Psalm 89
Theme
Remembering the Covenant with David, and Sorrow for Lost Blessings
Outline
1-4, Forever Faithful Love to David 5-16, The Saving Power of God 17-37, God’s Covenant with David 38-48, The Rejecting Wrath of God 49-52, Where Is Your Faithful Love to David?
Key Verse
(89:1) I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
Notes
God’s covenant with David pointing to Christ. Psalm 89 is a five-part composition that opens with Ethan the Ezrahite's celebration of God's steadfast love and covenant with David (89:1–4) and concludes with a lament questioning the absence of that love (89:49–52), employing a chiastic structure where corresponding sections mirror each other in theme. The psalm follows a pattern of two-verse units interrupted significantly at (89:37–38) by a declaration of God's rejection of the anointed king—a structural break that emphasizes the disruption in content. The work's intricate design centers on the Davidic covenant, with the second section praising God's saving power, the central section elaborating on covenant promises, and the fourth section expressing lament over divine rejection. Though the latter part reflects on the consequences of disobedience, the psalm ultimately affirms the enduring nature of God's covenant despite human failures, concluding with themes of lovingkindness and faithfulness. Overall, Psalm 89 weaves together divine love, covenant, rejection, and lament into a complex theological meditation on God's promises and their apparent absence.