True to His Word

It used to be a sign of someone’s integrity to say that "he is as good as his word". It’s not as simple as that these days. It all has to be written down, signed and witnessed.

You may have visited all the car dealers and found the best deal possible. You have verbally confirmed with the favoured salesman that you will purchase his vehicle. Then the phone rings. Another salesman is on the line. You thank him and say you have accepted someone else’s price. "But you haven’t signed anything yet, have you?"

The Bible records a number of occasions when people kept to their word even though it was against their best intentions. One notable instance was when blind Isaac had blessed Jacob who pretended to be the favourite son Esau. When Esau arrived, the lavish blessing had already been given (Gen. 27.1-40). Our legal system would say that the intention had been to bless Esau and therefore the words spoken to Jacob could be declared null and void - or even taken to apply to Esau, though he wasn’t present.

Psalm 89 was written by "Ethan the Ezrahite" (described in 1 Chron. 15.17-18 as a Levite and in 1 Kings 4.31 as a wise person). It celebrates the Lord’s covenant with David as recorded in 2 Samuel 7.5-16.

The Psalm speaks of some of the special promises the Lord made to David. "My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him" (Ps. 89.21). "My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn (strength) will be exalted" (v. 24). "He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Saviour’. I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail" (vv. 26-28).

There are warnings of punishment if his sons fail to follow in the Lord’s way - "but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered" (vv. 33-34).

But the Psalm was written in a time of great trial. They seemed to be experiencing the Lord’s punishment right then! After the end of today’s selection, Ethan wonders whether the Lord has "renounced the covenant with your servant..." (v. 39) He cries out, "How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?" O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David?" (v. 49)

The Psalm ends with a doxology, "Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen" (v. 52). This is the end of the third book of Psalms (73-89), and is similar the endings of the other books. Did Ethan write it himself, or was it added by an editor (see 41.13; 72.18,19; 106.48; and, of course, 150)? Ethan felt very deeply what appeared to be devastating rejection. You could cut out verses 38 to 51 and have a very "nice" Psalm indeed. The Psalm needs the positive affirmation of v. 52, but we need to hear and recognise the pain of the intervening verses.

I said at the beginning that God is certain - you can be sure he is true to his Word! That doesn’t mean that life is always easy. I am always glad that the Psalms so accurately reflect on human emotions and experience. The "valley of the shadow of death" can be devastatingly real. Sure, there can’t be shadow without light, though it is obscured for the moment. God is here somewhere and I still trust him, but questions, fears and even doubts can come crowding in.

Never pass by the opportunity to store up his Word in your heart. Recall and take heart in his promises - he is always true to his Word!

Prayer: Dear God, your Word says that you have loved us with an everlasting love. You sent your Son so that, as we believe in him, we will not perish but have everlasting life. You have promised never to leave us nor to forsake us. There are times, O God, when situations get to us - when we forget your promises and think you are far away, that you have forgotten us. Give us a steady confidence that you are always true to your Word and that you will bring us out of darkness into your marvellous light. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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