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Senior Sunday School 4 : Psalms Book 3 : Psalm 89 : 8th October 2023

Text: Psalm 89
8 October 2023

SSS 4 8 October 2023
Book 3
Psalms 73-89

Text: Psalm 89
Part 3

38 But You have cast off and abhorred,
You have been furious with Your anointed.

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

40 You have broken down all his hedges;
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.

41 All who pass by the way plunder him;
He is a reproach to his neighbours.

42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.

43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
And have not sustained him in the battle.

44 You have made his glory cease,
And cast his throne down to the ground.

45 The days of his youth You have shortened;
You have covered him with shame.

46 How long, LORD?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember how short my time is;
For what futility have You created all the children of men?

48 What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?

49 Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses,
Which You swore to David in Your truth?

50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
51 With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.

52 Blessed be the LORD forevermore!
Amen and Amen.

Psalm 89:38-52

MISGIVINGS OF THE PSALMIST ETHAN THE EZRAHITE

1. God charged with renouncing the Davidic Covenant

38 But You have cast off and abhorred,
You have been furious with Your anointed.

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

Psalm 89:38-39

a) The charge laid against God
b) Features:
i) “Cast off”
ii) “Abhorred”
iii) “Furious with Your anointed”
iv) “Renounced the covenant of Your servant”
v) “Profaned his crown by casting it to the ground”

 

2. Protection withdrawn

40 You have broken down all his hedges;
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.

41 All who pass by the way plunder him;
He is a reproach to his neighbours.

Psalm 89:40-41

a) Hedges broken down
b) Strongholds ruined
c) Plundered
d) Reproached by neighbouring nations

3. Victory given to enemies

42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.

43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
And have not sustained him in the battle.

Psalm 89:42-43

a) Adversaries are exalted
b) Enemies rejoice
c) Israel’s kings defeated
d) They are not sustained in the battle

4. Glory ceased

44 You have made his glory cease,
And cast his throne down to the ground.

45 The days of his youth You have shortened;
You have covered him with shame.

Psalm 89:44-45

a) Glory of the king and kingdom ceased
b) Throne is cast down
c) Life shortened
d) Shame covers the head of the king

5. A torrent of questions

46 How long, LORD?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember how short my time is;
For what futility have You created all the children of men?

48 What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?

49 Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses,
Which You swore to David in Your truth?

Psalm 89:46-49

a) Time issue: “How long?”
b) God hiding Himself
c) God’s wrath
d) Futility
e) Death
f) God’s lovingkindness

6. A plaintive cry to the LORD

50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,

51 With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.

Psalm 89:50-51

a) The reproach of God’s servants
b) Personal bearing of reproach
c) The reproach of the enemies of God
d) The reproach of the very footsteps of God’s anointed

7. Exercising Trust

Blessed be the LORD forevermore!
Amen and Amen.

Psalm 89:52

Blessing the LORD as an expression of trust in the LORD