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Commentary on Psalms 89 verses 38–52
In these verses we have,
I. A very melancholy complaint of the present deplorable state of David's family, which the psalmist thinks hard to be reconciled to the covenant God made with David. "Thou saidst thou wouldst not take away thy lovingkindness, but thou hast cast off." Sometimes, it is no easy thing to reconcile God's providences with his promises, and yet we are sure they are reconcilable; for God's works fulfil his word and never contradict it. 1. David's house seemed to have lost its interest in God, which was the greatest strength and beauty of it. God had been pleased with his anointed, but now he was wroth with him (Psa 89:38), had entered into covenant with the family, but now, for aught he could perceive, he had made void the covenant, not broken some of the articles of it, but cancelled it, Psa 89:39. We misconstrue the rebukes of Providence if we think they make void the covenant. When the great anointed one, Christ himself, was upon the cross, God seemed to have cast him off, and was wroth with him, and yet did not make void his covenant with him, for that was established for ever. 2. The honour of the house of David was lost and laid in the dust: Thou hast profaned his crown (which was always looked upon as sacred) by casting it to the ground, to be trampled on, Psa 89:39. Thou hast made his glory to cease (so uncertain is all earthly glory, and so soon does it wither) and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground, not only dethroned the king, but put a period to the kingdom, Psa 89:44. If it was penned in Rehoboam's time, it was true as to the greatest part of the kingdom, five parts of six; if in Zedekiah's time, it was more remarkably true of the poor remainder. Note, Thrones and crowns are tottering things, and are often laid in the dust; but there is a crown of glory reserved for Christ's spiritual seed which fadeth not away. 3. It was exposed and made a prey to all the neighbours, who insulted over that ancient and honourable family (Psa 89:40): Thou hast broken down all his hedges (all those things that were a defence to them, and particularly that hedge of protection which they thought God's covenant and promise had made about them) and thou hast made even his strong-holds a ruin, so that they were rather a reproach to them than any shelter; and then, All that pass by the way spoil him (Psa 89:41) and make an easy prey of him; see Psa 80:12, Psa 80:13. The enemies talk insolently: He is a reproach to his neighbours, who triumph in his fall from so great a degree of honour. Nay, every one helps forward the calamity (Psa 89:42): "Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries, not only given them power, but inclined them to turn their power this way." If the enemies of the church lift up their hand against it, we must see God setting up their hand; for they could have no power unless it were given them from above. But, when God does permit them to do mischief to his church, it pleases them: "Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice; and this is for thy glory, that those who hate thee should have the pleasure to see the tears and troubles of those that love thee." 4. It was disabled to help itself (Psa 89:43): "Thou hast turned the edge of his sword, and made it blunt, that it cannot do execution as it has done; and (which is worse) thou hast turned the edge of his spirit, and taken off his courage, and hast not made him to stand as he used to do in the battle." The spirit of men is what the Father and former of spirits makes them; nor can we stand with any strength or resolution further than God is pleased to uphold us. If men's hearts fail them, it is God that dispirits them; but it is sad with the church when those cannot stand who should stand up for it. 5. It was upon the brink of an inglorious exit (Psa 89:45): The days of his youth hast thou shortened; it is ready to be cut off, like a young man in the flower of his age. This seems to intimate that the psalm was penned in Rehoboam's time, when the house of David was but in the days of its youth, and yet waxed old and began to decay already. Thus it was covered with shame, and it was turned very much to its reproach that a family which, in the first and second reign, looked so great, and made such a figure, should, in the third, dwindle and look so little as the house of David did in Rehoboam's time. But it may be applied to the captivity in Babylon, which, in comparison with what was expected, was but the day of the youth of that kingdom. However, the kings then had remarkably the days of their youth shortened, for it was in the days of their youth, when they were about thirty years old, that Jehoiachin and Zedekiah were carried captives to Babylon.
From all this complaint let us learn, 1. What work sin makes with families, noble royal families, with families in which religion has been uppermost; when posterity degenerates, it falls into disgrace, and iniquity stains their glory. 2. How apt we are to place the promised honour and happiness of the church in something external, and to think the promise fails, and the covenant is made void, if we be disappointed of that, a mistake which we now are inexcusable if we fall into, since our Master has so expressly told us that his kingdom is not of this world.
II. A very pathetic expostulation with God upon this. Four things they plead with God for mercy: -
1.The long continuance of the trouble (Psa 89:46): How long, O Lord! wilt thou hide thyself? For ever? That which grieved them most was that God himself, as one displeased, did not appear to them by his prophets to comfort them, did not appear for them by his providences to deliver them, and that he had kept them long in the dark; it seemed an eternal night, when God had withdrawn: Thou hidest thyself for ever. Nay, God not only hid himself from them, but seemed to set himself against them: "Shall thy wrath burn like fire? How long shall it burn? Shall it never be put out? What is hell, but the wrath of God, burning for ever? And is that the lot of thy anointed?"
2.The shortness of life, and the certainty of death: "Lord, let thy anger cease, and return thou, in mercy to us, remembering how short my time is and how sure the period of my time. Lord, since my life is so transitory, and will, ere long, be at an end, let it not be always so miserable that I should rather choose no being at all than such a being." Job pleads thus, Job 10:20, Job 10:21. And probably the psalmist here urges it in the name of the house of David, and the present prince of that house, the days of whose youth were shortened, Psa 89:45.
(1.)He pleads the shortness and vanity of life (Psa 89:47): Remember how short my time is, how transitory I am (say some), therefore unable to bear the power of thy wrath, and therefore a proper object of thy pity. Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? or, Unto what vanity hast thou created all the sons of Adam! Now, this may be understood either, [1.] As declaring a great truth. If the ancient lovingkindnesses spoken of (Psa 89:49) be forgotten (those relating to another life), man is indeed made in vain. Considering man as mortal, if there were not a future state on the other side of death, we might be ready to think that man was made in vain, and was in vain endued with the noble powers and faculties of reason and filled with such vast designs and desires; but God would not make man in vain; therefore, Lord, remember those lovingkindnesses. Or, [2.] As implying a strong temptation that the psalmist was in. It is certain God has not made all men, nor any man, in vain, Isa 45:18. For, First, If we think that God has made men in vain because so many have short lives, and long afflictions, in this world, it is true that God has made them so, but it is not true that therefore they are made in vain. For those whose days are few and full of trouble may yet glorify God and do some good, may keep their communion with God and get to heaven, and then they are not made in vain. Secondly, If we think that God has made men in vain because the most of men neither serve him nor enjoy him, it is true that, as to themselves, they were made in vain, better for them had they not been born than not to be born again; but it was not owing to God that they were made in vain; it was owing to themselves; nor are they made in vain as to him, for he has made all things for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil, and those whom he is not glorified by he will be glorified upon.
(2.)He pleads the universality and unavoidableness of death (Psa 89:48): "What man" (what strong man, so the word is) "is he that liveth and shall not see death? The king himself, of the house of David, is not exempted from the sentence, from the stroke. Lord, since he is under a fatal necessity of dying, let not his whole life be made thus miserable. Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? No, he shall not when his time has come. Let him not therefore be delivered into the hand of the grave by the miseries of a dying life, till his time shall come." We must learn here that death is the end of all men; our eyes must shortly be closed to see death; there is no discharge from that war, nor will any bail be taken to save us from the prison of the grave. It concerns us therefore to make sure a happiness on the other side of death and the grave, that, when we fail, we may be received into everlasting habitations.
3.The next plea is taken from the kindness God had for and the covenant he made with his servant David (Psa 89:49): "Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou showedst, nay, which thou swaredst, to David in thy truth? Wilt thou fail of doing what thou hast promised? Wilt thou undo what thou hast done? Art not thou still the same? Why then may not we have the benefit of the former sure mercies of David?" God's unchangeableness and faithfulness assure us that God will not cast off those whom he has chosen and covenanted with.
4.The last plea is taken from the insolence of the enemies and the indignity done to God's anointed (Psa 89:50, Psa 89:51): "Remember, Lord, the reproach, and let it be rolled away from us and returned upon our enemies." (1.) They were God's servants that were reproached, and the abuses done to them reflected upon their master, especially since it was for serving him that they were reproached. (2.) The reproach cast upon God's servants was a very grievous burden to all that were concerned for the honour of God: "I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people, and am even overwhelmed with it; it is what I lay much to heart and can scarcely keep up my spirits under the weight of." (3.) "They are thy enemies who do thus reproach us; and wilt thou not appear against them as such?" (4.) They have reproached the footsteps of thy anointed. They reflected upon all the steps which the king had taken in the course of his administration, tracked him in all his motions, that they might make invidious remarks upon every thing he had said and done. Or, if we may apply it to Christ, the Lord's Messiah, they reproached the Jews with his footsteps, the slowness of his coming. They have reproached the delays of the Messiah; so Dr. Hammond. They called him, He that should come; but, because he had not yet come, because he did not now come to deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, when they had none to deliver them, they told them he would never come, they must give over looking for him. The scoffers of the latter days do, in like manner, reproach the footsteps of the Messiah when they ask, Where is the promise of his coming? Pe2 3:3, Pe2 3:4. The reproaching of the footsteps of the anointed some refer to the serpent's bruising the heel of the seed of the woman, or to the sufferings of Christ's followers, who tread in his footsteps, and are reproached for his name's sake.
III. The psalm concludes with praise, even after this sad complaint (Psa 89:52): Blessed be the Lord for evermore, Amen, and amen. Thus he confronts the reproaches of his enemies. The more others blaspheme God the more we should bless him. Thus he corrects his own complaints, chiding himself for quarrelling with God's providences and questioning his promises; let both these sinful passions be silenced with the praises of God. However it be, yet God is good, and we will never think hardly of him; God is true, and we will never distrust him. Though the glory of David's house be stained and sullied, this shall be our comfort, that God is blessed for ever, and his glory cannot be eclipsed. If we would have the comfort of the stability of God's promise, we must give him the praise of it; in blessing God, we encourage ourselves. Here is a double Amen, according to the double signification. Amen - so it is, God is blessed for ever. Amen - be it so, let God be blessed for ever. He began the psalm with thanksgiving, before he made his complaint (Psa 89:1); and now he concludes it with a doxology. Those who give God thanks for what he has done may give him thanks also for what he will do; God will follow those with his mercies who, in a right manner, follow him with their praises.
These promises, so sure, so firm, so open, so unquestioned, were made concerning Christ. For although some are mysteriously veiled, yet some are so clear, that all that is obscure is easily revealed by them. Such being the case, see what follows: "But You have approved and brought to nothing and forsaken Your Anointed" [Psalm 89:38]. "You have overthrown the testament of Your servant, and profaned His holiness on the ground" [Psalm 89:39]. "You have broken down all His hedges, and made His strongholds a terror" [Psalm 89:40]....How is this? You have promised all those things: and You have brought to pass their reverse. Where are now the promises which but a little before filled us with delight? Which we so joyfully applauded, which we so fearlessly made our boast of? It is as if one promised, and another destroyed. And this is the mystery: for the words are not "another," but "You," Thou who promised, who even swore in condescension to human doubt, You have promised this, and done thus! Whence shall I get Your oath, where shall I find Your promise fulfilled? Would then God promise, or swear thus falsely? And yet why then these promises, and these acts? I answer, that He acted thus in fulfilment of those promises. But who am I, to say this? Let us see therefore whether it is the language of the Truth; what I say will not then be without foundation. It was David to whom the fulfilment of these promises in his seed, that is, in Christ, was promised: and as they were addressed to David, men expected their completion in David. Further, lest when any Christian asserted these promises to have referred to Christ, another by applying them to David, because he described the fulfilment of all of them in David, might thus err; He cancelled them in David, thus obliging us when we see them unfulfilled in David, to look to another quarter for their fulfilment. Thus also in the case of Esau and Jacob, we find the elder worshipped by the younger, though it is written, "The elder shall serve the younger;" [Genesis 25:23] so when you see it unfulfilled in those two brothers, you look for two peoples in whom to discover the completion of what God in His truth deigns to promise. "From the fruit of your body," says the Lord unto David, "shall I set upon your sea." He promised from his seed something for evermore: and, Solomon, born to him, became master of such wisdom, that the promise of God respecting the fruit of David's body was believed to have been fulfilled in him; but Solomon fell, and gave room for hoping for Christ; that since God can neither be deceived nor deceive, He might not make His promise to rest in one who He knew would fall, but you might after the fall of Solomon look back to God, and demand His promise. Have You, O Lord, deceived? Have You failed to fulfil Your promise? Do You not exhibit what You have sworn? Perhaps God might reply, I swore and promised: but Solomon would not persevere. What then? Did not You, Lord God, know beforehand that he would not persevere? Indeed You knew. Why then did You promise me what should be eternal in one who would not persevere? Have You not answered; "But if his children forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments; if they keep not My statutes, and profane My testament;" yet My promise shall remain, and My oath shall be fulfilled: "I have sworn once in My Holiness," within, in a certain mystery, in the very spring whence the Prophets drank, whence they burst forth to us of these things, "I have sworn once" that I will not fail David. Show forth then what You have sworn, give us what You have promised. The fulfilment is taken from that David, that it might not be looked for in that David: wait therefore for what I have promised.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 89:40 is a poignant lament from Ethan the Ezrahite, expressing the psalmist's profound distress and confusion over the apparent dismantling of God's promised protection for the Davidic king and his kingdom. The verse vividly depicts a state of utter vulnerability and ruin, attributing the destruction of "hedges" and "strong holds" directly to God's action. It encapsulates the deep tension between God's unwavering covenant faithfulness, so extensively celebrated earlier in the psalm, and the harsh, contradictory reality of national humiliation and defeat.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 89 stands as a powerful and complex lament within the Psalter, particularly marking the end of Book III. It begins with an expansive and joyful celebration of God's steadfast love (hesed) and faithfulness, especially as demonstrated in His eternal covenant with David, as recorded in 2 Samuel 7. The first 37 verses meticulously recount God's promises of an enduring dynasty, an everlasting throne, and divine protection for David's descendants. However, a dramatic and jarring shift occurs from verse 38 onward, plunging the psalm into a deep lament. The psalmist confronts a stark reality: the Davidic monarchy is in ruins, experiencing defeat, humiliation, or even exile, which seems to directly contradict God's earlier, unconditional assurances. Verse 40 specifically details the devastating consequences of this perceived divine withdrawal, describing the complete collapse of previously established defenses and fortifications, setting the stage for the raw questioning that follows.
Historical & Cultural Context: While the precise historical setting for Psalm 89 is debated, many scholars suggest it reflects a period of severe national crisis for Judah, likely after the division of the kingdom, perhaps during the Babylonian exile or a significant military defeat that brought the Davidic monarchy to its knees. The imagery of "hedges" and "strong holds" would have resonated deeply with an ancient Near Eastern audience. Hedges (gader) were common protective barriers for vineyards and fields, safeguarding against intruders or wild animals, as seen in Isaiah 5:5. "Strong holds" (mivtzar) refer to fortified cities or strategic fortresses, the primary means of defense for a kingdom. The destruction of these elements signified not just military defeat but a profound theological crisis, as it implied the removal of divine favor and protection, which was believed to be the ultimate source of national security. The psalmist's lament reflects the cultural understanding that a king's strength and a nation's prosperity were directly tied to God's blessing.
Key Themes: Psalms 89:40 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the psalm and broader biblical theology. It powerfully underscores the theme of Divine Sovereignty in Adversity, acknowledging that even in moments of national disaster and apparent abandonment, God remains ultimately in control. The psalmist attributes the destruction directly to God's action, not merely to human enemies, highlighting God's ultimate authority over all circumstances. This verse also encapsulates the Problem of Suffering and Disillusionment, voicing the profound struggle of faith when present circumstances seem to directly contradict God's past promises. It is a raw expression of the pain of feeling abandoned by the very One who pledged eternal faithfulness, a tension common in many lament psalms. Furthermore, it intensely tests the theme of Covenant Faithfulness, particularly the Davidic Covenant. If God is faithful, why has He allowed such ruin to befall His anointed king and people? This rhetorical questioning is a characteristic feature of biblical laments, allowing for honest, unvarnished human emotion to be expressed before God.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 89:40 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey the psalmist's profound distress. The most prominent is Metaphor, where "hedges" and "strong holds" are not merely literal physical structures but powerful symbols of divine protection, security, and the covenantal blessings God had bestowed upon the Davidic kingdom. Their destruction, therefore, symbolizes the perceived withdrawal of God's favor and the collapse of the kingdom's divinely-granted security. The psalmist also uses Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like actions of "breaking down" and "bringing to ruin" directly to God. This emphasizes God's active involvement in the unfolding tragedy, making the lament all the more poignant as it questions God's own actions rather than just the power of enemies. The verse is also a powerful example of Lament, a common biblical genre that expresses sorrow, complaint, and questioning in the face of suffering or perceived divine injustice. The direct address "Thou hast" functions almost as an implied Rhetorical Question, challenging God's apparent contradiction of His own promises.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 89:40 is a crucial verse for understanding the tension between God's unwavering faithfulness and the often-contradictory realities of human experience. It forces the reader to grapple with the profound theological problem of suffering, particularly when it befalls those who are under God's covenant. The psalmist's attribution of the destruction directly to God underscores the biblical theme of divine sovereignty—God's ultimate control even over calamity—but it does so in a way that expresses deep pain and confusion. This verse challenges a simplistic view of covenant as an automatic shield against all adversity, forcing a deeper reflection on God's mysterious ways and the purpose of trials. It validates the human experience of lament, demonstrating that it is permissible, even necessary, to voice one's deepest doubts and disappointments to God, even when those feelings seem to contradict His character.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 89:40 offers a profound validation for the human experience of spiritual struggle and disillusionment. For believers today, it serves as a powerful reminder that faith is not always a smooth, unwavering ascent, but often involves wrestling with difficult realities that seem to contradict God's promises or character. There will be seasons when our "hedges"—our perceived protections, our sense of security, our understanding of God's favor—appear to be broken down, and our "strong holds"—our sources of strength, our plans, our very foundations—seem to be brought to ruin. This verse encourages us to bring our honest, raw emotions, our questions, and our pain directly to God, just as the psalmist did. It teaches us that lament is a legitimate and even necessary form of worship, allowing us to express our deepest confusion without abandoning our faith. Ultimately, while the immediate circumstances may be dire, the psalm's larger trajectory, and indeed the whole of Scripture, points to God's enduring faithfulness, even when His methods are beyond our comprehension. Our call is to persist in seeking His face, trusting that His ultimate purposes are good, even when the path is shrouded in darkness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does Psalms 89:40 mean God actively causes suffering or destroys His people's defenses?
Answer: Psalms 89:40 expresses the psalmist's perspective and raw lament, attributing the destruction directly to God ("Thou hast"). In ancient Israelite theology, God was understood to be sovereign over all events, including disaster, famine, and defeat, whether directly causing them or permitting them as a consequence of covenant unfaithfulness or for purposes beyond human understanding. This verse reflects the psalmist's deep conviction that the current national humiliation could not have occurred without God's ultimate permission or direct action. It's not necessarily a statement of God's inherent desire for destruction, but an expression of the psalmist's profound theological struggle with how God's actions (or perceived inaction) align with His covenant promises. Other scriptures, like Deuteronomy 28, lay out the consequences of obedience and disobedience, where God's withdrawal of protection is a severe judgment.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 89:40, with its lament over the broken "hedges" and ruined "strong holds" of the Davidic king, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in Jesus Christ. While the psalmist grapples with the apparent failure of God's covenant with David in the face of earthly defeat, the New Testament reveals that God's promises were not nullified but transcended and perfectly fulfilled in a new and eternal way through Jesus. He is the true and eternal Davidic King, whose kingdom is not of this world and therefore cannot be brought to ruin by earthly powers or perceived divine abandonment (John 18:36). The ultimate "breaking down of hedges" was experienced by Christ Himself on the cross, where He was seemingly abandoned by God ("My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46). Yet, this apparent ruin was precisely the means by which God established an unbreakable covenant and an eternal kingdom, demonstrating His faithfulness not by preventing suffering, but by transforming it into ultimate victory. Through Christ's sacrifice, the "hedges" of sin and death were definitively broken for believers, and a new, spiritual "stronghold" in Him was established, one that can never be overthrown (Hebrews 12:28). Thus, the lament of Psalms 89:40 is answered not by a restoration of an earthly kingdom, but by the inauguration of a heavenly one in Christ, whose reign is truly everlasting and whose victory ensures that all who are in Him are eternally secure.