Doxology after Despair
from Psalm 89
Doxology after Despair, Psalm 89. Who among us cannot identify with the Psalmist? How many times do we have great times of fellowship and praise with fellow believers in the House of the Lord, and then only a few hours later are filled with despair over the circumstances of our life?
Praise be to the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen.
Psalm 89:52, KJV
Doxology after Despair
Psalm 89
As the second book of Psalms is completed, another doxology of praise to the Lord is proclaimed. This is a rather interesting Psalm. It begins with great honor and praise to the Lord for His great love, continues with a great wrenching of the soul, and concludes with the doxology shown above.
1 I will sing of the LORD's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
Psalm 89:1 & 2, KJV
This
Psalm begins with a very familiar verse and continues by recounting the
great things God has done for His people. The mood shifts, however, at
verse 38.
38 But you have rejected, you have spurned,
you have been very angry with your anointed one.
39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant
and have defiled his crown in the dust.
Psalm 89:38 & 39, KJV
Who
among us cannot identify with the Psalmist? How many times do we have
great times of fellowship and praise with fellow believers in the House
of the Lord, and then only a few hours later are filled with despair
over the circumstances of our life? That despair, then, often turns to
complaining against the Lord for His providence in our lives.
But,
how does the story end? After the despair and complaining set in, what
do we do? At one moment we can feel so strong in the Lord, and yet in
the very next moment we are filled with complaints against this same
God.
Now,
read the doxology shown above again. The Psalm ended with praise to
God! In other words, Psalm 89:52 is a perfect example of a Doxology after Despair. That is the essence of a close walk with the Lord; though
encompassed by circumstances he could not understand, the Psalmist ends
with praises to God.
The
psalm ends with praise, even after this sad complaint. Those who give
God thanks for what he has done, may give him thanks for what he will
do. God will follow those with his mercies, who follow him with praises. (from Mathew Henry's Concise Commentary)
Praise be to the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen.
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