Psalm 89: The Majestic Covenant Psalm 1. The Song of the Covenant Psalm 89:1-6

Text: “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations.”

Psalm 89:1

Good morning, Covenanted Christian!  You and I, as born again, Bible-believing Christians, have the utter privilege of being Covenanted Christians – those placed faithfully under the Divine Covenant of a truly gracious and Omnipotent Lord God and Saviour – in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah!  What an Eternal privilege we have to enjoy.  Glory to the Lord God!

Dictionary Definition: Covenant – (noun) a mutual agreement; the writing containing an agreement; an engagement entered into between God and a person or a people…(The Chambers Dictionary, page 377)

Psalm 89 is such a Covenant Psalm, a Psalm of mutual agreement; the writing containing an agreement; an engagement entered into between God and a person or a people.  It is a Psalm rejoicing in the knowledge that the Lord God Almighty, Jehovah, Creator of all things, has blessed us and made an Eternal Covenant with us, ‘His people’.  Bless the Lord, oh my soul!

“And she (Mary) shall bring forth a son, and thou (Joseph) shalt call His Name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

“We have now reached the majestic Covenant Psalm which, according to the Jewish arrangement, closes the third book of the Psalms.  It is the utterance of a believer in presence of great national disaster, pleading with his God, urging the grand argument of covenant engagements and expecting deliverance and help because of the faithfulness of Jehovah.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, page 371)

Verse 1. “This one short verse contains the summary, pith, and argument of he whole long Psalm…” (John Boys1560-1643)

Verse 1. “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever. Having received the Eternal mercies of the Lord in Salvation, through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God – you and I should have cause to sing of such gracious mercies forever.  It is the ‘new song’ which the Lord God puts in our mouths, once we are Eternally redeemed by the precious and sinless Blood of Christ Jesus.  Glory to His all-powerful Name!

“And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:3)

On a personal note: this is a promise that the Lord God gave to me, the least of His servants, on the 12^th August 1979, when He saved my sin-sick soul, and set my feet upon Christ, the Rock of my Salvation. 

Since that time 47 years ago, many have indeed saw the miracle of regeneration in my life; have been put to Godly fear concerning their own sins; and trusted Christ for their own Salvation.  Oh, the wonder of God’s matchless grace to Hell-deserving sinners such as me!

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.”  (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

Verse 1. “With my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations. Because God is, and ever will be, faithful, we have a theme for song which will not be out of date for future generations; it will never be worn out, never be disproved, never be unnecessary, never be an idle subject, valueless to mankind.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 371)

“The author has heard continual praises from a tongue half eaten away with cancer. What use, beloved reader, are you making of your tongue?” (Philip Bennett Power,1862)

Covenant Statements: Covenant statements from God’s own inspired (God-breathed) Word are listed in this great Covenant Psalm 89.

Verse 2. “Mercy shall be built up for ever. The elect constitute and form one grand house of mercy. This house, contrary to the fate of all sublunary buildings, will never fall down, nor ever be taken down.  As nothing can be added to it, so nothing can be diminished from it. Fire cannot injure it; storms cannot overthrow it; age cannot impair it.  It stands on a Rock, and is immovable as the Rock on which it stands – the three-fold Rock of God’s inviolable decree, of Christ’s finished redemption, and of the Spirit’s never-failing faithfulness.” (Augustus Montague Toplady,1740-1778)

Verse 2. “Thy faithfulness shalt Thou establish in the very Heavens. We, today, have God’s own Word on this Covenant declaration to us, ‘His people’: ‘For ever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven.’ (Psalm 119:89)  The Lord God Jehovah, the only one true Lord God, continues to show His grace to sinners, and His faithfulness to us whom He saves is an evidence none can refute.  Praise His Holy and ever gracious Name!

Verse 3. “I have made a Covenant with My chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant. In Christ Jesus, there is a covenant established with all the Lord’s chosen, and they are by grace led to be the Lord’s servants and then are ordained kings and priests by Christ Jesus. How sweet it is to see the Lord, not only making a covenant but owning to it in after days, and bearing witness to His own oath; this ought to be solid ground for faith, and Ethan, the Ezrahite, evidently thought it so.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 371)

The Lord God is immutable, unchangeable and ever faithful to His Word to us, ‘His people’.

“God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent (say and not do!): hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?”  (Numbers 23:19)

Verse 5. “And the Heavens shall praise Thy wonders, O Lord: Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. It is a wonderful Salvation; it is such a Salvation as the angel’s desire to pry into it; and it is such a Salvation that all the prophets desire to pry into it; it is almost six thousand years since all the angels in Heaven fell into a sea of wonder at this great Salvation; it is almost six thousand years since Abel fell into a sea of wonder at this great Salvation; and what think ye is his exercise this day? He is even now wondering at this great salvation.” (Andrew Gray 1805-1861)

Verse 6. “For who in the Heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? The Dutch have translated these words, ‘Who can be shadowed with Him?’, that is, they are not worthy to be accounted shadows unto such a comparison with Him.” (Thomas Goodwin,1600-1679)

Thought: What a Divine blessing to be included in the Lord God’s Eternal Covenant!