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1) Recently I was arrested by an insight gleaned from Eugene Peterson; for in my reading of Peterson, I read these words: “The story in which God does his saving work arises among a people whose primary experience of God is his absence. We are made to face this at the very outset of Exodus when we realize that these people have been in Egyptian slavery for over 430 years. Where was God all this time?” Moreover, Peterson then suggests that this absence is normative, particularly as in those oft-repeated questions of the Psalms, Why, O’ Lord? How long, O’ Lord? Given these questions, this morning, we return to our consideration of various psalms taken from the lectionary, and in particular Ps.89: 20-37. Therefore, I invite us i) to consider the promise of Ps.89: 20-37 and its fulfillment; then ii) to consider the context of these verses, only then iii) to raise the question: Will you celebrate Christmas this week?

2) First, as we consider Ps.89: 20-37, we can readily make this observation: these verses speak of what the Lord has done and of what He will do, first in relation to David and then in relation to David’s descendants. In vs.20-27, the Lord claims to have “found” David and to have anointed him; moreover, with this finding, He then promises that He will always be with David, that He will crush David’s enemies, and that He will exalt David. In light of these promises, a slight transition then occurs, whereby in vs.28-37 the Lord affirms His steadfast-love for David, and then promises that David’s line will continue forever. Most remarkable, however, is this: twice, if not three times, the Lord declares that He will establish David’s line forever, and as many times He vows, “I will not remove my steadfast love,” “I will not violate my covenant,” “I will not alter [my] word,” “I will not lie to David.” Furthermore, even though David’s descendants might prove false, the Lord will not break His promise. Oh, they will suffer the consequences of their misdeeds; but the Lord will not renege. His covenant with David (i.e. this Davidic Covenant) will stand forever.
Clearly, this is an astounding promise or covenant—and this is even more so, as seen from the perspective of the NT; for in the New Covenant, the writers of that Covenant made certain to establish that Jesus, born of Mary, was not only of the line of David but was the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. For example, Matthew asserted that Jesus was “the son of David;” Luke established that Jesus was born in the “city of David;” and Paul proclaimed that Jesus was “a descendent of David.” As a fulfillment of Ps.89, ringing throughout the NT is this chorus: The God of Israel is faithful, His steadfast-love is sure—and most sure in Jesus Christ, the One whom Gabriel described to Mary by these words: “The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.” This is great and grand news: God is faithful; He is true to His word; Jesus is the fulfillment of that word. For this reason the song writer wrote: “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere … that Jesus Christ is born.” If you hear nothing else this morning, hear this: Given Ps.89, Christmas means that God is faithful.

3) Now secondly this morning, we must consider the broader context of Ps.89, and when we do, we will make this observation: Psalm 88 concludes with these words, “Your wrath has swept over me; your dread assaults destroy me;” whereas Ps.89 begins with these words, “I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations;” only for v.38 of our passage to continue with these words, “But now you have spurned and rejected him; you are full of wrath against your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust.” In other words, the immediate context of our passage is a personal cry of desperation and abandonment; then words lauding the Lord’s greatness and steadfast love; and then a scathing rebuke of national abandonment. Ps.88 is a personal cry, “You have been unfaithful to me, O’ Lord;” Ps.89 begins in song, “I will sing of your steadfast love … to all generations;” whereas as Ps.89 concludes in lament, “You have been unfaithful to us, O’ Lord.”
Scholars debate the unity of this psalm, its liturgical use and its historic setting; but whatever these might be, it seems to me that the power of Ps.89 is its juxtaposition of two fundamental truths: those who believe invariably experience painful abandonment, both individually and corporately; and those who believe, continue to sing of their Lord’s covenantal faithfulness.

4) And so thirdly this morning, a question for you: Will you celebrate Christmas this week? To give meaning to this question, I return to the insight of Eugene Peterson: the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, but afterwards was silent during 430 years of slavery; the Lord made a covenant with David, but then the nation of Israel fell, and the line of David, according to Ps.89, ended. Clearly, for those who covenant with the Lord, life is not always easy—in fact, much of the time it is difficult; clearly, for those who covenant with the Lord, His promises are not always easily understood or seen—in fact, historic occurrences might seem to contradict His promises; but equally clearly, those who covenant with the Lord are given historic signs of His faithfulness, signs which shape and direct, giving meaning to the past and hope for the future and strength for the present. And of course, the greatest of these signs is the covenant-sign of the Cross and the Empty Tomb foreshadowed at Jesus’ Birth, a covenant-sign which incorporates, fulfills and radically expands the previous covenants, for this New Covenant has been sealed by the very Life, Blood and Spirit of God. However, that covenant was made nearly 2000 years ago, and since then many faithful have perished—and many faithful to the present know pain.

5) I might not know your present experience: it might be that, wherever you turn you see our Lord’s steadfast faithfulness as exhibited in your home, your job, your relationships, your finances, your health, your children; conversely, it might be that wherever you turn, those signs which once promised His faithfulness (i.e. your car, your pregnancy, your surgery) are now reminders of pain and abandonment. But recognize, whichever might be your experience, both are the experience of faith, if you are led by that experience to share your heart and mind with the Lord of Creation; for in that sharing, the Lord delights in and inhabits the praise of His people, and in that sharing, He hears their sorrows and shares in them—which is exactly the meaning of Christmas. And so, I have an assignment this week: take time to sing Christmas carols. When you do, you will discover that so many speak of life and death, sorrow and joy—and of our Lord’s faithfulness throughout. Ps.89 concludes with these words: “Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen and Amen.” Whatever your present experience, this week sing Christmas carols.