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.

Psalms 89:28

Psalms 89:28 says, My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.  Jesus Christ is the source of salvation.  God's mercy is extended to sinners through Jesus Christ forevermore and God's covenant stands fast with Him.  Verse twenty-nine adds, His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.  Matthew Henry says this could be seen as applying to David and his descendants until Jesus came, or to Jesus Himself.  If it is applied to Jesus, His seed would be those who put their faith in Him and not direct physical seed or descendants.  Verse thirty states, If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;  There is a warning to those who claim to be God's children but who do not obey His law, and even to those who are but fail to do so.  Being a Christian does not free us from following God's laws.  Verse thirty-one adds, If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;  Verse thirty-two continues, Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.  If we, as followers of Christ, fail to keep God's laws, either by omission or commission, God will chastise us.  We cannot expect God to simply let us do whatever we want to do as Christians, even though we have everlasting salvation through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-three declares, Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.  God said that even if those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ fail to keep His laws, He will not take His lovingkindness from them.  We have everlasting salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and nothing can take that from us, because it is secured by God's mercy and righteousness and not ours.  Verse thirty-four adds, My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.  We may break out covenant with God by failing to keep His laws, but He will never break His covenant with us, which promises us everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ.   We cannot have salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone and then lose it by our actions.  Verse thirty-five continues, Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.  This speaks of the covenant relationship between David and God, which culminated with Jesus Christ, a physical descendant of David.  God's covenant is secured by His holiness, and not by David's then nor ours now.  Verse thirty-six says, His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.  David's descendant, Jesus Christ, is the One through Whom this promise is fulfilled.  It does not mean that we must be a physical descendant of David to have a covenant relationship with Him, but that we must be a spiritual descendant through our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-seven adds, It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.  God's relationship with those who enter into a covenant relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ is everlasting.  

Psalms 89:15

Psalms 89:15 says, Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.  The joyful sound would be the voice of God calling the people to walk in His light I believe.  Verse sixteen adds, In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.  Those who hear and respond to God's call to salvation should rejoice all day so that God's name will be exalted.  Since we have everlasting life through our faith in Jesus Christ, there should be nothing in the world that keeps us from rejoicing.  Verse seventeen continues, For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.  God is said to be the source of the strength of Isreal, and He is still the source of our strength as Christians today.  Verse eighteen concludes, For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.  Just like the people of Israel then, God is still our defence as followers of Christ today and He is our eternal King.  Verse nineteen states, Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.  This could have applied to David and the promises that God made to him, but in the overall view apply to Jesus Christ, Who is the true and only exalted One.  Verse twenty adds, I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:  David was indeed anointed as the king of Israel, God's chosen people, for a time, but Jesus Christ was anointed as the King of God's people for all time.  Verse twenty-one continues, With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.  God was the source of David's power,  and He is the source of power for the followers of Christ today.  Verse twenty-two says, The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.  David at times did suffer defeat, but Jesus Christ never will, nor will we as Christians in the everlasting view.  Nothing can separate those who put their faith in Jesus Christ from everlasting victory over any enemy in the world.  Verse twenty-three continues, And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.  The enemies of Christ have already been beaten down by His death on the cross and resurrection to everlasting life, and so have ours from a spiritual point of view if we have put our faith in Him.  Verse twenty-four states, But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.  God's faithfulness will always be with His Son Jesus Christ, and with us if we have accepted Him as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty-five adds, I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.  God the Father gave Jesus Christ the Son power over everything.  I do not totally understand the Trinity, but I know that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one God, not three.  Verse twenty-six continues, He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.  Verse twenty-seven concludes, Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.  As Christians, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the heavenly Father, is our rock and salvation in the world today, and nothing can ever separate us from Him.

Psalms 89:1

Psalms 89:1 says, Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.  This is identified as a psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite, then verse one says, I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. Ethan said he would sing of God's mercy and make known His faithfulness to all generations.  This is what we must do today as followers of Christ, since we are a part of the generations that Ethan spoke of, and we must make sure that future generations know of God's mercy.  Verse two adds, For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.  Ethan said God's mercy would be built up forever and established in heaven.  God's mercy is everlasting, and comes down from heaven to us.  Verse three declares, I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,  God said He had made a covenant with His chosen, and that is us if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse four adds, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.  Again, this is us and our children if we enter into a covenant relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse five continues, And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.  The heavens are God's creation and will always proclaim His wonders and faithfulness to all who will but look.  The heavens continue in their orderly ways that God set them in.  Verse six asks, For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?  The answer to this question then, now and always will be that no one can compare to God.  Verse seven states, God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.  We are to have an awesome respect for God as Christians, because those who do not come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ should fear Him.  Verse eight asks, O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?  The question is repeated as to who is like unto God, and the answer is no one.  God alone is God.  Verse nine declares, Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.  God created and controls the seas.  We need to never forget the power of God.  Verse ten continues, Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.  We do not have to fear our enemies today because God supports us with His strong arm, no matter what happens in this lifetime.  Verse eleven continues, The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.  As Ethan said, everything belongs to God, because He created it all.  Verse twelve says, The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.  This continues to speak of the fact that God created everything and that the world should rejoice because of it.  Verse thirteen adds, Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.  Nothing is more powerful than God, so we can rest secure if we a personal relationship with Him through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse fourteen continues, Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.  Justice and judgment ultimately come from God alone.  Fortunately for Christians, because of our relationship with Jesus Christ we never have to face God's judgment, but are under His mercy instead. 

Psalms 88:11

Psalms 88:11 says, Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?  Heman asked if the dead could declare God's lovingkindness or His faithfulness from destruction.  Even though our spirit will live on, our bodies cease to be able to declare anything, good or bad, once we die.  We must therefore declare God's goodness and mercy while we are alive.  If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, our soul will still praise God after the body dies.  Verse twelve adds, Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?  This was still asking about God's will being known in the grave.  As Matthew Henry says, deceased bodies cannot know anything of God, even if their spirit does.  Verse thirteen states, But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.  Heman said that he was alive and had called to God every morning.  As long as we live as followers of Christ, we should continue to pray to God, even if the answer to our prayer does not come immediately.  Verse fourteen asks, LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?  Heman now basically asked how God could abandon him and hide Himself from him.  Once more, even if our prayers are not immediately answered, or if they aren't answered the way we want them to be, we must never believe that God has abandoned us or doesn't hear us.  Verse fifteen declares, I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.  Heman said he was ready to give up and die.  He had become afraid of God's wrath against him.  One thing we as Christians never have to fear is that God is going to abandon us because of His wrath against us.  If we problems of the world seem overwhelming, we need to just move closer to God in faith.  Verse sixteen adds, Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.  Heman continued to speak of his fear of the wrath of God.  We as followers of Christ should never fear God's everlasting wrath, even if He does not immediately answer our prayers.  Of course, if we allow allow sin back in our life,we may be chastised by God, but we still do not have to fear facing His everlasting wrath when judgment day comes.  Verse seventeen continues, They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.  Matthew Henry says that Heman had suffered from these times of fear from his youth, but they had become worse.  Some people, even though they know they are saved by their faith in Jesus Christ, still tend to have bouts of doubt about God's protection, but He will never fail us.  Verse eighteen concludes, Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.  Heman said everyone, even those that he loved and his acquaintances had left him, and seems to imply that God had caused this to happen.  Even if the whole world deserts us, we must remain faithful to God and never blame Him for this happening. 

Psalms 88:1

Psalms 88:1 says, A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.  There is a long introduction and dedication, then verse one says, O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:  Heman called God the God of his salvation, and then said he cried day and night before Him.  As followers of Christ, God is the God of our salvation, and we should pray to Him night and day, or continually.  Verse two adds, Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;  As Christians, we need to understand that God always hears our earnest prayers.  He also answers them in the best way possible.  Verse three continues, For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.  The psalmist asked God to hear his prayers because his life was full of trouble and he felt that he was close to dying.  Life may not always seem fair to us today as followers of Christ and it may seem that all we have is trouble in our life, but we need to remember that through our faith in Jesus Christ that God has already given us everlasting victory.  Verse four states, I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:  Heman, a very good and wise man according to Matthew Henry, felt that he was without strength and doomed like those who go down into the pit.  We need never feel that way as Christians.  Because of God's salvation given to us through faith in Christ, we shoulad never be in despair.  Verse five adds, Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.  Heman said he felt he was no better than a dead man, who God would no longer remember, even though he had declared God the God of his salvation.  We, as Christians, should never feel this way, no matter how bead things get in life.  Verse six continues, Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.  Heman said God had placed him in the deepest pit, but it was really his lack of faith that put him there.  As long as we maintain our faith in Christ, we should never feel that God has put us in a place where we are without hope, even if we are suffering in life.  Verse seven says, Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.  Once more, Heman attributes his suffering to God.  God is never going to directly cause our suffering if we are followers of Christ, but He may allow us to suffer for our faith.  We must simply remain faithful to Him without questioning His love and mercy.  Verse eight adds, Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.  Heman said God had shut him away from his acquaintances and made him an abomination to them.  God never removes us from our brothers and sisters in Christ, and if He removes those who aren't from our life, it is for our own good.  Verse nine states, Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.  Heman said he mourned because he had cried out to God daily but believed that God had not heard him.  Even if we feel that God has not heard us because whatever we are praying about has not changed, He always hears the prayers of those who believe in and put their faith in Him.  Verse ten asks, Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.  One day, God will indeed show the wonder of resurrection to everlasting life to those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and who have died.  This life is not the end.

Psalms 87:1

Psalms 87:1 says, A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.  We have the dedication, then verse one says, His foundation is in the holy mountains.  Matthew Henry says this applies to the church, which is founded on the rock of Christ.  It has a solid foundation that will never fail.  Verse two adds, The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.  Zion was known as the city of God, and even though the people of Israel worshipped in their homes, God preferred their public worship of Him in His holy temple.  Matthew Henry says this means that even though we should worship at home, God expects to to worship Him publicly even more.  We need to let the world know that we are worshipping God, and this may not be evident if we never worship Him in public.  Verse three continues, Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.  Glorious things were spoken then about the city of God, and glorious things should be spoken about the church today.  As Matthew Henry says, even when the church is at its lowest, we as followers of Christ should still speak about how wonderous it is, because it belongs to God. Verse four states, I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.  Zion was preferred above all other nations, even those known for their power.  Also, this could be interpreted as the fact that the gospel of Christ was going out to all nations, making those who accepted it just as much a part of the people of God as those born as Jews.  God's salvation has always been available to those who put faith in Him.  Verse five adds, And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.  Those who are born in Zion, spiritually, shall be established in His kingdom by God Himself.  Verse six adds, The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.  This is once again a reference to Jesus, Who was born as the way to Zion, the temple of God. We cannot become a part of God's kingdom based on where we were born in this world, but can only become a part of it based on our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse seven concludes,  As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.  The praises of God will be sung by His people, who have the Living Water flowing through them.  We, as God's people today, should never stop singing praises of God to the world.