The mercies of Jehovah, secured by Israel by the faithfulness of God.
In Psalms 88 the godly man, representing the nation of Israel, learns in the presence of Jehovah that sin and a broken law bring the soul under the judgment of Jehovah, from which there is no salvation apart from Jehovah to whom faith looks.
In Psalms 89, the godly remnant look for salvation in the mercy of God, and the faithfulness of God to His covenant with David, by which blessing is secured, even though for a time the nation is cast off.
(vv. 1-2) The opening verses present the great theme of the psalm―the mercies and faithfulness of God, instead of the sin and failure of the nation, as in Psalms 88, moreover the psalm presents the great fact that, not only are there mercies and faithfulness with God, but, these blessed qualities cannot be affected by anything that man can do. They are beyond the reach of man’s corrupting hand. Mercy is built up forever; and faithfulness is established in the very heavens.
(vv. 5-8) The psalmist then celebrates the glory of Jehovah―the One who has made the covenant with David. The heavens declare His wonders; the saints His faithfulness. No creature can be compared with Jehovah. In His supreme glory as God there can be none likened to Him. In the assembly of His saints He is the object of reverent fear. Supreme in strength, as the Lord God of hosts, He acts in faithfulness on every side.
(vv. 9-10) The godly recall the exercise of Jehovah’s power, when at the Red Sea He broke the power of Egypt (“Rahab”), and scattered His enemies with His strong arm.
(vv. 11-14) Moreover, Jehovah is the possessor of heaven and earth by His rights as Creator, and, if He overthrows the power of the world, as represented by Egypt, it is that He, by His mighty arm, may establish His own throne, marked by justice and judgment, mercy and truth.
(vv. 15-18) Furthermore, His throne is established in order that He may dwell in the midst of a praising people, who rejoice in His favor, and are exalted in righteousness. A people of whom Jehovah is their glory, their strength, their defense, and their King.
(vv. 19-28) The verses that follow present in detail the covenant made with David, and the assurance of God’s faithfulness to His covenant. God had spoken in vision to Nathan (2 Sam. 7:4-174And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, 5Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? 8Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house. 12And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. (2 Samuel 7:4‑17)) of David, the one who is chosen from the people and exalted; anointed as the servant of the Lord (vs. 20); triumphant over all his enemies (vv. 21-23); established by God’s faithfulness and mercy, to reign over the full extent of the land as given to Abraham, from the sea (the Mediterranean) to the rivers (the Euphrates and the Nile). The one appointed to rule in dependence upon God as his might and his salvation (vs. 26); and thus pre-eminent over the kings of the earth (vs. 27). For him God’s mercy will be kept for evermore; and “with him” God’s covenant will stand fast (vs. 28).
In this fine description of the glories of David we are surely intended to see Christ the true Anointed King of Israel, of whom David was but a type.
(vv. 29-37) The following verses present the seed of David. With the seed there is the possibility of failure and the governmental consequences that follow (vv. 30-32). Nevertheless, God will not utterly take from them His loving-kindness, nor suffer His faithfulness to fail. God will not break His covenant, nor alter the word that has gone out of His lips (vv. 33-34). The holiness of God is a witness that God cannot alter His word by which blessing is secured to David and his seed.
(vv. 38-45) Alas! the seed of David entirely broke down. They forsook the law, and walked not in God’s judgments; they broke His statutes and kept not His commandments (vv. 30-31). Thus the threatened rod (vs. 32) has fallen upon the nation. They are cast off and, apparently, the covenant is made void. Their land is ruined, they themselves in reproach; their enemies exalted over them; their glory passed away; their throne brought down; they are covered with shame.
(vv. 46-52) Nevertheless, in the midst of their shame the faith of the remnant shines forth. They realize that there will be a limit to the chastening of the Lord. Hence they ask, “How long, Jehovah?” They ask God to remember the frailty of man (vv. 47-48). They plead the former loving kindnesses which God had shown unto David. They plead the reproach of their enemies. However great their failure, they say, we are “thy servants,” and their enemies are “thine enemies,” and they have put to shame “thine Anointed.”
They wait for an answer, but, knowing it must come, for God’s faithfulness cannot fail, they say “Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.”