Psalm 89

Year B

Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 21, 2014

Title: Restore us with Love

Cross~Wind

Going deeper

Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26

            Psalm 89 is a royal Psalm. It comes from the time of exile. The title says, “For Ethan.” In I Kings 5:11 he is a sage whose wisdom Solomon surpassed. In I Chronicles 2:6 he is one of the Levitical singers in the temple.

            As I reflect with you for a few moments on this Psalm, I want you to keep in mind that the New Testament looked at Psalms like this, that speak of a special covenant with King David and his descendants, as a way of understanding the special relationship between Jesus as the Son of God and his heavenly Father. In fact, from a human point of view, what the singer says of the covenant with David could have no fulfillment. However, the New Testament will say that in Jesus, such a hope will find its fulfillment.

            Psalm 89, 1-18 is a hymn of praise to God. The opening four verses are powerful.

I will sing [a common expression of devotion, such singing occurring for teaching purposes] of your steadfast love,[chesed, literally, meaning the loving acts of the Lord. Its characteristic feature is that the recipient has no claim on such love and is there a gift of grace and such love is persistent even if the recipient fails to reciprocate] O Lord, forever;

with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.

I declare that your steadfast love is established [the building of a house] forever;

your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, [Here is the election of an individual to accomplish the plan of God]

I have sworn to my servant David:

"I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.' " (Selah) [The singer picks out the promise to David as a significant aspect of the steadfast love and faithfulness of the Lord.]

In verses 5-7, the singer remains confident in the power of God. The heavens praise the wonders of the Lord and the constancy in the gathering of the faithful. Nature is a testimony to the Lord. Angels cannot compare to the Lord, so even if we reflect on angels, the focus is still on God. In verses 8-18, the congregation joins the hymn of praise in nature. The heavens belong to the Lord as well as the earth, and the Lord has established it all. Verses 19-37 tell us again of the promise to David. Please take note of the basic friendly relationship between God and king. The king responds by recalling the promise of God to David. Human sin will not end the covenant. The singer continues reflecting on the Lord’s gracious acts toward Israel.  

Then you spoke in a vision [only occurrence in the Psalms, but one does find it the writings of the prophets] to your faithful one, [a prophet]

and said: "I have set the crown on one who is mighty,

I have exalted one chosen from the people.

I have found [the notion of the Lord looking for and finding David is unusual and occurs only here] my servant David;

with my holy oil [described in Exodus 30:22-33, where it referred to the sacral anointing of the Tent of Meeting, the Ark of the Covenant, the table and its utensils, the basin, and the priests] I have anointed him;

my hand shall always remain with him;

my arm also shall strengthen him.

²² The enemy shall not outwit him,

the wicked shall not humble him.

²³ I will crush his foes before him

and strike down those who hate him.

²⁴ My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;

and in my name his horn shall be exalted.

²⁵ I will set his hand on the sea

and his right hand on the rivers.

²⁶ He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,[divine adoption of the king by the Lord is an important element of the place of the king within the covenant, even though we find it hear, in Psalm 2:7, and II Samuel 7:14. The Old Testament viewed this relationship as important, but held it in tension with the position of the priest and the prophet. The Lord worked through them all. This was a way the Lord could work to correct abuses of the position each had within the covenant.

my God, and the Rock of my salvation!’ 

The Psalm will continue with the warning that if the children of David forsake the covenant, the Lord will maintain the covenant. Yet, writing from the time of exile, it at least looks like God has rejected the covenant with David. He wonders how long the anger of the Lord will remain. The singer even reminds the Lord of how short his time actually is. Yet, the Psalm ends with the affirmation “Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen. Amen.”  

Introduction

What's the craziest thing you have ever done for love?

To what lengths would you go for the one you love?

Has love ever inspired you to make some vaguely ridiculous, over-the-top actions or declarations?

Try this: youtube.com/watch?v=pnVAE91E7kM. Time: 6:59. The Content: "The Greatest Marriage Proposal EVER!!!"

Slightly silly, romantic stories of elaborate marriage proposals pop up in the news from time to time.

A young boyfriend, for example, paid to have his proposal flashed across the jumbotron at a baseball game. Another creative spirit invited his girlfriend into a small plane so that they could have a bird's-eye view of a hayfield where the farmer had mown out the words "marry me." Another guy took the risk of proposing to his girlfriend on live morning television as millions watched. One gal who was tired of waiting for her turtle-paced boyfriend to pop the question, baked a cake with an engagement ring on top.

Graciela, a 27-year-old architect from Manhattan, received a marriage proposal while floating in zero gravity over 20,000 feet above the earth. She and her fiancé, Alex, had boarded the special flight to celebrate her birthday. By flying nearly perpendicular to the earth, the plane briefly creates zero-G effects. In planning the stunt, Alex's one worry was that the ring might float away, mid-flight. It didn't. Graciela said yes.

At a 4th of July family picnic, Malissa looked on as her fiancé, Todd, launched himself off a platform above a swimming pool. He was completely engulfed in flames at the time, having had a friend set his gasoline-soaked clothing on fire. Don't worry -- everything turned out fine. Todd's friend, Eric Barkley, is a well-known professional stunt man who has done this sort of thing many times for movie roles. He let Todd borrow a hooded, flame-retardant suit of clothing and carefully supervised the whole procedure. Emerging from the pool, Todd knelt at Malissa's feet and said, "Malissa, you make me hot. I want to get the point across that I'm on fire for you." Okay, maybe that's not the best reason for marriage, but it got Malissa's attention. She said yes. (By the way, do NOT try this at home.)

Sean enlisted more than a dozen friends to assist with his proposal to Betsy. He gave each friend a black umbrella. On each of them he'd painted a single, large letter in white paint. After inviting Betsy to join him for a walk in the park, the two looked on as a crowd began to assemble, all carrying umbrellas – even though it was a sunny day. They formed themselves into a line, and on a signal, all went down on one knee, laying their open umbrellas on the ground in front of them. The letters spelled out, "Will you marry me?" Betsy turned to Sean: "Oh, look, somebody's getting married!" It was then she noticed he, too, was down on one knee, holding out a ring to her. She said yes. 

Each of these people took a risk; these gestures could have gone dramatically wrong. Instead, these unique ideas had the desired effect (the answer was yes!), which reminds the romantics among us that daring openly to express our love can have wonderfully satisfying results.

It is not just fresh, new love that encourages dramatic displays of devotion. Love can invite sacrifice and determination at any age and under many circumstances. Consider the father who, after a long day of out-of-town business meetings, drives all night to avoid missing his first grader's school play. Or the mother who sits at her desk every day to write to her son during his yearlong deployment overseas. There is the insurance agent who donated his kidney when he discovered he was a match for his coworker in the next office cubicle. Even animals can demonstrate a humbling sense of loyalty and devotion; think about the beagle that refused to leave the site of a car accident that left its owners badly injured. Concerned neighbors fed the dog for weeks until the owners could finally reclaim this faithful animal that just wouldn't give up.

The Save My Marriage website ("Real help for couples whose marriage is headed for divorce") addresses this reality. Under the heading "Restoring the Love in Your Marriage" is a paragraph that reads: Many times when we've been in a marriage relationship for a long period of time, things begin to come to the forefront and make it seem like love is no longer the focus. Children, stress on the job, financial issues and lost intimacy can all make what used to be a loving marriage turn into what seems to be a loveless marriage. If you feel like you have reached rock bottom, maybe restoring love back in your marriage would be a great place to start. Here are a few starting points to consider .... The article goes on to make some practical suggestions. For more, see: savemymarriage.com/love/restoring-the-love-in-your-marriage/.

What would you do for the one you love? What would you not do for the one you love? There comes a time when it is not enough simply to declare love; words can seem empty without convincing actions to back them up. A constant theme in love songs is the celebration of tangible, visible devotion on display for all to see. Love's the thousand yellow ribbons on the old oak tree; it's Marvin Gaye vowing that there's no mountain too high, no river too wide or any valley too low to keep him away from his beloved. This is what love looks like.

The actors in the hit Broadway show A Chorus Line reminisce about the often painful sacrifices they have made to serve their love of the stage and theater. They recall what they had to endure to achieve their goal of performing on stage; they reflect that they "did what we had to do. Won't forget, can't regret. What I did for love." The endless rehearsals, late hours, hard work, months of travel and bruised egos were an acceptable offering for the love which grew and flourished.

Here is a good reminder: 

Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams is greedy for immediate action, rapidly performed and in sight of all. Men will give their lives if only the ordeal does not last long but is soon over, with all looking on and applauding as if on the stage. But active love is labor and fortitude. --Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers  Karamazov (Macmillan, 1922), 55. 

Application

Christmas love

That kind of love demands courage. As we celebrate Advent and Christmas, we are fully aware of where God's love is leading us. The love might begin in the softly starlit manger, but it inevitably will lead to the harsh noonday sun reflecting on the Cross. God knows this, of course, but does not shy away from the pain that is coming. God's extravagant love is demonstrated in God's willingness to give sacrificially. God bestows the most precious gift, God's Son, knowing that this offering will not be appreciated, honored, or at times, even recognized. Yet God also sings, "can't regret what I did for love," as this love which is freely given is leading God's beloved children home.

The price is great, almost beyond measure. The gift of Christmas is that God looks at the cost without blinking. God does indeed care enough to send the very best. The best is the gift of Christ, this bundle of love wrapped in cloths hastily assembled in the lowliest of birth places. It's the gift -- 

- that makes the angels sing,

- the shepherds run to attention,

- the magi travel to worship and adore

- and it's the gift that continues to bless us even today 

God's love is an "always" love; the psalmist assures us that God is steadfast in devotion and faithfulness. This covenant is reminiscent of a marriage vow; the divine promise is to be faithful until parted by death and even beyond. This is not a conditional love. It is not a careful love. There is no prenuptial agreement here. This is dive in, take no prisoners, head-over-heels, no-holds-barred kind of love. God is willing to give Jesus the beloved on behalf of this fickle, unappreciative world. This is what God would do for love: God will offer that which is most precious.

The ferocity and strength of this love should bring to mind the pledge, spoken or unspoken, of parents across the globe when they catch the first glimpse of their newborn child. In that instant an unbreakable bond is formed with the understood vow, "I will always be there for you." It is fierceness like that of a tigress or a mother bear -- I will fight for you, if necessary. I will defend you with my blood, with my life and with all of my spirit.

Although this love will seek to protect and promises never to abandon, it does not and cannot promise an absence of danger, loss or stress. There will be foes, enemies and wicked ones who want to do harm. God promises that the love of God will never end; the evil that exists cannot prevail. It's not a gilded path free of pain or sorrow, but rather the accompaniment of faithfulness along a precarious journey; it's the promise of a love that is steadfast, strong and true. We can count on this love, no matter what comes. 

Conclusion

As cute and fanciful as the imaginative marriage proposals might be, it is this mature, lasting love that every couple really needs. Even if they are unaware of it at the blissful beginning, couples will need a love that is tough, enduring and prepared to meet obstacles head-on. They need a love that offers the armor and protection that is needed to see them through the ups and downs that await them down the road.

That love arrives in a deceptively simple package, laid in a manger, approachable by all who wish to encounter him. This gift and promise of God is for everyone. One could mistakenly believe that Advent is about a squishy, adorable baby who mysteriously appears annually at this time of year. Yet this child who is born to us, this Son who is given is the Savior of the world. The Advent season asks us to prepare our hearts to receive a love that is humbling in its passion and amazing in its depth.

God's love does not fade, weaken or diminish. It's offered to us fresh and new every day. What are we asked to do for this love?

Simply say "yes" to God who is always willing to give us more.