Psalm 89:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules,

NIV: "If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes,

NASB: 'If his sons abandon My Law And do not walk in My judgments,

CSB: If his sons abandon my instruction and do not live by my ordinances,

NLT: But if his descendants forsake my instructions and fail to obey my regulations,

KJV: If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

NKJV: “If his sons forsake My law And do not walk in My judgments,

Psalm 89:19–37 mostly speaks from God's perspective. He describes how He chose David to be Israel's king and strengthened him to defeat his foes. The Lord also made a covenant with David: a promise to give David an everlasting dynasty and a throne. These would eventually be fulfilled in the form of David's descendant, Jesus.

This psalm is not directly connected to other events in Scripture; it might be associated with the Babylonian captivity (2 Kings 24:10–16) or the Egyptian raid against Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:25–28). The psalmist begins by praising God for His loyal love. It applauds His covenant with David. However, this turns to grief over apparent defeats and humiliations. The psalm ends with a plea for the Lord to remember His promises and reverse Israel's fortunes.

This psalm is attributed to Ethan, a Levite (1 Chronicles 15:17–18). The content suggests Israel had suffered one or more crushing defeats (1 Kings 14:25–28; 2 Kings 24:10–16). So, after celebrating God's love in establishing David's throne, the tone quickly turns to bitter mourning. This combination—faith paralleled with honest angst—is a common theme in the psalms (Psalm 22; 73; 74).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/22/2024 4:36:31 PM