38 But you have put him away in disgust; you have been angry with the king of your selection.
And you, Solomon my son, get knowledge of the God of your father, and be his servant with a true heart and with a strong desire, for the Lord is the searcher of all hearts, and has knowledge of all the designs of men's thoughts; if you make search for him, he will be near you; but if you are turned away from him, he will give you up for ever.
And the Lord saw with disgust the evil-doing of his sons and daughters.
Then the wrath of the Lord was burning against his people, and he was angry with his heritage.
Awake! O sword, against the keeper of my flock, and against him who is with me, says the Lord of armies: put to death the keeper of the sheep, and the sheep will go in flight: and my hand will be turned against the little ones.
My God will give them up because they did not give ear to him; they will be wandering among the nations.
Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.
You are in the right, O Lord, when I put my cause before you: still let me take up with you the question of your decisions: why does the evil-doer do well? why are the workers of deceit living in comfort?
O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, you fields of death: for there the arms of the strong have been shamed, the arms of Saul, as if he had not been marked with the holy oil.
When this came to God's ears he was very angry, and gave up Israel completely;
Will the Lord put me away for ever? will he be kind no longer?
<To the chief music-maker; put to Shushan-eduth. Michtam. Of David. For teaching. When he was fighting against Aram-naharaim and Aramzobah, when Joab came back, and put twelve thousand of the Edomites to death, in the Valley of Salt.> God, you have put us away from you, you have sent us in all directions, you have been angry; O be turned to us again.
But now you have sent us away from you, and put us to shame; you do not go out with our armies. Because of this we are turned back by the attacker: those who have hate for us take our goods for themselves. You have made us like sheep which are taken for meat; we are put to flight among the nations. You let your people go for nothing; your wealth is not increased by their price. You have made us to be looked down on by our neighbours, we are laughed at and shamed by those who are round about us. Our name is a word of shame among the nations, a sign for the shaking of heads among the peoples. My downfall is ever before me, and I am covered with the shame of my face; Because of the voice of him who says sharp and bitter words; because of the hater and him who is the instrument of punishment. All this has come on us, but still we have kept you in our memory; and we have not been false to your word. Our hearts have not gone back, and our steps have not been turned out of your way; Though you have let us be crushed in the place of jackals, though we are covered with darkest shade. If the name of our God has gone out of our minds, or if our hands have been stretched out to a strange god, Will not God make search for it? for he sees the secrets of the heart. Truly, because of you we are put to death every day; we are numbered like sheep for destruction. Why are you sleeping, O Lord? awake! and come to our help, do not give us up for ever. Why is your face covered, and why do you give no thought to our trouble and our cruel fate? For our souls are crushed down to the dust: our bodies are stretched out on the earth. Up! and come to our help, and give us salvation because of your mercy.
Now when Rehoboam's position as king had been made certain, and he was strong, he gave up the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. Now in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, because of their sin against the Lord, With twelve hundred war-carriages and sixty thousand horsemen: and the people who came with him out of Egypt were more than might be numbered: Lubim and Sukkiim and Ethiopians. And he took the walled towns of Judah, and came as far as Jerusalem. Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the chiefs of Judah, who had come together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, The Lord has said, Because you have given me up, I have given you up into the hands of Shishak. Then the chiefs of Israel and the king made themselves low and said, The Lord is upright. And the Lord, seeing that they had made themselves low, said to Shemaiah, They have made themselves low: I will not send destruction on them, but in a short time I will give them salvation, and will not let loose my wrath on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. But still they will become his servants, so that they may see how different my yoke is from the yoke of the kingdoms of the lands. So Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem and took away all the stored wealth of the house of the Lord and the king's house: he took everything away, and with the rest the gold body-covers which Solomon had made. And in their place King Rehoboam had other body-covers made of brass and gave them into the care of the captains of the armed men who were stationed at the door of the king's house. And whenever the king went into the house of the Lord, the armed men went with him taking the body-covers, and then took them back to their room. And when he made himself low, the wrath of the Lord was turned back from him, and complete destruction did not come on him, for there was still some good in Judah.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 89
Commentary on Psalms 89 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 89
Ps 89:1-52. Of Ethan—(See on Ps 88:1, title). This Psalm was composed during some season of great national distress, perhaps Absalom's rebellion. It contrasts the promised prosperity and perpetuity of David's throne (with reference to the great promise of 2Sa 7:12-17), with a time when God appeared to have forgotten His covenant. The picture thus drawn may typify the promises and the adversities of Christ's kingdom, and the terms of confiding appeal to God provided appropriate prayers for the divine aid and promised blessing.
1. mercies—those promised (Isa 55:3; Ac 13:34), and—
faithfulness—that is, in fulfilling them.
2. I have said—expressed, as well as felt, my convictions (2Co 4:13).
3, 4. The object of this faith expressed in God's words (2Sa 7:11-16).
with—or literally, "to"
my chosen—as the covenant is in the form of a promise.
6, 7. This is worthy of our belief, for His faithfulness (is praised) by the congregation of saints or holy ones; that is, angels (compare De 33:2; Da 8:13).
sons of the mighty—(compare Ps 29:1). So is He to be admired on earth.
8-14. To illustrate His power and faithfulness examples are cited from history. His control of the sea (the most mighty and unstable object in nature), and of Egypt (Ps 87:4), the first great foe of Israel (subjected to utter helplessness from pride and insolence), are specimens. At the same time, the whole frame of nature founded and sustained by Him, Tabor and Hermon for "east and west," and "north and south," together representing the whole world, declare the same truth as to His attributes.
12. rejoice in thy name—praise Thy perfections by their very existence.
15. His government of righteousness is served by "mercy" and "truth" as ministers (Ps 85:10-13).
know the joyful sound—understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings symbolized by the feasts to which the people were called by the trumpet (Le 25:9, &c.).
walk … countenance—live in His favor (Ps 4:6; 44:3).
16, 17. in—or, "by"
thy righteousness—Thy faithful just rule.
glory—or, "beauty."
of their strength—They shall be adorned as well as protected.
our horn—exalt our power (Ps 75:10; Lu 1:69).
18. (Margin). Thus is introduced the promise to "our shield," "our king," David.
19-37. Then—when the covenant was established, of whose execution the exalted views of God now given furnish assurance.
thou … to thy holy one—or godly saint, object of favor (Ps 4:3). Nathan is meant (2Sa 7:17; 1Ch 17:3-15).
laid help—literally, "given help." David was chosen and then exalted.
20. I have found—having sought and then selected him (1Sa 16:1-6).
21. will protect and sustain (Isa 41:10),
22-25. by restraining and conquering his enemies, and performing My gracious purpose of extending his dominion—
25. hand [and] right hand—power (Ps 17:7; 60:5).
sea, and … rivers—limits of his empire (Ps 72:8).
26, 27. first-born—one who is chief, most beloved or distinguished (Ex 4:22; Col 1:15). In God's sight and purposes he was the first among all monarchs, and specially so in his typical relation to Christ.
28-37. This relation is perpetual with David's descendants, as a whole typical in official position of his last greatest descendant. Hence though in personal relations any of them might be faithless and so punished, their typical relation shall continue. His oath confirms His promise, and the most enduring objects of earth and heaven illustrate its perpetual force (Ps 72:5, 7, 17).
35. Once—one thing (Ps 27:4).
by my holiness—as a holy God.
that I will not lie—literally, "if I lie"—part of the form of swearing (1Sa 24:6; 2Sa 3:35).
37. It shall … moon … heaven—literally, "As the moon, and the witness in the sky is sure, that is, the moon."
38-52. present a striking contrast to these glowing promises, in mournful evidences of a loss of God's favor.
cast off—and rejected (compare Ps 15:4; 43:2; 44:9).
39. An insult to the "crown," as of divine origin, was a profanation.
40-45. The ruin is depicted under several figures—a vineyard whose broken "hedges," and "strongholds," whose ruins invite spoilers and invaders; a warrior, whose enemies are aided by God, and whose sword's "edge"—literally, "rock" or "strength" (Jos 5:2) is useless; and a youth prematurely old.
45. days of his youth—or, "youthful vigor," that is, of the royal line, or promised perpetual kingdom, under the figure of a man.
46. How long, &c.—(Compare Ps 13:1; 88:14; Jer 4:4).
47. These expostulations are excited in view of the identity of the prosperity of this kingdom with the welfare of all mankind (Ge 22:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 9:7; 11:1-10); for if such is the fate of this chosen royal line.
48. What man—literally, "strong man—shall live?" and, indeed, have not all men been made in vain, as to glorifying God?
49-51. The terms of expostulation are used in view of the actual appearance that God had forsaken His people and forgotten His promise, and the plea for aid is urged in view of the reproaches of His and His people's enemies (compare Isa 37:17-35).
50. bear in my bosom—as feeling the affliction of the people (Ps 69:9).
footsteps—ways (Ps 56:6).
52. Blessed, &c.—denotes returning confidence (Ps 34:1-3).
Amen, and Amen—closes the third book of Psalms.