The whole world awaits the restoration of the rightful Heir to the throne. Come, blessed King!
Like the distinction in the New Testament between the ideal position of the believer in Christ and the less-than-ideal condition of the believer still in this evil world, in Psalm 89 Ethan gives both the glorious description of the Davidic Covenant and the actual situation on the ground. We might call this the Conundrum of the Covenant (vv 38-45). Hinted at with the “If” in verse 30 and the “Nevertheless” in verse 33, the author now details the sad state of affairs when the kings in the line of David abandoned the God of David. While it may have appeared as if the Lord had “renounced the covenant” (v 39), it was really that they had renounced Him! What a solemn reminder! The difference between spiritual success and failure comes down to this: Obey the Lord and be blessed; disobey Him and bear the consequences. If you make decisions as if God doesn’t exist, don’t be surprised if conditions look more and more as if that’s true—although of course it isn’t. Was it God who “made all [Israel’s] enemies rejoice” (v 42)? Did He make “his glory cease” (v 44)? Of course not. The terms of the covenant were clear. “If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments…then I will punish their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes” (vv 30-32). If you break God’s commands, they break you. “Nevertheless” (v 33), God would over-rule man’s stupidity, and His faithfulness and lovingkindness would eventually triumph. The final section of the psalm is a Cry for the Covenant to be Renewed (vv 46-51). We will yet see David’s greater Son bring about the total fulfillment of this covenant. Then all the world shall say with unmingled joy, “Blessed be the Lord forevermore! Amen and Amen” (v 52).