You have made his glory cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth You have shortened; You have covered him with shame. Selah. (Psalm 89:44-45)
In the previous devotion, we addressed how the House of David was likened to the sun and moon in terms of brightness but also subject to diminishing in that brightness. On that note, immediately after the verses highlighted in the previous devotion, the psalmist seems to launch into a lengthy condemnation of God, almost accusing Him of abandoning the oath He had made to David and his offspring. It is so brassy, in fact, that one esteemed Jewish teacher of old refused to read or recite it. Admittedly, the words revealed the composers response to the difficulty and hardship that the people of God experienced in a time when the House of David, like the cycle of the moon, was waning.
I find the statement, “You have covered him with shame,” especially interesting. It stands out because, in the beginning when Adam and Eve sinned against God, before sending them out of the garden, God clothed them with coats of skin. Apparently, innocent animals were slain and their hides used to clothe the couple’s nakedness — in other words, God covered their shame. Compare that with the psalmist’s claim that, in the case of David’s offspring, He had “covered him with shame.” Given that many of David’s offspring abandoned the ways of their father and did what was right in their own eyes, it is not surprising that they would be allowed to suffer the shame that is part and parcel of rebellion.
Still, the same psalmist who lauded praises on the God of Israel also questions God on why He permitted such suffering to visit those He swore to protect. Somewhat like Moses, who boldly reminded the Creator (as if He needed to be reminded) of the promises made to His faithful servants, the psalmist juxtaposes what God had promised with what was happening at the time. That words such as these have been preserved as Scripture is fascinating because it allows us to see that those of old are just like us — human. It also allows us to see that God doesn’t shrink away or try to cover up the words and deeds of His people when we behave in a very human way. As a friend of mine used to say, a lot of the Bible is descriptive, not necessarily prescriptive. He allows us to see everything as it is — raw and laid bare.
That being said, it bears noting that the psalm ends with this statement — “Blessed be the Lord forevermore!” He gives and He takes away; He raises up and He tears down according to His Will. We may never completely understand the how and why of what He does but one thing is for sure — the Lord is always just, always righteous, always holy and, yes, always merciful and forgiving. Even when it seems that everything happening to us conflicts with what He has promised us, He is forever true. There will be times when it doesn’t seem that way, and we may feel the need to get some things off our chest so to speak; but let us remain committed to this truth — He is good. “Blessed be the Lord forevermore!”
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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