When I was a kid, way back when dirt was created, we used to sing a song in church that went something like this: “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing, I will sing. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. With my mouth will I make known, thy faithfulness to all generations. “ I still remember my brother, Vance, who is now a pastor himself leading the congregation in singing Psalm 89. I liked the catchy tune with easy words. To a 6 year old or even a 12 year old, what life experiences would bring meaning to the words mercy, faithfulness, and generations? Back then mercy was escaping punishment by a parent, faithfulness was used to describe the family pet, and generations only came up at family gatherings.
David, you know the one with the harp and slingshot, had firsthand knowledge of how those words intersected every facet of his life. His life at times was a train wreck. He went from shepherd to king, from being loved to being avenged, from experiencing greatness to being plundered to defeat. Still he was called a ‘man after God’s own heart’ because He never lost his faith in God. David understood the full impact of the words mercies, faithfulness would mean for all generations.
Psalm 89:1-6 The Message (MSG) – An Ethan Prayer
Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it!
I’m forever telling everyone how faithful you are.
I’ll never quit telling the story of your love—
how you built the cosmos
and guaranteed everything in it.
Your love has always been our lives’ foundation,
your fidelity has been the roof over our world.
You once said, “I joined forces with my chosen leader,
I pledged my word to my servant, David, saying,
‘Everyone descending from you is guaranteed life;
I’ll make your rule as solid and lasting as rock.’”
God! Let the cosmos praise your wonderful ways,
the choir of holy angels sing anthems to your faithful ways!
Search high and low, scan skies and land,
you’ll find nothing and no one quite like God.
The holy angels are in awe before him;
he looms immense and awesome over everyone around him.