THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

LXXXIX: God's Instruction On Applying The Davidic Covenant

B. Adjusting To God's Promises In The Davidic Covenant

(Psalm 89:19-37)

I. Introduction

A. As we before learned in Revelation, God promises His messengers who obey His Word today at Revelation 3:21 to give them great influence akin to Christ's Messianic reign on David's throne (2 Samuel 7:14-16).

B. For our benefit, wise man Ethan the Ezrahite (Psalm 89 intro. notes with 1 Kings 4:31), wrote this maskil, an instruction on applying the Davidic Covenant, so it has true application in principle to our era of the Church.

C. We view the second section of this psalm in Psalm 89:19-37 for our instruction and edification (as follows):

II. Adjusting To God's Promises In The Davidic Covenant, Psalm 89:19-37.

A. The introductory remarks of this psalm comprise the first verse of the Hebrew text (Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1053), so we stay with the numbering system of the psalm in the English Bible for clarity with this lesson.

B. We thus translate Psalm 89:19-37 as follows: (19) "Once You spoke in a vision; to Your godly ones You said, 'I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have exalted a young man from among the people." (20) "'I have found David, My servant; with My sacred oil I have annointed him.'" (21) "'My hand will sustain him; surely My arm will strengthen him.'" (22) "'No enemy will subject him to tribute; no wicked man will oppress him.'" (23) "'I will crush his foes before his face and strike down his adversaries.'" (24) "'My loyal love and faithfulness will be with him, and through My name his horn will be exalted.'" (25) "'I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.'" (26) "'He (em. pron.) will call out to Me, 'You (em. pron.) are my Father, my Elohim and (my) Rock Cliff, my Savior.''" (27) "'Yea, I Myself (em. pron.) will appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.'" (28) "'Endlessly will I maintain My loyal love with him, and My covenant will stand firm with him.'" (29) "'I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.'" (30) "'If his sons forsake My law and do not follow my statutes,'" (31) "'if they violate My decrees and fail to keep My commands,'" (32) "'I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging;'" (33) "'but I will not take My loyal love from him and I will not betray My faithfulness.'" (34) "'I will not violate My covenant or alter what My lips have uttered.'" (35) "'Once I have sworn by My holiness -- and I will not lie to David -- '" (36) "'that his line will exist endlessly and his throne shall (endure) conspicuously before Me like the sun;'" (37) "'it will exist endlessly before Me like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.' Selah."

C. We note significant observations and applications regarding this psalm (as follows):

1. This second section of Psalm 89 presents the content of God's Davidic Covenant, noting that (a) God had chosen, exalted and empowered Israel's king to rule (v. 19-21), that (b) God would cause his foes to be defeated in conflict with him (v. 22-24), that (c) this king's influence would broaden (v. 25) when (d) he trusted in God for deliverance (v. 26-27). (e) God would loyally love and forever preserve this king and his line (v. 28-29), (f) punishing the king if he sinned while not taking His loyal love from him (v. 30-37).

2. Applied to us through Revelation 3:21 (see I, A above), God wants us at our Church today to realize that (a) the local church pastor and leaders have been chosen, raised up and empowered of God to lead, (b) that the ungodly who oppose them will be defeated in their efforts by God's work to help the leaders, (c) that God will enhance the leaders' influence (d) as they rely on God for help. (e) The Lord will loyally love and preserve these leaders, (f) punishing them if they sin but not taking away His loyal love from them.

3. Accordingly, such divine promises are aimed at encouraging pastors and church leaders to trust and obey the Lord regardless what they face in their leadership roles. God is involved in powerfully, sovereignly fulfilling His agenda for the church body and its leaders, and He will bless, preserve and enhance these leaders' influence against all pressures to the contrary providing they rely on the Lord and heed His Word.

Lesson: May all of us believers realize that our local church's leaders have God's backing as He has chosen, raised up and empowered them to lead to fulfill His will in the body, that IF these leaders trust and obey God, He will bless them while also disciplining them if they fail to heed the Lord, all while staying loyally loving toward them.

Application: May both church leaders and the congregation realize God's vast role in the church today as outlined in the Davidic Covenant and adjust to it for personal blessing.