Psalm 89 has sometimes been regarded as two psalms, written at different times and then smushed together. It doesn’t seem to make sense how the psalmist starts on a high and ends on a bummer. But when looked at with a slightly different lens, it makes a bit more sense. Most likely this psalm was written sometime around the fall of Jerusalem. It may not have happened yet but it is very close. The psalmist starts with the promise, David’s lineage will always have a king on the throne. God is great and will honor that promise. That is what the head is saying and the psalmist tries to hold on to that.
But circumstances seem to tell a different story. The Babylonians are standing on the door of Jerusalem, they are most certainly going to conquer Judah, the king could very well be kill along with all his children. The lineage will end, the promise will fail. What is going on? Emptiness seems to reign instead of David.
Ancient tradition among the Jewish scholars (possibly even Paul’s teacher) interprets verse 51 differently than what we maybe see. They teach that Psalm 89 is an expression of hope for the Messiah to come. The anointed one is the Messiah and the enemies of Israel are mocking their hope in his coming (his every step), that it will never happen. This psalm says, yes, things feel wrong but the Messiah will come because God doesn’t lie (vs 35). And we see this in fact fulfilled as Mary said referring back to Psalm 89 in her “Magnificat”.
Today, we look forward to the second coming. We have the same head knowledge that he will come but sometimes we let our feelings get in the way. We feel empty, lost and without hope. Has the promise failed? We need to keep holding on to the promise, for God doesn’t lie. Our enemies mock our hope in Christ’s return but we can rest assured in the promise. Jesus says,
”Look, I am coming soon!” (vs7) ”Look, I am coming soon!” (vs12) ”Yes, I am coming soon!” (vs20) Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. -Revelation 22:6-21
