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Discipleship & The Sermon
The Means of His grace helping us to find our participation in His work of Redemption
The Steadfast love of the LORD
Psalm 89
Ex Libris Alexus Minimus
A commentary from the pastor’s library
Perhaps no other psalm articulates with more pathos the agony of soul that is felt when life’s experiences call into question the unfailing love and faithfulness that are “God’s very character.” Perhaps no other psalm can bring as much balm to the soul as does this one. That balm is brought in part by the freedom this psalm grants to be brutally honest with ourselves and with God in admitting the deep doubts we have at times, doubts that God is faithful, that God is love. When faith and experience conflict, pretending that all is well will not do. Denial lacks integrity and indicates shallow spirituality. Honest wrestling is the path to growth and to God.
It may not comfort some to be confronted with the fact that the question raised in 89:49 finds no explicit answer in the psalm itself. True, the psalm’s first and last words are words of praise, but the tension between faith and experience is left ringing in our ears with the question, “Lord, where is your unfailing love?” The psalmist had to wait for an answer—and in his own historical experience he never got the answer. We, too, often must wait. But while we wait, with doubts arising from our own experience, we also wait with confidence, because we have seen the answer to the psalmist’s question in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the son of David (Matt 1:1) and the King of Israel (Mark 15:26–32)
Futato, M. D. (2009). The Book of Psalms. In Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (pp. 290–291). Tyndale House Publishers.
TO SEE.
Knowing the Person & Work of the Triune God of the Universe.
Read the text around each reference to the LORD’s steadfast love in this psalm; what does this diversity of settings say about His Beauty (Person & Work)?
TO ENJOY.
Motivation and support to imitate His humanity through the service to others.
How can your intercessory prayer and service to those around you be evidence of His steadfast love for everyone – including yourself?
TO SHARE.
Telling others about His work in your life.
Be prepared to share an example when you experienced the truth of verses 30 – 37.
¡Hola a todos!
This new format intends to help us extend the usefulness of the sermon to our daily walk with the LORD (discipleship). If you are short of time, focus mainly on the three elements of our discipleship pathway.
Let me know if you have any comments or questions.
-AV