I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
Psalms 89:1
Have you sung of the mercies of the Lord? What does it mean to sing of the mercies of the Lord? Has God saved you from the hand of the [evil one]? These are important questions we must answer for ourselves because it is based upon a promise that God has made generations ago through a covenant. In Psalms chapter 89, it is all about a covenant that God made with David. However, God’s covenant began with the children of Israel who came out of Egypt. That covenant was carried on through David. In fact, it is still being carried on today, for many are being grafted into the vine through Christ [see Romans 11:23]. I do not know of any covenant that has lasted this long in history, but it is amazing how our God in loving kindness and compassion provided a way through Christ for us to be grafted into the olive branch. It is unbelief and disobedience that detaches us from the olive branch and the covenant or promises of God.
God’s faithfulness to graft people into the vine is a mystery especially for the Jewish population, but God’s promises is a sure thing and will continue to carry on for all generations. This is something to sing and shout about. A covenant is an agreement between two people. That agreement carries on a commitment of honoring a pledge. David was a man after God’s own heart because he learned about obedience and repentance. David had a passion for God and wanted to build a house for God like his own. David spoke to Nathan a prophet about building that house for the Lord. The Lord told Nathan that he did not ask for a house to be built for him. Since the time he brought Israel out of Egypt, God has walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. God went on to say to Nathan the prophet to tell David how He has chosen David from the “sheepcote,” which means a covered enclosure for sheep to being a ruler over the people of Israel [see 2 Samuel 7:8].
We can have the best intentions to do something for the Lord, but it may not always be in God’s will to carry out what we have personally planned. Such was the case with David. God was reminding David where he came from and what his purpose was in that he was to be a ruler over the people of Israel. It is God who appoints people to a position. It is God who finds the place for the people to dwell. It is God who withholds the wicked from afflicting His children and or people. Within the family of God is mercy everlasting in that His purpose is to restore and bring healing to all generations. You can read for yourself in 2 Samuel chapter 7 what Nathan told David in verses 4 through 17. It is amazing that God spoke about the past and the future with David and we can also see how God had a specific plan for David’s life.
In verse 3 of Psalms 89 it states a covenant was made with David and that his seed is establish forever. God affirms His covenant with David, and David rejoices in the goodness of the Lord. If you read on in Psalms 89, you will find that God chastened those who do not follow in His will or commandments [see verses 30-32 of Psalms 89]. Despite the disobedience of His people, God still showed his loving-kindness and faithfulness [see verse 33 of Psalms 89]. Forgiveness and restoration are in God’s hand. God will never break his covenant, nor the words that were spoken from His lips. We can have the assurance through Christ that we are grafted into the precious vine that gives us life eternal. Like David we can sing of the mercies of the Lord forever because Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.
God is able to save us from all sins, and from the evil one who is Satan. How wonderful are the mercies of the Lord that He provided a way for everyone to be saved. Let me tell you how great this is. I was born out of wedlock, and I have traveled halfway around the world to learn about the salvation of the Lord. Today, there are a lot of lost teens who are looking for their identity. I wanted to know who I was and where I came from. I had no ties to my real father or my mother’s family. There are a lot of people who question their identity, and there are those who also run from their family identity. I found out that my grandmother was of Jewish lineage through a will after she had passed away. I never had the opportunity of meeting my grandmother. Today, many people are finding out about who, or where they came from through DNA testing. My DNA is split right down the middle like two sides of the coin. One side is the Jewish lineage, and the other side is where fables and stories of paganism come from. Our culture can influence who we are as an individual, but we make the choice to follow it or something else. Sometimes this can be a battle that we fight with on a personal level. In my early teen years, I ran away from home in the city of Perth. In Kings Park in the city of Perth, I was physically assaulted. I cried out to God, and He saved me from being seriously hurt and from being choked to death.
God’s love and mercy saved me. He spoke to me and told me I had to go back home. I was totally lost and did not know where I was, but He miraculously brought me back home. I was amazed that God would talk to me in an audible voice and that He would help me to bear the verbal abuse of my mother. I did not understand why I got the negative verbal abuse nor why my mom was angry. We do not always know the truth behind the situation that we are in, but God knows. After this experience, I fully trusted in God to see me through. I did not know about God’s son Jesus Christ. All I knew was the ten commandments that I had memorized when I was nine years old. God had a plan for my life, a future that as a teen, I was not aware of. I had to trust God that He would work it out no matter what happened. You may find yourself in a similar situation not knowing where you are going, or what the future may hold for you. Trust God to bring you through any situation and to place you where you need to be. His love and mercy will restore you and bring healing to your heart and soul. No matter what danger you are in, you can call upon the Lord to save you. He will protect you and provide shelter when you need it. In 1974 in Seattle, I learned about God’s son who died on the cross for my sins. It is through Christ sacrifice on the cross that we can come to the Father in prayer. I also found out that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets [see Matthew 5:17].
No matter what you are going through, you can be assured that God knows all about it. His Love and mercy are always available to you. It is through Christ that we can enter the throne room of grace and mercy to ask for help. Like David, we can also sing of the mercies of the Lord.
