Psalm 89

“Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and said: “I have given help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found My servant David; with My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand shall be established; also My arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him. But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, and in My name his horn shall be exalted. Also I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’ Also, I will make him My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall stand firm with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.” Psalm 89:19-29 (NKJV)

Yesterday, we heard from Heman, the Ezrahite of the Levitical musical family, the Sons of Korah.  Today, we hear from his Ezrahite relative, Ethan.  What seems, on the surface, to be a praise (to the Lord) is actually a contemplation.  Ethan is contemplating the seeming contradiction between God’s promised blessing of King David and the reality of God’s hard rebuke, which is on the verge of destroying both the covenant and the people of Israel.  If David was promised to be the “highest of the kings of the earth” (lit: king of kings), how could his kingdom be in danger and trampled upon by foreign kings?  First of all, the “David” and the “kingdom” God was ultimately referring to was Jesus and His righteousness, the true “King of Kings.”

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called, and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”  1 Timothy 6:11-16 (NKJV)

Secondly, in the words of baseball legend Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over until it’s over!”  Just because God’s people feel they are on the verge of destruction does not mean they actually are.  God is also not concerned with His Name being temporarily tarnished because His children’s bad behavior demands He discipline them in public.  He knows that He will ultimately be exalted once His work in us is completed.  (Philippians 1:6)  Surely, the disciples felt the same level of “contemplation” when Jesus was crucified.  But the resurrection removed all doubt.  Has the Lord been rebuking you?  Try humbly contemplating His Word concerning both His standard and His love for you before you attack His character for doing what He said He would.  Then, wait for Him to finish doing what He says He will.