“For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel. Of old You spoke in a vision to Your godly one, and said: ‘I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him, so that My hand shall be established with him; My arm also shall strengthen him.’” Psalm 89:18-21
Devotional Thought For The Day
In this next section of Psalm 89 the author recounts the very special relationship which God graciously established with King David. The many remarkable promises which God made with the house of David extend beyond David’s years on earth, beyond the era of his descendants being kings in Israel, and far beyond the time of ancient Israel being an independent political entity. They pertain principally to David’s greatest “offspring” – the LORD Jesus Christ Who was born in Bethlehem as the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. In Him, in Jesus Christ “dwells all the fullness of the Deity in flesh,” and He is “the head of all rule and authority.” [Col. 2:9,10] Jesus is the fulfillment of the greatest promises of God to the house of David – and the fulfillment of these promises is the greatest blessing that mankind could ever receive – forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life, for all who “believe the Son.” [Jn. 3:36] Truly He is our shield, our strength, our life and our salvation! He alone is the LORD!
The psalmist will go on to relate some of the difficulties that David experienced – circumstances which led him to question just how God was in fact keeping His promises to David. His strategy in prayer is most excellent – recounting God’s promises and asserting His faithfulness to His Word, His truthfulness, and then asking for explanation as to how this is to be reconciled to what he was currently experiencing. We must often do the same thing – for there is much that is wrong in the world, when evil and ignorance seem to prevail to the great detriment of people, and when even the church is infected and plagued with all kinds of wrongs – immorality, false doctrine, and the elevation of evil people over those who are faithful. Lord, have mercy! We often note that decent people struggle to keep existence together, while unbelieving and unregenerate people seem to prosper and flourish. All of this seems contrary to God’s Word and promises – and so we employ the same strategy in our praying, reminding God of His Word and promises, and asking for explanation as to how our experience squares with His truthful and faithful Word.
The record of Holy Scripture helps us a great deal with this. We see that God does in fact keep all of His promises, even though there are times of testing and discipline that seem to belie His Word. David experienced these times in the course of his life and reign; his descendants certainly experienced these times from the devastating defeat of the Assyrians, to the conquest of Jerusalem and destruction of Solomon’s temple by the Babylonians, to their continued subjugation to the Persians, then Greeks, and finally the Romans – until the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ. We experience the same until the return of our great LORD and Savior Jesus Christ in all of His glory on the Last Day. God’s promises are always fulfilled – in His own time and in His own wondrous ways. So with the psalmist we continue to dwell upon God’s Word, His wondrous promises, beseeching His help, protection, and deliverance – but knowing that all things must ultimately work together for the great good and blessedness of His people. So we continue on in life, firm in faith and courage, enduring what appears to be inconsonant with God’s Word, faithful to God’s will, waiting for His final great deliverance which is soon to come – just as God’s dear people have always lived by faith!
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, help us to remain in Your Word in spite of all the wickedness about us and all the temptations to compromise and relinquish Your Word. Help us to continue our journey through the tribulations of this earthly life, firmly fixed and focused on Your promises and the great blessedness that is soon to be ours in the kingdom of heaven. Protect us from our enemies, Your enemies, that they may not gloat over us. Amen.