A Prayer for Perspective

Psalm 89

Scripture attests repeatedly that God shows himself strong when circumstances seem most dire.

Ligon Duncan

A perspective is a particular way of viewing things. When someone desires to look at objects far away, they use a telescope, which is designed through the use of lenses and mirrors, to make distant objects appear nearer. Likewise, if someone wanted to inspect a minute object, they would use a microscope to enlarge the object. Through what perspective, what way of viewing things, do we filter the sufferings and perplexities of life?

In Psalm 89, the psalmist, aware of God’s past steadfast love, faithfulness, and covenant commitment to His people, faces circumstances that make him feel as if God has broken His covenant with His people. It seems as though God has broken His promises. But he works through his questions with perspectives that can be helpful to us when we must think carefully about our own adversity.

A perspective of praise: He chooses to praise despite the perplexing realities that he and the whole community face (v.1-7). These praises continue for the first 37 verses of the psalm. That’s about 3/4 praise to 1/4 lament. That could be a helpful ratio when facing our sufferings. Praises should outnumber laments.

A perspective aware of God’s might and power (v.8-13). The psalmist repeatedly testified to the mighty arm and strong hand of the Lord, which has defeated enemies and governs both the heavens and the earth. That is our God. And His power is working mightily in and for us. “Scripture attests repeatedly that God shows himself strong when circumstances seem most dire” (Duncan).

A perspective based on His character of steadfast love and faithfulness (v.14-18). Thirteen times in the psalm, he uses the words “steadfast love” and “faithfulness.” Though he feels God has rejected His people, broken His covenant, and not been faithful to His promises to David, he repeats to himself that God is indeed a God of steadfast love and faithfulness. Is there a way it seems God has failed you in your suffering? Find in His Word the truth to counter those feelings of unbelief. We may feel a certain way, and express that to the Lord, but then we must counter that with the truth of His character declared to us in His Word.

A perspective that leans on the Rock of our salvation for support (v.19-26). The psalmist recounts how it was God’s hand that established David, and the Lord’s arm that strengthened him. David looked to God for help, crying to Him as his Father, God, and Rock of salvation (Psalm 89:21, 26). We, too, must continue to lean upon the Rock of Ages and look to Him for comfort, strength, and support.

A perspective informed by His promises (v.27-37). Although his circumstances made the psalmist feel God had forsaken them, he rehearsed God’s promises, and he recounted God’s very own words, “I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips…I will not lie” (89:34-35). Likewise, we have a Book filled with promises to strengthen our hope in our God, who not only will not lie, but cannot.

A perspective that submits to the sanctifying purposes of the discipline of our Father (v.38-45). The psalmist states that it is the Lord who has exalted their foes and caused them to be defeated. He recognizes the hand of the Lord in his afflictions. Charles Spurgeon says about “hours of perplexity,” “Wait in quiet patience, not rebelling because you are under the affliction but blessing your God for it” (Morning and Evening). In our affliction, we see God’s sovereignty over our lives, and through His Word we know His good purposes for us, and we can submit to the sanctifying purposes He has for us in our affliction.

A perspective that trusts God’s providence (v46-52). While still in the midst of suffering, the psalmist continues to cry out to his God. He continues to direct his prayers to the One he knows can overrule all the suffering and perplexity of his current situation. Even when things seemed most distressing, he continues to turn to the Lord. That’s the faith we must exercise. “God’s sovereignty helps us bear up under the perplexities of life” (Duncan).

Let’s pray through Psalm 89 for the right perspective for our current situations.

A perspective of praise

89:1-7 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?

Let’s pray:

▫️We would continue to sing of His steadfast love and make known with our mouths His faithfulness as we face the uncertainties of our circumstances.

▫️We would rejoice that, while our situation is looming before us and seems overwhelming, His steadfast love and faithfulness are larger and greater, reaching to the heavens.

▫️We would praise Him that we have been brought into the covenant of grace, through Christ, and He has “inexhaustible mercy waiting to be gracious to us” (Spurgeon).

A perspective aware of God’s might and power

89:8-9, 11, 13‬ O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.

Let’s pray:

▫️The Lord, who is mighty with faithfulness surrounding Him, would work His might and power in our difficulties. He would turn for good those things that only appear evil.

▫️Knowing the Lord rules the sea and takes charge of the rising and calming of its waves, we would know with certainty He rules the ups and downs of our situation and our hearts.

▫️All belongs to Him, the very heavens and earth, so we would trust His mighty arm and strong hand to govern our days that are confusing, and He governs the people and hearts involved.

A perspective based on His character of steadfast love and faithfulness

89:14-18 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Let’s pray:

▫️We would walk in the light of His face, even when things seem overwhelming and difficult, we would know He is for us and not against us because He has promised to be faithful.

▫️We would exult in His name and He would be the glory of our strength in the midst of these days.

▫️The Lord’s favor would be toward us to uphold and strengthen us, to give us hope and joy.

▫️He would surround us as with a shield, and we would come to Him as our hiding place and be surrounded by songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7).

A perspective that leans on the Rock of our salvation for support

89:19, 21, 23-24, 26‬ Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’

Let’s pray:

▫️We would turn to the Lord again and again and He would grant help to us and strengthen us.

▫️As we lean on the Lord for support, He would crush our foes. He would fight for us in the areas we are aware of and in the ones we cannot see.

▫️God’s faithfulness and steadfast love would be with us, and we would have faith to trust that He is working our situation out according to that steadfast love and faithfulness.

▫️In our trouble we would cry, “My Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.” We would trust our loving Father, our sovereign God, and our Rock.

A perspective informed by His promises

89:28, 33-35‬ ‭My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David.

Let’s pray:

▫️His promise of eternal, steadfast, covenant love to us would give us an assurance of our salvation, and we would know for sure that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He will fulfill all His promises to us.

▫️Though others may be deceiving, manipulative, or hypocritical, we can rely on the Lord’s trustworthy words that He will not be false to His faithfulness, even in times when it seems His faithfulness may have come to an end.

▫️The Lord would patiently keep reminding our hearts that He will not violate His covenant with us, nor alter His Word.

▫️When dishonesty, lies, or truth-twisting abound around us, it would cause us to rejoice even more that we have a God who will not lie.

A perspective that submits to the sanctifying purposes of the discipline of our Father

89:38-39, 42-44‬ But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not made him stand in battle. You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground.

Let’s pray:

▫️Though God’s hand may feel heavy upon us, we would humbly submit to His will, and trust that He will use these adversities to shape us and mature us.

▫️Though we may be weeping now, we would have hope because joy is coming (Psalm 30:5).

▫️We would learn well the lessons the Lord intends for us through these trials, and we would grow in trust, hope, contentment, and humility.

▫️We would be able to say with Job, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

A perspective that trusts God’s providence

89:46-52 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations, with which your enemies mock, O Lord, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed. Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.

Let’s pray:

▫️‬ ‭We would submit our lives to God’s good and mysterious providence (Duncan).

▫️We would come to the Lord honestly and humbly with our questions and expect that He will show Himself faithful yet again.

▫️We would continue to appeal to God’s great mercy and compassion, and we would watch expectantly for His answers to our perplexities.

▫️He would fill our hearts with all joy and peace in believing that we would abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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