethan attributes it to the actions of God. With the removal of protection, the city of David has been plundered by those “who pass along the way” ( ). Nor is there any respect left for the city. To “his neighbors”, the neighboring peoples, “he has become a reproach”. God has not only given the adversaries access to the city, but also “exalted the right hand of his adversaries” ( ). He has given them the strength for it and given them power over His people. Thereby He has “made all his enemies rejoice”, but in the sense of gloating. In contrast, He has turned the sword of His people against themselves ( ). He has withheld His power from them and thereby has not made them stand in the battle. They are defeated, perished, scattered, carried away or fled. He has made the splendor of the king to cease, there is nothing left of it ( ). All the splendor that marked his kingship is gone. Of his dominion nothing remains either, for He has “cast his throne to the ground”. There is nothing left to rule, because the people have been scattered over the surrounding countries or taken into exile. The glorious reign of David and of his first successor, his son Solomon, lasted but a short time. Because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness, God “shortened the days of his youth”, that is, of the kingdom of Israel ( ). Things went from bad to worse. God was unable to prolong the days of prosperity and youthful beauty. He has had to give His throne to the nations and “covered” His people “with shame”.

‏ Psalms 89:38-51

Cast Off and Rejected

The current situation is at odds with the firmness and fulfillment of the covenant and is reminiscent of new moon. It is night, without the light of the moon. David, the chosen king, has been cast off and rejected by God (Psa 89:38). David is rejected through his own fault. His descendants, the people of Israel, have also been cast off by their own sins. Christ, the Lord and the Son of David, was also cast off and rejected. However, this is not because of His own fault, but because He has become the guilt offering (Isa 53:10). This made it possible for God to show lovingkindness to David and his descendants.

We are in the time immediately preceding the fulfillment of the promise, the time of the great tribulation. God has become wrathful toward His people and the descendants of His anointed king because they have become unfaithful to Him. In the opinion of the believing remnant, God has nullified the old covenant with His servant (Psa 89:39). God has “profaned his crown in the dust”, his crown of royal dignity. There is nothing left of the former greatness and honor.

The city of God, the city of David, has become a ruin (Psa 89:40). The city has become freely accessible through the breaches in the walls. The defenses are down, the fortifications are in ruins. Ethan attributes it to the actions of God.

With the removal of protection, the city of David has been plundered by those “who pass along the way” (Psa 89:41). Nor is there any respect left for the city. To “his neighbors”, the neighboring peoples, “he has become a reproach”.

God has not only given the adversaries access to the city, but also “exalted the right hand of his adversaries” (Psa 89:42). He has given them the strength for it and given them power over His people. Thereby He has “made all his enemies rejoice”, but in the sense of gloating.

In contrast, He has turned the sword of His people against themselves (Psa 89:43). He has withheld His power from them and thereby has not made them stand in the battle. They are defeated, perished, scattered, carried away or fled.

He has made the splendor of the king to cease, there is nothing left of it (Psa 89:44). All the splendor that marked his kingship is gone. Of his dominion nothing remains either, for He has “cast his throne to the ground”. There is nothing left to rule, because the people have been scattered over the surrounding countries or taken into exile.

The glorious reign of David and of his first successor, his son Solomon, lasted but a short time. Because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness, God “shortened the days of his youth”, that is, of the kingdom of Israel (Psa 89:45). Things went from bad to worse. God was unable to prolong the days of prosperity and youthful beauty. He has had to give His throne to the nations and “covered” His people “with shame”.

How long?

The remnant again asks “how long” that situation is to last (Psa 89:46; Psa 13:1b-2). Now it is a question of desperation regarding the circumstances. They experience God hiding Himself from them. Will He do so “forever” (cf. Psa 77:7-9)? At the same time, the question “how long” is also a question in which the hope that the suffering will come to an end is resounding. But for how long will God’s “wrath burn like fire?”

The question is how long God’s faithfulness to His covenant, how long His lovingkindness, remains invisible. The psalmist puts his trust in the LORD, but the need is great. If the time is not shortened, none of the remnant will remain alive (cf. Mt 24:22). What then about the LORD’s lovingkindness and faithfulness?

The first reason for the questions is the high need (Psa 89:46-48). The second reason is that lovingkindness and faithfulness of the LORD are at stake (Psa 89:49), the covenant that He has spoken on oath. Finally, the third reason is the reproach that will come upon the remnant and with it upon the honor of the Name of God and of His Christ, His Anointed (Psa 89:50-51). This is why the Lord Jesus teaches the remnant to pray: “Hallowed be Your name” (Mt 6:9b).

They ask God to remember what their “span of life is” (Psa 89:47). If He still wants to fulfill something of His covenant, let Him do so quickly, or their lives will be over. “For what vanity You have created all the sons of men”, if He is going to let them live for such a short time and then also make it so difficult for them? Eventually, every human being dies (Psa 89:48). Nobody escapes because nobody can “deliver his soul from the power of Sheol”.

Then comes the question to the “Lord”, Adonai, where His “former lovingkindnesses” are (Psa 89:49). Where have they gone? Yet He “swore to David” in His “faithfulness”. But there is nothing of it now. Has God forgotten that He swore by His faithfulness?

Another aspect that brings the remnant before God is the reproach that His servants suffer (Psa 89:50). Is the Lord thinking about that? “All the many peoples” reproach them. They do not shake off the reproach, but carry it around in their bosom, in their heart. All the reproach touches them deeply and remains as long as there is no outcome, no answer, no fulfillment of the covenant.

Finally, they point out to the LORD that the enemies are not their enemies, but His, “Your enemies” (Psa 89:51). His enemies also do not primarily reproach their doings, but “the footsteps of Your anointed”. God’s anointed is David and above him the Messiah.

The enemies of Christ have reproach and mocked Him as ‘the King of the Jews’. They have reproached the way of God that He has gone with the Messiah. That God’s King was born as a Baby into a carpenter’s family and lived His life in humiliation is cause for unbelief to reproach Him. All mockers will see Him again to their dismay, then as Judge.