Deeper Christian Life Ministry – Search The Scripture 30 May 2021 (Lesson 1002)

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Topic: Our Covenant-Keeping God (STS 30 May 2021)

MEMORY VERSE: “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips” (Psalm 89:34).

TEXT: Psalms 86 to 89

The Scripture teems with testimonials of God’s enduring faithfulness to humanity and all creation. He keeps covenant. Although man may default, He constantly honours His side of the pact with humanity, especially with His redeemed people (Deut 4:31).

A covenant is a solemn agreement with certain binding conditions which both parties must fulfil for its benefits to be appropriated. God established several covenant promises with His people like Noah (Genesis 6:18), Abraham (Genesis 15:18; 17:2-10), Israel (Exodus 6:4,5) and David (2 Chronicles 7:18). New Testament believers are in a new and better covenant relationship with the Lord, which is accompanied by great promises (Hebrews 8:6-13).

In this study, the psalmist acknowledged the Lord as a covenant-keeping God, who keeps mercy for His faithful children in days of sorrow and distress, and would by no means fail to answer whenever they call on Him (Psalm 86:5-7). Worthy of note is that although the psalmist expressed strong lamentation about his present calamitous state, the Lord still said, “my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips” (Psalm 89:34).

Question 1: How can a believer benefit from the covenant blessings?

1. GOD’S MERCIES AND BELIEVERS’ READINESS TO WALK IN THE TRUTH
   Psalms 86:1-17; 87:1-7; Deut 4:31; 2 Chro 30:9; Psalms 103:8; 56:1,3,9,11,13; 57:1-3; 119:33-40; 25:4-7,10,15-20; 143:10-12; 48:1-3
   “Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily” (Psalm 86:1-3). The psalmist, with great lamentation, poured out his heart to the Lord, to seek help from the merciful One. His confidence was premised on the commitment of his soul to Him in consecration and trust. Believers’ prayers and consecration to the Lord should not be confined to periods of sorrow and distress; they are to “…pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) and without fainting. He will always answer when they call. “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17). Answers to prayers are only possible through faith in God’s supremacy and power to help and liberate in hours of grief and calamity.

“Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name” (Psalm 86:11). The psalmist was determined to focus exclusively on God and His precepts. He desired to consecrate the totality of his mind, heart, soul and strength on Him as his Deliverer. With a willing heart and never wanting to be tossed to and fro with error and traditions of men, he pleaded with the Lord to teach and unite his heart with His.

Christ is the Way and believers must learn to walk in and with Him. But we cannot walk aright unless He teaches us, leads and holds our hands in the way. However, if we expect God to teach us, we must resolve to be governed entirely by His teachings (Isaiah 2:3). We must have a willing disposition with an upright and “united heart” – not divided between God and the world. Our hearts must be firmly fixed, faithful and fervent in serving the Lord with understanding and commitment. Like the psalmist, believers should persistently pray for grace to unite their hearts to serve the Lord single-mindedly with commitment to make heaven.

Question 2: What is the significance of a pure heart in a believer’s walk with the Lord?

The psalmist pleaded for divine strength to save him from the hand of those seeking his ruin: “…give the strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid” (Psalm 86:16). He was confident of the fact that God is Proprietor from whom he may expect protection at all times (Psalm 27:1-3). Because of His compassionate nature, He is willing to fight for believers who confidently put their trust in Him. They should therefore pray like the psalmist that God would manifest His mighty works in their lives to serve as a signal to their enemies that He will not forsake them (Deuteronomy 3:22; 20:4).

“His foundation is in the holy mountains. The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God” (Psalm 87:1-3). The psalmist painted a picture of Zion as a glorious and admirable city, which is a type of the glorious Church. The Church has a foundation, laid by God. Like the foundation of Zion, which was upon the holy mountains, holiness is the strength and stability of the Church and keeps it from sinking. The Lord has a particular affection for the Church because it is His spouse purchased by His blood; He will never allow the gates of hell to prevail against it (Matt 16:18).

The Church is ecclesia, and refers to people with the garment of righteousness waiting for the return of the bridegroom. To preserve the strength and power of God in the church, the holiness foundation should not be compromised with sin and traditions of this world. The Almighty God and His power can only be manifested among the congregation of holy people. To be part of this glorious spiritual Church, sinners must be converted and adopted into His holy family. Everyone that shall be part of it must be born again. “The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there” (Psalm 87:6).

2. GRIEF AND PRAYER OF DELIVERANCE FROM A DEPRESSED SOUL
   Psalms 88:1-18; 31:12-16; 28:1-3; Job 19:13-16; James 5:13; Habak 2:3; Psalm 30:5
   “O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave” (Psalm 88:1-3). The psalmist was under great grief and was saturated with a sorrowful spirit, troubled mind, and at the brink of despair. He saw himself as a dying, troubled man with a broken heart and without any hope of escape. In his deepest state of grief, he presumably attributed his misery to the manifestation of God’s displeasure against him. His affliction was compounded by the bitter truth that his friends deserted him and made themselves strangers to him. He was confused and troubled seeing those he expected comfort and sympathy from, abandoning him in pains.

However, the sorrowful experience did not make him charge his friends with treachery and ingratitude; rather, he took his complaints to God. When we are downcast or at our wit’s end, the best place to go is the presence of the Lord who understands our deepest pains. Our trusted friends, acquaintances and even brethren may disappoint, but our best Friend, Jesus, will not. Believers should not put their trust and confidence in any man, because they may abandon them when the going gets tense (Psalm 118:8,9; Proverbs 25:19).

Question 3: What should be a believer’s attitude when neglected by friends and relatives in their hour of sorrow or affliction?

The psalmist looked upon his predicament as helpless, yet he never allowed it to hinder him from praying to God. He gave himself to prayer earnestly, frequently and constantly in spite of the afflictions. “O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee… LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee” (Psalm 88:1,9). Grief and sorrow should not hinder us from praying. Believers must cry day and night unto the Lord because the faithful covenant-keeping God will hear their prayers and wipe away their tears (Isaiah 38:5).

The psalmist remonstrates with God concerning his present deplorable condition of pains and sorrow: “Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” (Psalm 88:10-12). This act of remonstration should not be seen as a language of despair or doubt that God could not help, but a plea for speedy relief. The Lord is gracious, good and always willing to fulfil His promises to His children. Although He may sometimes delay to answer, He remains a covenant-keeping One, who will faithfully answer at the appropriate time. “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Believers should understand the possibility of trials, temptations and affliction when they occur and not consider them strange, but persevere in righteousness and prayer (1 Peter 4:12-16). The psalmist resolved to continue instant in prayer despite the delay and deferment of his deliverance. Though a believer’s prayer may not be answered immediately, he or she must not give up (Habakkuk 2:3). Sometimes, it may be a test of his patience and perseverance in prayer.

3. GOD’S GREATNESS AND FAITHFULNESS TO HIS COVENANT PROMISES
   Psalms 89:1-52; 19:1; 97:1-6; 44:8-18; 1 Cor 1:9; 1 Thess 5:24

The burden of this psalm is that precious promises had been made to David, but they seemed to be at the verge of being disannulled. But the psalmist quickly realized that God is ever faithful to His promises and he resolved to begin with praises to His ever-established faithfulness. “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens” (Psalm 89:1,2). Believers must realise that God can never forget His promise towards them.

The psalmist extols the glory and perfection of God as a symbol of His greatness and faithfulness (Psalm 89:5-14). He focused on the power of God over the strongest of nations which had no choice but to succumb to His authority. His sovereignty over all creation is here revealed. One, He rules and reigns over the sea and the raging waves. Two, He breaks the strongest of oppositions and rebellious nations. Three, His strength and power enable Him to enforce justice, equity and fairness, where necessary.

Thus, God’s greatness and wonderful works in heaven and earth have made the glorious inhabitants of heaven to celebrate Him continually. To praise God is to acknowledge Him as a Being of unparalleled perfection; such a One who has no rival and can never have an equal. To praise Him is to honour and adore Him with absolute surrender and submission to the dictate of His will in every situation. God is a God of love and must be feared by all creatures both in heaven and earth.

Question 4: Why is God incomparable to other beings and why should believers surrender to Him absolutely?

As believers, we must relate with God in worship with reverential fear as a mark of loyalty and obedience to His word. To fear Him is to abstain from all appearance of evil and live a blameless life daily (Proverbs 16:6). Those who serve Him acceptably with pure hearts reverence Him with godly fear (Hebrews 12:28).

“I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him” (Psalm 89:20). The covenant God made with David that his throne shall be established forever encompasses many great and precious promises. Believers in Christ have become part of that covenant through the redemptive work of Christ at Calvary. We stand to enjoy the provisions of that covenant so long as we fulfil the terms. The benefits of this sure, steadfast and everlasting covenant include: divine security, victory over our enemies, power over principalities and powers, abundant provision, divine enablement and strength, forgiveness and mercy, enlargement and territorial expansion, exaltation and promotion, etc. Above these is the promise of answers to prayers. “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation” (Psalm 89:26).

God promised to be faithful to His covenant. “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips” (Psalm 89:34). He is a covenant-keeping One, who will never suffer His faithfulness to fail. If His children default, He will discipline or visit their iniquity upon them, but His mercy will not be utterly taken away. He will be true to His promises as the moon is established in the heavens (Psalm 89:37). The fulfilment of His promises is by grace. Believers can only receive the covenant blessings of God by living a consistent righteous life.

Question 5: How can believers continue to enjoy God’s unfailing promises?

“But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground” (Psalm 89:38,39). The children of Israel at this time of their history were cast into captivity as a result of their disobedience. In their depressed and melancholic state in the land of captivity, they felt God had nullified His covenant and terminated the crown of David. Israel became a nation that was mocked by the world for being taken out of their land. God withdrew His protection from them and they became a prey to their enemies as a result of their sins. After several years of pains in captivity, Israel realized that they were being punished for their apostasy. Thus, they pleaded with God to fulfil His promise and return them to their land. “How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?” (Psalm 89:46).

God did remember His former mercies as a covenant-keeping One and thus returned Israel from captivity to the land. Believers should learn from the miserable experience of Israel that there is no scriptural basis for eternal security. God will not continue to secure anyone who continues in sin without repentance. And, backsliders and apostate persons who realize their sinful and deplorable spiritual state and turn to the Lord genuinely will receive mercy and forgiveness.