This
is my favorite Psalm. The first half,
reproduced here, is a beautiful exchange between David and God, where they each
affirm their total love and allegiance to one another. I have italicized God’s lines to make it
easier to read. Clearly, we are expected
to place ourselves in David’s shoes and to receive God’s loving words to David
as though they are directed to us.
Inevitably,
if this is read aloud to a group for discussion, the participants report being
particularly intrigued by the conditions God seems to put on His love, and the
punishment He is willing to mete out:
If his children
forsake my law,
and don’t walk
in my ordinances;
if they break my
statutes,
and don’t keep
my commandments;
then I will
punish their sin with the rod,
and their
iniquity with plagues.
I
think this is misplaced emphasis. God acknowledges that David and his
descendants will disappoint, but we are supposed to note the emphatic
reaffirmation of God’s love that immediately follows. This is the overwhelming message of the
psalm. This is covenantal, irrevocable
love.
_____________________
I
will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
With
my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
I
indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.
You
established the heavens.
Your
faithfulness is in them.”
“I have made a
covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to
David, my servant,
‘I will
establish your offspring forever,
and build up
your throne to all generations.’”
The
heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh,
your
faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For
who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh?
Who
among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,
a
very awesome God in the council of the holy ones,
to
be revered above all those who are around him?
Yahweh,
who is a mighty one, like you?
Yah,
your faithfulness is around you.
You
rule the pride of the sea.
When
its waves rise up, you calm them.
You
have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain.
You
have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
The
heavens are yours.
The
earth also is yours,
the
world and its fullness.
You
have founded them.
You
have created the north and the south.
Tabor
and Hermon rejoice in your name.
You
have a mighty arm.
Your
hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.
Righteousness
and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Loving
kindness and truth go before your face.
Blessed
are the people who learn to acclaim you.
They
walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
In
your name they rejoice all day.
In
your righteousness, they are exalted.
For
you are the glory of their strength.
In
your favor, our horn will be exalted.
For
our shield belongs to Yahweh,
our
king to the Holy One of Israel.
Then
you spoke in vision to your saints,
and
said, “I have given strength to the
warrior.
I have exalted a
young man from the people.
I have found
David, my servant.
I have anointed
him with my holy oil,
with whom my
hand shall be established.
My arm will also
strengthen him.
No enemy will
tax him.
No wicked man
will oppress him.
I will beat down
his adversaries before him,
and strike those
who hate him.
But my
faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him.
In my name, his
horn will be exalted.
I will set his
hand also on the sea,
and his right
hand on the rivers.
He will call to
me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the
rock of my salvation!’
I will also
appoint him my firstborn,
the highest of
the kings of the earth.
I will keep my
loving kindness for him forever more.
My covenant will
stand firm with him.
I will also make
his offspring endure forever,
and his throne
as the days of heaven.
If his children
forsake my law,
and don’t walk
in my ordinances;
if they break my
statutes,
and don’t keep
my commandments;
then I will
punish their sin with the rod,
and their
iniquity with plagues.
But I will NEVER
take my steadfast love from him,
nor allow my
faithfulness to fail.
I will not break
my covenant,
nor alter what
my lips have uttered.
Once I have
sworn by my holiness,
I will NEVER lie
to David.
His offspring
will endure forever,
his throne like
the sun before me.
It will be established
forever like the moon,
the faithful
witness in the sky.”
