Sermon Psalm 89 Covenant with the Nations

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

New Covenant Presbyterian Church

Sermon Psalm 89 Covenant with the Nations

July 2, 2017

In two days we will have a great national celebration.  On July 4 we will joyfully celebrate the anniversary of our independence from Great Britain with fireworks and family barbecues.   It is a wonderful time for all.  And that is why today we sing patriotic songs.

In ancient times the people of God also had an annual national festival.  This would include the coronation of a king.   But this was no ordinary king.  The coronation would be held not in the king’s palace but in the Jerusalem temple.  And they would crown God as their king.  This is important for us to remember.   We celebrate our independence on July 4.  And as Thomas Jefferson told us, our independence is founded on our God given inalienable rights.  We may have formed a republic to govern ourselves, but our government is still, “under God”, as we say in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Ancient people saw the relationship between God and their nation as a covenant or promise.   God promised his steadfast love.  The nation promised to rule in justice and righteousness.  Our nation benefits greatly from this covenant.  We will look at it closely, but first let’s pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

As the people of God approached the temple to crown God as king they would praise him and remember the covenant.

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Psalm 89: 1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
   with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
   through all generations.
2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
   that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
   I have sworn to David my servant,
4 ‘I will establish your line forever
   and make your throne firm through all generations.’”

The covenant between God and the Kingdom of Judah originated with King David.  God promised David that a descendant of his would always sit on the throne, forever.  The people were assured of this by a faithful God.  And so they when to the temple to praise and worship God.  Let’s hear what happened as they entered the temple.

5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord,
   your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
6 For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
   Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
   he is more awesome than all who surround him.
8 Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?
   You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

As they entered the temple they acknowledged that the God they worshiped was the supreme God of the universe.  None of the gods of the surrounding nations could compare to the majesty of the God of heaven.  And so in awe and wonder, they bowed down in worship to this awesome God.  And they acknowledged that their God ruled all the earth as well.

9 You rule over the surging sea;
   when its waves mount up, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;
   with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
   you founded the world and all that is in it.
12 You created the north and the south;
   Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
13 Your arm is endowed with power;
   your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

They praised God, and then they remembered the terms of the covenant.

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14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
   love and faithfulness go before you.

The terms of the covenant were simple.  The kings of Judah from David on were required to uphold justice and righteousness.  God was required to faithfully love his people.  Let’s take a closer look at this covenant.

King David and his descendants were responsible for ruling in justice and righteousness.  In Hebrew these words are “mishpat” and “tsedaqah”.  Mishpat and tsedaqah refer to the responsibility we have, both us individually and the government to care for the poor, the needy, the widow, the orphan and the alien in our land.  All of these people could not own land themselves.  And so they had a hard time supporting themselves and their families.  People were required by God to work to support themselves, but some people couldn’t.  God did not want them to fall through the cracks.  Mishpat and tsedaqah required the government to impose rules so that the most vulnerable were cared for.  Farmers were required to leave a border around their fields where the poor could find food.  They were not to pick up food that fell from their carts so that the poor would find food when gleaning the field.   And all debts and mortgages were canceled every 25 years so that people suffering from excess debt could get a fresh start.

The covenant required Judah to care for the vulnerable.  In return, God promised his love.  The Hebrew word for steadfast love is hesed. Hesed means more than just love.  It also includes loyalty and faithfulness.  It is love you can count on.  The opposite of hesed would be “fair weather friend.”  A “fair weather friend” is here today, but when the going gets rough he’s gone tomorrow.  Not so with God.  God’s faithful love endures forever.   This covenant is offered to us as well.  If we care for the vulnerable in our society God will bless us and our nation richly.  And God has blessed us and so we rejoice.    

15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
   who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
16 They rejoice in your name all day long;
   they celebrate your righteousness.
17 For you are their glory and strength,
   and by your favor you exalt our horn.
18 Indeed, our shield belongs to the Lord,
   our king to the Holy One of Israel.  

But in the middle of this great coronation of God as king and the reaffirmation of the covenant something happened.  A disaster occurred.  Let’s listen.

38 But you have rejected, you have spurned,
   you have been very angry with your anointed one.
39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant
   and have defiled his crown in the dust.
40 You have broken through all his walls
   and reduced his strongholds to ruins.
41 All who pass by have plundered him;
   he has become the scorn of his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
   you have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword
   and have not supported him in battle.
44 You have put an end to his splendor
   and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short the days of his youth;
   you have covered him with a mantle of shame.
46 How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
   How long will your wrath burn like fire?

In 587 BC the Babylonian army was ordered by King Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and violently bring the Davidic dynasty to an end.   What happened?   The descendants of David had not cared for the poor and the needy and the widows and the orphans and aliens in the land as they have promised.  They had broken the covenant.  And God had withdrawn his protection.

This is a sobering warning to all the nations of the world.  God is serious when his tells us that the most vulnerable are to be cared for.  All governments, including our republic, will be destroyed if we do not obey God in this matter.  But if we do what God wants, he will love us faithfully forever.  The choice is ours.  Keep our nation “under God” or lose it.

The people of God were eventually able to rebuild their city and temple under Persian rule.  They began worshiping God and crowning him as king in his temple.  But the descendants of David no longer sat on the throne of Judah.  And so they turned to God in prayer.

47 Remember how fleeting is my life.
   For what futility you have created all humanity!
48 Who can live and not see death,
   or who can escape the power of the grave?
49 Lord, where is your former great love,
   which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has[g] been mocked,
   how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
51 the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,
   with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.
52 Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.

It seemed to the people of God that the covenant was broken forever.  Never again would a descendant of David sit on the throne.  Never again would a King of Judah reign in justice and righteousness.  Never again would we be blessed with the steadfast love of the Lord our God.   

Then, one night an angel appeared to a young woman.  And he said to her,

Luke 1:26 …  God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

And with the covenant relationship between God and his people was restored.  Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, rules from a throne in heaven.  The foundation of his throne is justice and righteousness.  Christ requires of all nations that they care for the most vulnerable people in their lands.  In return, God promised his steadfast love.  The renewal of the covenant is what we celebrate on today.  Let’s pray.

Father in Heaven, we thank you that in Jesus Christ your covenant with David has been reestablished.   We thank you for your unfailing love for us.   We promise, Lord, to care for the most vulnerable in our land.   This we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.