Psa 89.1-52 is the last psalm of Book 3, which corresponds to the book of Vayikra (Leviticus) of the Torah, which is the central focus in a chiastic structure (a ,b, C, b, a). It was written by Ethan (perpetual) the Ezrahite (son of the dawn) and is mentioned in 1 Kings 4.31. He was a descendant of Zerach of Judah and belonged to a group of singers and he was alive at the time of David and Solomon. This psalm is also messianic in nature. The heading reads, “A Maskil (instruction) of Ethan the Ezrahite.”
Psa 89.1-4 speaks about God and his promises to David. He will sing of the Lord’s mercies and make known God’s faithfulness with his mouth, which are the themes of this psalm (v 1). Mercy shall not be overthrown and his faithfulness will not be moved in the heavens (v 2). God made a covenant with David with an oath which will last forever (v 3). That he will establish a Davidic dynasty through the Messiah is clear, and the “seed” is Yeshua (Matt 1.1; 1 Chr 17.10-v 4).
Psa 89.5-10 tells us that God will be praised for his wonders (miracles) and faithfulness. The establishment of the throne of David is the cause of great joy, even in heaven among “the holy ones” or the angels (v 5). For who in the skies that the pagans worship can compare with the God of Israel, and who among the mighty men of earth is like him (v 6). Yehovah is greatly feared in the secret council (sowd meaning hidden) of the holy ones (tzadikim, saints) and awesome above those around him (v 7). There is none like the Lord God of the armies and his faithfulness surrounds him (v 8). He rules the swelling of the seas (nations-Isa 57.20) when the waves rise he causes them to be still. This illustrates God’s rule over the earth and this was what Yeshua was communicating when he walked on the stormy sea and quieted the storm (v 9). The sea is the domain of Leviathan (Isa 27.1; Rev 13.1) and Yeshua has dominion over it. Leviathan is a picture of Ha Satan and the False Messiah in the Scriptures, and is also known as “Rahab” as in this verse, and Yeshua will crush the False Messiah (Rahab). He scatters his enemies with his mighty “arm” which is an idiom for the Messiah (v 10).
Psa 89.11-18 talks about the power and kivod (glory) of God and how blessed a person is for knowing Yehovah. The heavens and the earth belong to him, as well as all the creatures it contains because he has created all of it (v 11). The entire length of the earth north to south belongs to Yehovah. Tabor (the west) and Hermon (the east) shout for joy at the name of Yehovah (v 12). God has a strong arm and hand, and thy “right hand” (an idiom for the Messiah) is exalted (Psa 110.1-8) in power (v 13). His attributes of righteousness and justice are what built his kingdom, and mercy and truth are always before his face (v 14). How blessed (empowered to succeed) are those who know the joyful sound of the teruah in victory and repentance. They walk in God’s light (Torah understanding) because they have been awakened by the shofar blowing a teruah blast (v 15). They rejoice in the name of Yehovah because it is in him only they can boast (Jer 9.23) and God’s righteousness has been given to them as a free gift (v 16). His glory is their strength, not their own, and by his favor their horn (power) is exalted so they can defeat Satan and the False Messiah (v 17). Our shield (magen or “king”) belongs to Yehovah, and David the king to the Holy One of Israel. This is a Hebrew parallelism (v 18).
Psa 89.19-29 tells us about David, but it will allude to the Messiah. At one time, God spoke to his “godly ones” (the prophets) and has given much help to one who is mighty and one who is chosen among the people (David and Messiah). David was anointed with the holy (has a kedusha) oil by Samuel (v 20) with whom God’s hand will be established. God’s arm will also strengthen him (David and Messiah) and he will be invigorated (v 21). The enemy (Ha Satan) will not deceive him nor the son of wickedness (the wicked man, the False Messiah) afflict him (v 22). God will crush his adversaries before him and strike those who hate him (v 23). His faithfulness and mercy will be with him and in God’s name his horn (power) will be exalted. In other words, God will respond when he asks for help (v 24).
God will set his hand on the sea and he will have dominion over the islands and seafaring people and his right hand on the lands of the rivers (Egypt and Mesopotamia-v 25). He (and Messiah) will cry to Yehovah. “You are my father, my God, and rock of my salvation” (Matt 11.25-27-v 26). And God will make him the first born, the highest of the kings of the earth. David was the first king of the house of David, and Messiah is the heir of all things promised to that house (Mark 16.6) and has prominence, the “sum” of it all, like the “summit” of a mountain (Col 1.15). David and Yeshua are the highest of the kings of the earth because they know Yehovah (v 27). God’s kindness will guard him and his covenant will be confirmed in him and remain true to him (v 28). His “seed” (Messiah) will be established forever and his throne as the days of heaven (v 29).
Psa 89.30-37 tells us the king should not forsake the Torah. If David’s sons forsake the Torah and do not walk in God’s judgments or “mishpatim” (v 30), or if they violate the statutes (chukim) and do not keep God’s commandments (mitzvot) then God will visit (punish) with the rod their transgressions, and their iniquity with plagues (v 31-32). But, even God will not forget his kindness or betray his faithfulness to his sons (v 33). God will not violate his covenant by taking away the monarchy from the house of David, nor change what he has said (v 34). Once Yehovah has sworn by his name, he will not lie to David and change the dynasty (v 35). His descendants shall keep their royal status until Messiah (Matt 1.1), and his throne shall shine like the sun endlessly (v 36). The throne shall be established forever like the moon, and they will vary in brilliance. But the sun and moon will give testimony to the eternal promises connected to the throne of David (v 37).
In the book, “Tehillim” by Mesorah Publications, p. 1114, it says, “The royalty of Israel resembled the cycle of the moon. Its first cycle endured for thirty generations, just as the month has thirty days. The light of the Jewish monarchy began to rise in the days of the Patriarch Abraham, whom the Canaanites called a godly prince (Gen 23.5). David (whose name has the numerical value of fourteen) lived fourteen generations after Abraham and resembled the nearly full moon. Solomon was the fifteenth generation; during his reign, the royal house of David reached its zenith, resembling the full moon. Then the house of David fell into a decline (like the waning moon); finally it underwent a total eclipse, with the exile of King Tzidkiyahu of Judea, who lived thirty generations after Abraham. Nebuchadnezzar blinded King Tzidkiyahu (2 Kings 25.7), symbolizing the total disappearance of the moon’s light.” We see similar concepts in Matt 1.1-17 (v 37).
Psa 89.38-45 tells us that there was some present problems that made things seem worse than the previous verses. We don’t know on what occasion Ethan wrote this, but there seems to have been a decline in the monarchy (Absalom, Solomon) or some other problem that made it look like God had rejected the Davidic Covenant. Ethan knew better but things looked that way. It looked like God was angry towards the king, his anointed (v 38) and it looked like he had spurned the covenant with David and has “profaned” his crown (monarchy) in the dust (v 39). God has broken down all his “hedges” (walls) of protection and has brought his strongholds to ruin (v 40). All who pass by plundered him and he has become a reproach. This certainly happened to David when Absalom rebelled (v 41). His adversaries had power against him, making his enemies rejoice (v 42). Even in battle his sword seemed dull and he was losing (v 43). God has made his glory to cease and cast his throne to the ground (v 44). He has shortened the days of his youth because of the crisis and was covered in shame. It seemed like the promises to David (or some other king) were in vain (v 45).
Psa 89.46-48 is a plea for deliverance. Ethan asks, “How long, O Lord? Will you hide thyself forever?” Ethan did not want the affliction to go on any longer. God seemed to be doing nothing to help the king (v 46). Ethan’s “span of life” in this world is not very long and he wanted to see the king and the kingdom come out of all of this blessed (v 47). Death was inevitable and man cannot deliver his soul from Sheol (death), so he is depending on God for help in this life (v 48).
Psa 89.49-52 is a plea for Yehovah to show his mercy again. He asks where was the mercy God has shown in the past, which he swore to David in his oath to him (v 49). He wants Yehovah to remember the reproach that has been heaped upon the heads of his servants; and how does Ethan bear all the reproaches of many people that he keeps to himself in silence (v 50). God’s own enemies are the enemies of the king, too (v 51). But despite all the painful words of this psalm, Ethan still blesses the Lord because he believes that God’s promises will be fulfilled in the end (v 52). Thus, Book 3 is finished and now we move into Book 4.
Psa 90.1-17 begins the fourth Book of Psalms (Psa 90-106) and it corresponds to the fourth book of the Torah called “B’Midbar” which means “in the wilderness” in Hebrew. B’Midbar can also mean “to speak” because it has the root “davar” meaning “word” in the word. It is called Numbers because God is “numbering” his people so they can receive the inheritance when they enter the land of Canaan. Abraham’s seed has multiplied according to what Yehovah promised him. Many commentators believe that this psalm was written after the incident with the twelve spies (scouts) in Num 13-14. The heading reads, “A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.” It is a psalm that is read on the Sabbath.
Psa 90.1-2 tells us that Yehovah is a refuge of protection for his people and he is eternal and existed before the creation. We have a Jewish eschatological term used in v 2 that says, “even from everlasting (olam) to everlasting (olam) thou art God.” This term alludes to God before the 7000 years, called the Olam Haba, to God after the 7000 years is over, called the Olam Haba.
Psa 90.3-6 says that God is a judge and our understanding of time is different than God’s. God turns man into dust (dies) saying “Return, O children of men” (v 3). For a thousand years in God’s sight are like yesterday when it passes by, it is like nothing. Even if we lived a thousand years it would be but a moment in God’s sight. This verse is an allusion to Jewish eschatology (v 4). God has swept them away like a flood (the days and years) and they “fall asleep.” In the morning they are like the grass which sprouts again. Towards evening it fades and withers away. Days and years are like that. They pass quickly and wither (v 5-6).
Psa 90.7-9 talks about how God judges our open and hidden motives. Israel has been consumed by God’s anger and dismayed by his wrath in the wilderness (v 7). Their iniquities are before the Lord, including the secret sins (v 8). Their days were reduced and they vanished because of God’s anger upon them and they finished their years quickly as a story that is told (v 9).
Psa 90.10-12 tells us that the days of our years are seventy years literally, and if we have the vitality, we may reach eighty years, but in the end it is only labor and sorrow no matter how long we live. Then we “fly away” (die) and it is gone (v 10). We don’t live long enough to notice or understand the power of God’s anger in proper measure (v 11). So Moses wants the Lord to teach us to number our days and live for today because we don’t control tomorrow, and to present to the Lord a heart of wisdom (v 12).
Psa 90.13-17 tells us that we should pray for mercy and the blessings of God. Moses wants the Lord to turn away from the present path and show mercy (v 13). He wants Yehovah to satisfy them in the morning (early) with mercy, so that we can rejoice and be glad for all that God has done all our days (v 14). He wants the Lord to make them glad in proportion to the days of affliction that they have gone through (v 15). Let the work of God be seen to all the people and that God’s majesty can be seen to the children, or the generations to come (v 16). Let the favor of Yehovah be upon the people; and in the end may our lives have meaning, thus confirming the work or our hands (v 17).
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