Psalm 89:39 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust.

NIV: You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust.

NASB: You have repudiated the covenant of Your servant; You have profaned his crown in the dust.

CSB: You have repudiated the covenant with your servant; you have completely dishonored his crown.

NLT: You have renounced your covenant with him; you have thrown his crown in the dust.

KJV: Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

NKJV: You have renounced the covenant of Your servant; You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

Psalm 89:38–45 turns from a celebration of the Lord and His selection of David, taking on a dramatic, almost accusing tone. The psalmist suggests that God has abandoned the covenant, aided Israel's enemies, and shamed the people. The very kingship of Israel has been defiled and put to shame. No explicit incident is associated with this severe mourning. However, the conquest of Babylon (2 Kings 24:10–16) and a successful raid by Egypt (1 Kings 14:25–28) are possible matches.

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 4:43:31 PM