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Psalm 89:19-37; Part 2: An Oracle on the Davidic Covenant
This psalm is royal psalm by the choir of Ethan the Ezrahite. also called Jeduthun, who was a Levitical worship singer as well as a prophetic seer and a counselor to King David (1 Chr 16:41–42, 25:1–6; 2 Chr 5:12, 35:15). Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun were responsible for the music around the tabernacle and later in the temple, and each man directed a separate choir. This royal psalm’s first section is that of a hymn to Yahweh for His faithfulness (1–18). The second section is a review of the oracle and promises of the covenant with David (19–37). The third section is a lament over the current sad state (to the writer) of the Davidic dynasty (38–51). See 2 Sam 7:4–17 for the prophecy on which this psalm is reflecting.
I. The Davidic Covenantal Promises (vs. 19–29)
A. What is a biblical covenant?
1. a covenant (berit) can be defined as a solemn and lasting agreement that governs a relationship and makes that relationship more intimate and permanent. Covenants often have long-lasting promises that are granted based on compliance to the covenantal stipulations. The participants may be individuals, groups, or a representative for a group. However, the covenantal promises and how they relate to individuals, to certain generations, and to the nation of Israel during her entire history and her promised future are not identical. God in His grace will not allow an individual to make the covenant void for anyone but himself. There are unconditional promises that will be kept by David’s faithful God in spite of his descendants' failure to comply with the covenantal stipulations. This is also true for ethnic Israel.
2. The Davidic Covenant has promises that were partially fulfilled by Solomon, and others that have been or are being fulfilled by David’s descendant Yeshua (Jesus).
3. There is a continuity among the covenants Between Yahweh and Adam, Noah, Abraham, Israel, Levi, David, and the new covenant
B. The Davidic covenant choice of David’s line as king (vs. 19–23)
1. David was anointed by Samuel (1 Sam 16:13)
2. The vision confirming God’s choice was given to Nathan (2 Sam 7:4)
3. God selected David based on God’s freewill and not David’s future performance (Acts 13:22; 2 Sam 12:13)
4. God’s power sustains David and defeats his enemies (1 Sam 18:12–14; 2 Sam 5:10)
5. God’s purposes cannot fail concerning David and Yeshua
Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!" He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, 6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain." I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware." (Psa 2:1–9 NASB) See Dan 4:34–37
C. The Davidic covenantal promise of a universal reign (vs. 24–25)
D. The Davidic covenantal promise of a messianic reign (vs. 26–27)
1. Father, son, and firstborn are ancient covenant-treaty terms
. . . and from Yeshua the Messiah, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the earth's kings. To him, the one who loves us, who has freed us from our sins at the cost of his blood (Rev 1:5 CJB)
And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent. (Col 1:18 ESV)
2. David and Yeshua both had a close covenantal relationship with God the Father
3. Allegiance to David as God’s appointed ruler was necessary to benefit from the Israelite covenants
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ESV)
E. The Davidic covenantal promise concerning choice of descendants (vs. 28–29)
1. The promise is to not cut off the descendants of David like Saul’s
2. God will continue to work through and in the clan and future descendants of David
3. This is an unconditional promise concerning the “line,” the group, not to each
individual in the group
Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God! Because your God has loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore He made you king over them, to do justice and righteousness. (2 Chr 9:8 NKJV)
Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified. (Act 2:33 NASB)
Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens (Heb 8:1 NASB)
II. The Davidic Covenantal Stipulations (vs. 30 –37)
A. Warning: the king must keep the Law: legal regulations, worship ordinances, moral commands (vs. 30–32) [See Deut 17:14–20]
1. Being disloyal to God’s written instruction brings God’s chastisement
2. This divine grant covenant has conditional promises for the individual (“if”)
B. If the king did not remain full devoted to God, he broke the covenant
C. Trust and undiluted loyalty from the vassal to the emperor was required
D. God’s covenant faithfulness will remain (vs. 33–34)
1. God will not violate the unconditional promises of His covenant
2. Even with a wicked King, God’s oath to the Davidic line and Messiah stands
if we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2Ti 2:12–13 NASB)
E. The Davidic Covenantal Oath (vs. 35–37)
1. David’s spot in the progress of redemption is certain (John 12:34)
2. David’s son, Yeshua will fulfill the Davidic covenant (Rom 1:3)
Lessons to live by:
• We need to focus on the conditional parts of the New Covenant, faith and repentance, and then we can trust God for the unconditional parts (everlasting life)
• The salvation of a child in a church family is not automatic. Pray, share, and live the gospel before them. They are free moral agents and must enter the covenant themselves
