Praise for the Eternal Covenant

Psalms 89:1-18

A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever;
With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.

2 For I have said, "Mercy shall be built up forever;
Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens."

3 "I have made a covenant with My chosen,
I have sworn to My servant David:
4 'Your seed I will establish forever,
And build up your throne to all generations.'"

Selah

5 And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.

6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD?
Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD?
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.

8 O LORD God of hosts,
Who is mighty like You, O LORD?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.

9 You rule the raging of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.

10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain;
You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.

12 The north and the south, You have created them;
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Mercy and truth go before Your face.

15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.
16 In Your name they rejoice all day long,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.

17 For You are the glory of their strength,
And in Your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the LORD,
And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Such a hopeful song of praise for God’s eternal covenant with David to us all in the Christ!  As Ethan the psalmist penned and sang these words, we also should be singing of the mercies of the Lord forever and with our mouth make known His faithfulness to all generations, now and into the future until He returns!  He is merciful to save the unworthy sinner, which we all are as children of Adam, and faithful to keep His covenant of grace in Christ Jesus who died that we might not for our sins.  That faithfulness is the good news we speak, the gospel of grace and mercy.  The covenant promise was given in shadows to the anointed king David in anticipation of the Messiah, the true Anointed and the eternal covenant of grace to follow.  This song speaks of the earthly covenant (Hebrews 7:22, 8:6, 12:24) with a reflection towards the eternal heavenly to come when He became a man (John 1:1, 14).  Mercy has truly been built up forever (עוֹלָם ‘ôlâm; time out of mind, eternity) as Micah 5:2 speaks of the Messiah being from that eternal existence, timeless as the one who was and is and is to come.  Our faithful salvation of mercy is from before time and into an endless future because He is who He is (Exodus 3:14, John 8:58, 10:30).  This covenant with David was looking forward to Christ coming to us and among us, Emmanuel, established forever on His throne.  Dwell on that.  The very heavens display His wondrous works and faithfulness which we share among ourselves in the assembly of the saints.  There is no other God and we therefore fear and revere the Holy One who does only great and wonderful things (Job 5:9, Psalm 72:18).  His faithfulness surrounds Him, evident in the order of His creation all around us as the psalmist plainly reminds us.  He founded the earth and the very universe.  All things are His, including us.  His rule has the foundation of justice and righteousness, with mercy proceeding from His throne of grace.  The justice is accountability for our sin, and the righteousness is His own imputed to those He chooses, with unearned and undeserved mercy of grace in Christ alone.  We are blessed as His people to know the sound of these words of truth, and therefore live accordingly as we follow Him, rejoicing in His name as His and lifted up in His righteousness alone.  He is our strength in which we find His glory alone to live for, and His protection shields us from the adversary, for the King over all rules absolutely and sovereignly forever.  These things should cause us to praise and worship in willing obedience.  That is being a Christ follower, a true Christian living according to His word of the eternal covenant of grace.