Psalm 89

Long Psalm. Two parts ... plus what I'd call an unexpected ending.

The first part is praise. "1 I will sing of the ... mercies of the Lord forever!" is the most famous refrain. Those words, in fact, are the basis for a famous '80s praise song. Praise song, indeed! "5 All heaven will praise your miracles ... 6 for who ... can compare with the Lord? 7 [Even] the highest angelic powers stand in awe of God ..."

But the heart of this Psalm is this wonderful beatitude: "15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship." True worship is truly stirred by a joyful call and holy desire. And the fruit is happiness, blessedness, "7 awe," and joy.

I want those words -- happiness, worship, and joy -- therefore, the question that needs to be my constant companion is: How do I weave these blessings more fully into my life?!

The second part of this Psalm is the celebration of the reign of King David. "19 [God has] selected him from the common people to be king ... 20 anointed him with holy oil ... 21 and ... ma[d]e him strong." God in his grace "25 extend[ed David's] rule from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the east." And the joyful question is: Which came first: David's joyful cry, "26 You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation" and then God's blessing ... or ... God's blessing and then David's cry? Like the chicken and the egg, it doesn't really matter does it? God's blessing and David's praise were intimately intertwined.

The key phrase for me in this second section is in verse 24: "[David, King David] will rise to power because of me." "Because of God" ... that's it! Happiness, worship, joy, and blessing are the hearts of sections one and two because "15 happy are those" -- including you me and David -- "who hear the joyful call to worship."

And then comes part three. Then comes the surprise. Then comes the opposite of happy blessings -- "38 ang[er]," "39 renounce[ment]," "40 ruins," "41 mock[ing]," "45 disgrace[]," and "47 futil[ity]."

The blessed King David faced two humiliations in life. Both of them were caused by sin. (See if either of these describe the greatest hurts and humiliations in your life.)

The first sin was his own. Don't David's adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the murderous tactics he employed to cover it up deserve a little "38 ang[er]" and "45 disgrace[]". Sometimes, we bring "40 ruin[]" on ourselves.

The second was the sin of another. In David's case, David's own son, Absalom, rebelled against him. The great king had to flee his own city. In the end, Absalom is caught and killed by David's general, but there is no victory or rejoicing in the face of sin and rebellion. There's only a tears, "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I could have died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son."

God blesses. Sin kills. That's the reality of our world. And in the end, I hear this as the point of this Psalm: "15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship," and cursed are those who give in to the siren call of sin.

Lord, draw me from sin

and draw me to you.

Help worship be

the joy of my heart.