Sing and Cling to the Mercies of the Lord – Ps 89

The beginning of Psalm 89 is quite different from the end. Ethan, the writer, begins by praising God’s mercy and faithfulness to all generation. He proceeds to elaborate on everything that God has done for His people and particularly for David, His chosen King. He goes on to talk of all God’s promises to David and his descendants, how God will keep them on the throne no matter what happens (v.20-37).

Yet, at the end of the Psalm we find out that, from Ethan’s perspective, God has cast off His people and forgotten His covenant with David (v.38-39). Now David and the people of Israel are broken down, cast to the ground, and reproached. And so we find that this Psalm is about trying to reconciled the incredible mercy and faithfulness of God throughout history with present difficulties and affliction.

That is often our dilemma as well. We know God is merciful, faithful, and strong. We know He has delivered so many in the past. Yet, at times, He allows us to experience difficulty, loss, pain, and oppression. And we wonder how to reconciled the faithful God of the past and of Scripture with presence disappointment and hurt?

The only solution is to do what Ethan does and talk to God about it. To pour out our hearts to God, to proclaim the promises and power of God, to trust in His mercy and faithfulness, and to rest that He in His time can and will deliver as He has in the past. Deliverance will come for the people of God. He may deliver us out of the trouble, through the trouble, or from the trouble. It will come, and even if we don’t experience it in this life, we know it will come in the next.

Psalm 89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Prayer: God in heaven, I sing of Your mercy. I praise You for Your faithfulness. Even when things are not going the way I want, help me to still sing and still praise You. You have already clearly shown Your power and mercy in so many ways in history and in my life, that even if You never acted again on my behalf, I would still have much to praise You. Help me to keep on singing of Your mercy even when things are tough.

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