Psalms 89:38

Psalms 89:38 says, But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.  God is accused of casting off the descendants of David and abandoning His covenant with them, but it was the people who had abandoned the covenant.  Once we are in a covenant relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, God will never break His covenant with us.  Verse thirty-nine adds, Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.  Again, if the covenant had been broken and the crown of David profaned, it was not because of the failure of God, but of the people of Israel.  We may lose the joy of our salvation, but if we do, it is because of our actions and not God's.  Verse forty continues, Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.  Now God may remove His protection from His people if they stray away from Him, but anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord is saved forever.  Verse forty-one states, All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.  The people of Israel were said to be at the mercy of anyone passing by and a reproach to her neighbors.  If we are feeling helpless as Christians, we need to examine our relationship with God so that we never become a reproach to others because of our lack of obedience.  Verse forty-two adds, Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.  Though God may allow our enemies to defeat us in this lifetime because we have broken our covenant relationship with Him, we still have everlasting salvation if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse forty-three continues, Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.  Though the people of Israel may have lost God's protection, again it was because of their lack of obedience to Him.  Verse forty-four declares, Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.  Once more, it was stated that God had caused His glory to cease and cast the crown of David down.  God's glory will never cease, though we may cease to reflect it if we allow sin back into our life.  Verse forty-five adds, The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.  The days of youth were cut short, either by death or by being forced to accept adult responsibility too quickly.  Verse forty-six asks, How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?  The psalmist asked how long God would hide Himself,  but He never does.  If we as followers of Christ feel that God has hidden Himself from us, it is because of our lack of faith.  Verse forty-seven says, Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?  Our time on earth is indeed short, but if we have put our faith in Christ and have followed the leadership of the Holy Spirit, our life will never be lived in vain.  Verse forty-eight asks, What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.  Everyone will die physically, but our spirit will live on.  Our relationship with Jesus Christ will determine where we will spend our everlasting life.  Verse forty-nine adds, Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?  God's lovingkindness is always where it always is, no matter how bad things may get in this world.  Verse fifty says, Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;  Even if we feel the reproach of the mightest of men, God has not forgotten us if we are Christians.  Verse fifty-two adds, Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.  The question was asked how the enemies of God and His people could be reproached by the world.  Even if we feel that way today, we need to simply keep our faith in God without questioning His love and mercy.  Verse fifty-two declares, Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.  This should be our response today, no matter how bad things get in life.  Blessed be the LORD forevermore. Amen.