Weekly Devotional 22nd of March, 2024
by Bruce Billington
Sunday Devotional – 22nd March 2024
We are continuing to explore the knowledge of God as expressed in the Psalms. This week we look at some more verses from Psalm 89 – a prayer from Ethan the Ezrahite.
This Psalm presents a great challenge at the time it was written as well as for all believers today. The Lord promised David that his seed would reign forever over an everlasting kingdom. However, one of David’s successors had suffered a crushing defeat, and the kingdom had been overthrown. By all appearances, God’s covenant with David had been violated (verses 38–45).
This psalm addresses a problem that can challenge the faith of even the strongest believers at one time or another. The problem is this: believing that God cannot lie, we stand firmly on the promises of God, yet circumstances occur, and situations arise in our lives or in our world that seem to contradict a promise from God.
Commentator Herbert C. Leupold offers some valuable insight into understanding it. He comments,
This is a psalm that informs us indirectly as to how deeply the Messianic hope was embedded in the thinking of at least the faithful in Israel. For in a time of affliction, it is keenly felt how sadly Israel’s desolate state is at odds with the glorious hopes that God had kindled in the heart of the nation by the promises of the future greatness of the nation and its great king.
What he is revealing here is that we all face times in all our lives when it seems that God has forgotten His promises to us and has relinquished His care over us. Charles Spurgeon gives advice here that is helpful. He says,
At such times, we need to cling to our faith in God’s faithfulness. God’s promise to David will be fulfilled when Jesus Christ comes again. Likewise, in God’s good time and according to His divine purpose, He will keep every promise He has ever made to us. When God’s Promises Seem to fail;
1. Praise God—proclaim His unfailing love and faithfulness to young and old alike (v1–18).
2. Trust God to fulfil His promises (v19–37).
3. Beware—know that God rejects those who reject His promises (covenant), Hebrews 4:1–2 (v38–45).
4. Plead with God to fulfil His promises—never give up hope (v46–52).
This will seem very difficult at times because we tend to assess everything by our current circumstances or situation rather than from the promises God has made to us. But the Psalmist here goes on to assure us that God’s love is permanent (v2a). His love is guaranteed: it will not fail. Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35–39).
The key to believing and knowing this is not based on our current situation. It is based on the fact that God is faithful, and His faithfulness does not depend on our faithfulness to Him. He is faithful to love us because it is His character to be faithful. He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13).
God has established His faithfulness in the heavens (v2b). Heavens (shamayim) may refer either to the skies (the universe) or God’s abode or dwelling place. God’s faithfulness is established in both. The precise, consistent order of the universe declares that God is unchanging and faithful. With every passing hour of every day, God continually establishes that He is faithful.
So, we need to assure ourselves that nothing that happens on earth can affect or change the fact that God is faithful. His faithfulness is eternally fixed on higher ground and is constantly governing our journey with Him on earth, despite what our current situation may suggest.
Even in times of darkness or despair, Isaiah tells us that God will give us.
…the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, So that you may know that it is I, The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name (Isaiah 45:3).
God bless you.
Bruce Billington