Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

• “You have taken away my companions and loved ones; only darkness remains.” (18) Jesus ex- perienced abandonment and darkness that we might experience adoption and love in his spiritual fam- ily. As he was led away alone to the crucifixion he said these words to the mob that reflect the dark night of Heman’s soul; “But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.” (Lk. 22:53) There is a moment when darkness reigns, but it is only a passing moment.

1 Boyce 2 Spurgeon 3 Keil & Delitzsch 4 Spurgeon 5 Keil & Delitzsch 6 Spurgeon 7 Keil & Delitzsch

PSALM 89: THE MIGHTIEST KING ON EARTH God’s Faithful Love

This psalm composed by one of the wise counselors of Solomon celebrates the unchangeable covenant that God made with King David promising his sons would reign forever on their father’s throne. It is a poetical/musical elaboration of the great prophet Nathan’s message to David. The psalm was composed in a time where all these promises were seemingly broken and the Kingdom of Judah was suffering defeat. Christ is seen as the ‘seed of David’ , the ‘mightiest king on earth,’ God’s ‘firstborn son’ and the one who was able to fulfill the marvelous promises in this highly prophetic psalm. It is outlined in seven sections:

I MY CHOSEN SERVANT - 1-4 II WHO CAN COMPARE ?- 5-8 III YOU CREATED IT ALL - 9-14 IV CALL TO WORSHIP - 15-18

Promise to David

Praise from the Angels Praise from Creation Praise from His People Prince of the Covenant Problem of Contradiction

V MY COVENANT WILL NEVER END - 19-37

VI HIS CROWN IN THE DUST - 38-45

VII CONSIDER LORD - 46-52

Prayer of Concern

INTRODUCTION:

“A Psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.”

Ethan the Ezrahite was the brother of ‘Heman’ the author of Psalm 88, both were renowned for their wisdom in the days of King Solomon. “He (Solomon) was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman…”(1 Kgs. 4:31) Psalm 88 is a highly personal reaction to a tragic situation while Psalm 89 is mostly national in focus. The background of events surrounding this psalm is disputed. The situation that best fits the au- thorship of Ethan was when Shishak, king of Egypt invaded Judah during the reign of Rehoboam, grand- son of David 1 . “In the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace and stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.” (1 Kgs. 14:25 , 26) Ethan could have outlived Solomon and been serving as a counselor in Rehoboam’s government when these events occurred.

I MY CHOSEN SERVANT - 1-4

“I will sing of the tender mercies of the Lord forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.” (1, 2)

This first section is the kernel seed of the whole psalm. Singing is the only human response that is ap- propriate to such a grand theme that is about to be presented. It is not just mercy but ‘mercies’ that

217