Psalm 89: Sing of God's great grace!

Captain Marie Karičková believes God is worthy of our trust, even in the hardest times.

Key text

• Psalm 89

Some days, singing is easy. Life feels steady, prayers are answered and God feels close. Other days are harder. Things go wrong, prayers seem unanswered, and we quietly ask: ‘God, where are you?’ Psalm 89 speaks to both situations; it starts with confidence but ends in struggle.

The main truth is that God’s grace never changes. The psalm begins with a statement of faith: ‘I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations’ (v1).

This is not just a poem – it is a choice. The psalmist chooses to sing because God is faithful, not because life is easy.

The word ‘love’ here refers to God’s covenantal love – a faithful, committed love that does not depend on what we do. The psalmist continues: ‘I will declare that your love stands firm for ever, that you have established your faithfulness in Heaven itself’ (v2). This is the foundation of faith. God’s grace does not depend on our circumstances, but it depends on who God is. God’s promise to David shows this: ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, “I will establish your line for ever”’ (vv3 and 4).

In verses 5 to 13, the psalmist recognises the power and majesty of our Creator – the awesome Lord God Almighty – who rules over the heavens and the earth and is worthy of praise.

There is none like him.

God’s rule is righteous and just, and he is known for his love and faithfulness (see v14). He is someone worth keeping close to (see v15). He brings his people joy as they celebrate his provision and protection (see vv16–18).

The psalmist remembers God’s grace in choosing, anointing and equipping David to be their king. God promises to sustain him, strengthen him, save him from his enemies, love him, empower him and keep the covenant he made with him because God is always true to his word (see vv21–28).

Even when humans fail, God promises: ‘I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness’ (v33). God’s grace is strong. It is patient, steady and lasting.

We recognise that Psalm 89 also shows struggle. There is a sense that the psalmist feels that the Lord has abandoned the king and the nation (see vv38–45). ‘But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one’ (v38). The psalmist sees a world that does not match God’s promises. The king is defeated. The nation suffers. God’s covenant seems to fail.

We understand this feeling. We know what it is like to pray and not see answers, to hope and be disappointed, to believe but struggle. Psalm 89 shows it is okay to bring these feelings to God. Faith is not pretending everything is fine; it is holding on to God even when life is hard. The psalmist asks God: ‘How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself for ever?’ (v46). This is not unbelief – it is honesty in relationship. God is not afraid of our questions. He welcomes honesty and heartfelt cries.

In his book A Case for the Psalms, theologian NT Wright comments that the Psalms teach us to pray truthfully. They give words for praise and pain; real faith includes both.

Perhaps we can identify with the psalmist, who is desperately trying to understand his sense of God being absent in the midst of suffering. He even dares to remind God of his promises: ‘Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David?’ (v49). This is bold prayer, but it is rooted in trust. The psalmist is not rejecting God, but he is appealing to God’s character.

In I Believe in Evangelism, David Watson writes: ‘Faith is not the absence of doubt, but the decision to trust God in the midst of it.’ This shows that faith can be quiet. Sometimes, faith is simply choosing to trust, even in struggle. In his book In Darkest England and the Way Out, William Booth wrote about faith that lasts, the kind of faith that ‘does not depend on circumstances but stays firm in conviction’.

As we come to the end of the psalm, there is no clear answer. Nothing changes visibly. But the psalmist ends with: ‘Praise be to the Lord for ever! Amen and Amen’ (v52).

He chooses to praise, not because it all makes sense, but because God is worthy. This is singing of God’s great grace. Not just singing when we feel happy, but trusting God when life is hard.

Holiness teacher Samuel Logan Brengle wrote about faith tested in real life. True faith grows in struggle and is kept by grace.

Psalm 89 reminds us: God’s grace is constant, even when life is not; God’s promises remain, even when we don’t understand; faith can include questions without losing trust; praise can be a choice, not just a feeling.

Maybe, today, singing is not easy. And that is OK. Singing of God’s grace means holding on to a faithful God. Maybe the song is quiet. Maybe it is simply ‘Lord, I still trust you’.

God’s grace does not fail. His love still stands firm. He is still holding us.

In Sermons on Several Occasions, John Wesley comments that grace not only brings us to God but also keeps us close to him. Faith starts and continues with grace. This idea shaped The Salvation Army. God’s grace is not only for us to receive, but also for us to live out in faith and service.