詩篇第八九篇是一首悲嘆大衛王朝崩潰的詩篇。詩人祈求上帝要依照祂的應許使它復原。這一詩篇的作者名叫以探，身份不明；可能是巴比倫戰敗南國猶大，大衛的後裔約雅斤王在幼年被擄受辱時（第38至45節；王下24：8~16）。詩人知道上帝與大衛所立的約，應許大衛有一個歷史長久的王朝；事實上，他把上帝向大衛說的應許濃縮成二節經文（第3至4節；撒下7：11~16）。

        以探雖感焦慮，卻很有信心，因為他知道，上帝是信實的，滿有慈愛的心，在過去就已得到明證，因為上帝不斷地拯救過祂的百姓，例如拯救祂的百姓脫離喇哈（也即指埃及）。他也知道，沒有一個人可與上帝相比，因為祂是天地的創造主，統治宇宙的君王。那些認識祂，並用愉悅聲音讚美祂的人，都有福氣被祂臉上的光照亮；因此，祂會像高舉及鼓勵大衛一樣，也高舉及鼓勵他們（第14至18節）。以探相信，上帝寶座的基石就是公義和公正，以及憐憫與真理就是祂的特使（第14節）。上帝從來沒有對大衛說過假話，因而詩人相信，上帝一定會對大衛實踐祂所作的應許；但是他困惑不解的是，為什麼不再有大衛的後裔在耶路撒冷作王。

        上帝對大衛──祂揀選及膏立的王──所作的應許，已經在大衛之子，耶穌基督的身上得到完全的應驗。祂是最後一位被上帝「膏立的王」（意指彌賽亞），以上帝長子的身份來到世上（羅8：29；西1：15、18；來1：16；12：23；啟1：5），以及祂向上帝呼喊：「您是我的父」（第26至27節；約17：1、5、11、21、24~25）。由於上帝在耶穌基督裡的完全啟示，我們明白，上帝已對大衛實踐了祂的應許，但是詩人祇能盼望與禱告。以探知道，上帝在鞭策大衛的後裔，但是他也知道，祂的慈愛不會離開他們，因為上帝曾宣稱：「我必不背棄我的約，也不改變我口中所出的」（第34節）。就像我們在很多詩篇中見到的，詩人以探腦海中最大的問題乃是：「耶和華啊，這要到幾時呢？」（第46節）上帝的憤怒要到何時才止息呢？人們所能做的就是以盼望的心等候上帝的救恩，也是後來他們所盼望的彌賽亞。誠然，上帝是不會背棄祂與大衛所立的約。新約聖經的第一章就指出耶穌，這位彌賽亞如何成為大衛之子，以及地上的教會都教訓他們的信徒：祂就是上帝在聖經中所作應許的應驗（羅1：2~4）。

        父啊，我們感謝您，因為您在聖經中賜給我們寶貴的應許，而且您總是信守您的應許。我們今天要用歌聲讚美您，並且要向那些毀約的人傳揚您的信實。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        Psalm 89 is a lament over the downfall of the Davidic dynasty. The psalmist pleads for God to restore it according to His promise. The identification of the psalmist, named Ethan, is uncertain, but he may have lived at the time when Babylon defeated the southern kingdom of Judah and when king Jehoiachin, a decendant of David, was put to shame and taken prisoner while still in his youth (vv. 38-45; 2 Kings 24:8-16). The psalmist, however, knew of God's covenant with David to give him an enduring dynasty; in fact, he quotes a condensed version of the promise the Lord spoke to David (vv. 3-4; 2 Samuel 7:11-16).

        Ethan is concerned and yet confident, because he knows that God is faithful and full of loving-kindness which had been proved over and over again by His delivering the nation in the past, such as from Rahab (a name which refers to Egypt). He also knows that nothing can be compared to God, who is the Creator and sole Sovereign over the whole world. Those who serve Him and know the joyful sound of His praises are blessed with the light of His countenance upon them and are thus continually joyful, strengthened, and exalted by Him, as was king David (vv. 14-18). Ethan affirms that the foundation of God's throne is righteousness and justice, and that mercy and truth are His emissaries (v. 14). God could never have spoken falsely to David, and therefore the psalmist believes that God will indeed fulfill His promise to David; but he was confused to see that there was no longer a king from the line of David reigning in Jerusalem.

        The promises of God to David, His chosen and anointed one, have been fulfilled in the great Son of David, Jesus Christ. He was the ultimate "anointed one" (meaning "Messiah") who came as the first-born of God (Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15,18; Heb. 1:6; 12:23; Rev. 1:5) and who cried out to Him: "You are My father" (vv. 26-27; John 17:1, 5,11, 21, 24-25). With the fuller revelation of God in Jesus Christ, we understand how God fulfilled His promise to David, but the psalmist could only hope and pray. Ethan understood that God was chastising the sons of David, but he also knew that His loving-kindness would not be utterly taken away, for the Lord declared, "My covenant I will not break", and truly, God cannot lie (v. 34). The big question in Ethan's mind, as is often seen in the psalms, is: "How long, Lord?" (v. 46). When would God's wrath cease? All they could do was wait expectantly for the salvation of the Lord, which later came to be their hope for the Messiah. Truly, God did not break His covenant with David. The first chapter of the New Testament shows how Jesus the Messiah was the Son of David, and the early church taught that He was the fulfilment of God's promises in the Holy Scriptures (Romans 1:2-4).

        Thank You, Father, for the precious promises You have given us in Your Word, which You are always faithful to keep. We desire today to sing Your praises and declare Your faithfulness to a world that knows the heartache of only broken promises.