Psalm 89:1-4 1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 4 ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’ ”

“Keeping the Promise” Psalms 89 Book 3: Psalms Written by Levites: Sons of Korah – Temple assistants Asaph – musician Ethan – musician

1 Chronicles 15: David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

17 So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; from his brothers, Asaph son of Berekiah; and from their brothers the Merarites, Ethan son of Kushaiah; 18 and with them their brothers next in rank: Zechariah… (12 others), the gatekeepers. 19 The musicians Heman, Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals…

Psalm 78 – by Asaph Lessons of history through oral tradition. Retells the history of Israel from slavery in Egypt to the reign of King David. Stories are told hoping that the same mistakes won’t be made. But, rebellion is the recurring point. In spite of God’s love and provision, the people had to do things their own way.

Psalm 81 – also by Asaph This hymn celebrates the Exodus from Egypt. God’s goodness versus Israel’s sinfulness. God is our deliverer in spite of our wanderings.

Psalm 89 – by Ethan or a descendent One hit wonder! Unique because it is prophetic. While it is a royal psalm celebrating the promise God has given King David, it eludes to the promise being fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Psalm 89:1-4 1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. 2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

“the Lord’s great love forever” “mercy” “steadfast love” “kind love” “your love stands firm forever” “faithfulness established in heaven itself” “through all generations” The point: God’s love is no ordinary love.

Psalm 89 3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 4 ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’ ”

Davidic Covenant: 2 Samuel 7:11-16 “ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

God made a promise to David – that his line would reign for all time. But, what do we know about the history of Israel? Seems there was no way the promise could be kept. But God is like a parent in love with his child.

14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’ ”

God wants to find a way to keep His promise… though he has every right to not follow through because the other end has not been upheld. Even at creation, God knew that we would not be able to be faithful. So He provided a way.

Psalm I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. 28 I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail. 29 I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.

30 “If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes, 31 if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands, 32 I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging; 33 but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.

34 I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered. 35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness— and I will not lie to David— 36 that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun; 37 it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.”

God can not violate His promise because He is holy. Holy = one perfect in goodness and righteousness God is holy – the one perfect who never goes back on His word.

So, in advance, God provided the way to uphold his promise. Parent extraordinaire! As parents, we have that innate desire to help our kids through, because we are made in God’s image. Isaiah foretold how the Lord was going to keep his promise.

Isaiah 11:1-5 1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—

Matthew 1:1-17 Jesus’ Lineage Abraham – David David – Exile Exile – Jesus 14 generations each

God’s promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ who will reign for eternity. The love and kindness promised to David is extended to us through Christ.

Putting it all together The Lord is faithful to His promises. He will go to great lengths to be true to His word. He’s even thought about it ahead of time.

Putting it all together Jesus is the One who makes the way. “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.” (John 14:6) It is through Jesus that the promise is upheld… not just to King David but to all of us.

Putting it all together And just like the line of King David, we all fall short of holding up our part of the promise. But yet, the Lord shows us mercy and grace. Mercy = getting what we don’t deserve. Grace = not getting what we do deserve. The Lord is merciful and full of grace.