I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. – Psalm 89:1 ESV

PAUSE
Taking a pause from the busyness of life doesn’t mean that a person needs to spend their time in silence. In fact, this would be a great moment to reflect on the ways that the Psalmist declares he will use his voice in this verse. As you reflect, consider how the Lord has shown his steadfast love and faithfulness in your life.

EFFECT
God’s goodness in our lives can be a pivotal catalyst for action. For Ethan the Ezrahite (the man who wrote Psalm 89), verbally sharing the story of God’s faithfulness is a natural byproduct of an authentic encounter with the love of God. As we prayerfully consider who God is asking us to share that story with, may we be quick to take action and point others to the source of love and faithfulness in our own lives.

APPLY
Who will I share the story of God’s faithfulness with?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” – Psalm 89:2 ESV

PAUSE
Notice that the Psalmist is again using his voice, but this time he reminds himself that God has established a covenant with David to keep his lineage on the throne forever. This covenant will lead to the Messiah arriving on the scene to deliver his people. Thankfully, this Messiah will make a way for both Jews and Gentiles to experience his steadfast love, so the beauty of this covenant is that through faith anyone can benefit from this promise!

EFFECT
After you have paused with the reality that you are counted among the benefactors of God’s love and faithfulness, why not act on the idea of using your voice to espouse the character of God? Far from being simply a declaration of your personal feelings about him, this practice engages the mind as you reflect on the theological nature of the God who would initiate a covenant relationship with humanity. Like the Psalmist, speak up regarding the hope you have – a hope that is completely rooted in his character because he is forever faithful.

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Who will I share the story of God’s faithfulness with?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

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
– Psalm 89:3-4 ESV

PAUSE
Potential energy is the stored force inside something that is available to be acted on. In order for potential energy to be changed into kinetic energy, it requires a catalyst. Recalling the promises that God has made can have a catalytic effect in our lives, because his faithfulness has been put on display for each and every generation. God has chosen to establish his covenant with the One who would offer hope to the whole world, therefore this promise specifically sheds light on how much we are loved and treasured. Selah.

EFFECT
Every Christ-follower has the potential energy of ministry in them (1 Peter 2:5). God has called each of us to a specific time, place, and situation. Sharing the story of God’s faithfulness, then, requires us to reflect his faithfulness in a way that contextualizes humanity’s need for hope and peace. As the Holy Spirit brings to mind the many ways God has been faithful to you and those you love, may it release your God-given potential to make a difference in the world to which he has called you.

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Who will I share the story of God’s faithfulness with?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. – Psalm 89:11 ESV

PAUSE
Whether consciously or unconsciously, all of us at one point in our lives have functioned as if the rule of heaven and earth is up for grabs. We might be nice enough to let God retain control of heaven, but we’ve taken control of earth – or at least our small corner of it. But this verse reminds us that both arenas are God’s possession! He has created them, and he is the rightful ruler. Take some time to reflect on this verse, and the implications if we choose to usurp his authority in our world.

EFFECT
The definition of sin can be distilled down to this concept. When we put ourselves in the position that God deserves, it inevitably leads us in the wrong direction. But on the cross, Jesus put himself in the place that we deserved. Now we have received forgiveness from him and our spiritual debt is paid. As we consider what it means to leave a lasting legacy, it’s crucial to remember that all we have here on earth and reserved for us in heaven originates from God. With this in mind, be encouraged to thank him in worship for what he has provided and ask him to guide you to those who need to know the hope of this reality.

APPLY
What kind of legacy do I want to leave?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face, – Psalm 89:15 ESV

PAUSE
The book of Numbers lays out the details of how God’s people were to celebrate at various annual festivals. Central to these celebrations was the blowing of trumpets and/or shouting in joy that the Lord was in their midst. The people who know the festal shout, then, are people who know the life-changing presence of the Lord and celebrate his reality. Let’s take a moment to pause and consider how the presence of God has impacted our lives.

EFFECT
Because of the Messiah that the Psalmist points to, we have access to God’s joyous presence. So if we find ourselves trying to extrapolate purpose for our lives from anything less significant, may this verse challenge us all to return to the source of all meaning! What is one spiritually significant act from your past (distant or recent) that led to a joyful time in his presence? Whether it was worshiping among friends, volunteering somewhere impactful, having a conversation about God over coffee, or something else specific to you, consider how you could make space for it this week. Maintaining the habit of time in his presence is always worth investing in.

APPLY
What kind of legacy do I want to leave?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. – Psalm 89:30 – 33 ESV

PAUSE
From the perspective of a young person, being disciplined for wrongdoing does not make for a very loving parent. “If they love me, shouldn’t they let me do whatever I want?” a child might argue. But a wise parent knows that letting their child break the rules of the home, school, or society without correcting that behavior is actually the unloving choice, because it places a roadblock to maturity in front of them. The Psalmist prophetically points to the Messiah when he says that God will both punish transgression and continue to pour out his steadfast love. God’s punishment and faithfulness met at the cross of Jesus, and now we are forgiven and cherished! What does this mean to you today?

EFFECT
When considering what kind of legacy you want to leave, don’t forget that you are benefitting from Christ’s legacy of obedience, faithfulness, and compassion. Because you were cared for despite being disobedient, you now have the capability to be generous and gracious with love too. However you prayerfully answer this week’s application, the gospel makes it possible to act on the Holy Spirit’s prompting with his effectiveness!

APPLY
What kind of legacy do I want to leave?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. – Psalm 89:38 ESV

PAUSE
Doesn’t it seem like sometimes the sweetest experiences are followed by the most challenging? The Psalmist has just spent 37 verses celebrating the faithfulness of the Lord, and yet in today’s verse we are told that God is full of wrath against the very one he anointed. So which is it – has God been faithful or has he rejected? Prophetically, this question would be answered over 500 years after this psalm was penned, as Jesus – God’s anointed one – would experience rejection so that sinful people like us could experience his faithfulness. What does this truth mean to you?

EFFECT
When we fall short of upholding & maintaining God’s law, we are called to repent. But because of what Christ has done on our behalf, repentance isn’t a way for us to pay for our own sin. Rather, when we repent, we acknowledge where we have fallen short of God’s perfect standard and then celebrate that Jesus exchanged our sin for his perfection. Repentance, then, cultivates a worshipful heart and leads to action because it allows us to walk in the freedom he has earned.

APPLY
Where is God calling me to repent?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. – Psalm 89:42 ESV

PAUSE
Psalm 89 was written as Israel’s enemies had defeated them in battle and taken them captive. As God’s people were exiled, it’s easy to see how they would feel let down by the God who promised to be faithful to them. And yet Israel’s exile proved necessary to move salvation forward for them because it shone a light on their need for repentance and total reliance on God in all things. Are there any areas of your life in which you currently are not trusting God? If so, why not?

EFFECT
When misunderstood, the concept of repentance can feel transactional. We might mistakenly believe that if we mess up, the price of our sin is the act of repentance. But if we pause to understand the infinite riches of God’s grace in Jesus more deeply, the acknowledgment of our flaws will lead to a richer and sweeter awareness of our own acceptance in Christ! We will then be free to lean into our calling as Christ-followers and point to Jesus in a way that reflects his love to the world.

APPLY
Where is God calling me to repent?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. – Psalm 89:44 ESV

PAUSE
Why would a loving God remove someone from their throne and cause their own splendor to cease? The answer for the Davidic kings as the psalmist contemplated their overthrow, is that they lost sight of the God who established their throne in the first place! Rather than reflecting the splendor of God, their glory was based on personal triumph and selfish ambition. Contrast that reality with Jesus, who left his Heavenly throne to fulfill the will of his Father and triumph over our greatest enemy through enduring the cross. True character is revealed in positions of authority, and Christ’s humility and love for broken people stood out as he showcased his authority over sin and death.

EFFECT
The very first of Luther’s 95 Theses says this: “Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ… willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance.” What he meant by this is that repentance should be pervasive because it shows we are growing daily into the character of Jesus. Maybe the first place God is calling you to repent is the place in your life that you acknowledge is farthest from his character. Take the time today to act on the call to repent of those things that do not lead to looking and acting like Christ.

APPLY
Where is God calling me to repent?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? – Psalm 89:46 ESV

PAUSE
In today’s verse, the psalmist expresses the raw emotion of disappointment that all of us have experienced at one time or another. God is supposed to keep us from harm, and yet this verse finds God’s people in exile, defeated and dethroned by an evil empire. We can read that God is good, but at this moment God doesn’t feel like he’s good. How do you respond when the Lord feels hidden, unable to be seen in the darkness of our difficult circumstances?

EFFECT
The powerful thing about asking, “How long, O Lord?” is that it reveals a measure of faith. If it didn’t, you wouldn’t be asking God the question! This verse is designed to be juxtaposed with the first verse of the Psalm, where the writer declares that he will use his voice to sing and proclaim the faithfulness of God. Regardless of how you feel and what you’ve experienced, allow the truth that God is faithful to be a catalyst for you to worship while you are weeping, wishing, or waiting.

APPLY
What act of worship will I offer to the Lord?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! – Psalm 89:47 ESV

PAUSE
Today is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, a day that marks both the shortest day of the year and the beginning of the coldest season of the year. It’s a day that may not immediately fill us with excitement or the thrill of hope, but the reality is that this solstice means the amount of light we see will only grow from here! It’s an important perspective that cannot be experienced any other time. What other lessons can we learn from the vantage point of shortened days?

EFFECT
In today’s verse, the Psalmist asks God to remember how short his time is. His request is made to an infinite God who exists outside of time, so it’s clear that he has a different perspective than we do. Just like the winter solstice reminds us that the days are lengthening, the brevity of this life can point to the lengthiness of eternity if we’ll allow it to! What difficult situations are we facing that the gift of eternal life will uncomplicate? Let this reflection lead you to explore what act of worship you will offer to the Lord.

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What act of worship will I offer to the Lord?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah – Psalm 89:48 ESV

PAUSE
Christmas reminds us of how much God loves us because we are invited to reflect on what it took for Jesus to leave his heavenly throne to occupy a manger. The uncreated Son who was seated at the right hand of the Father chose to clothe himself in flesh and blood. And while today’s verse may feel like Jesus is the obvious answer to the first question the psalmist poses, it’s important to remember that Jesus chose to see death on our behalf! Because he was born into our world and died the death we deserved, our souls have been delivered from the power of the grave.

EFFECT
Beyond a nice story, a good feeling, or a reminder of how much we have, the wonder of Christmas is that Jesus has answered our most pressing questions with the reality of his birth. Am I loved? Can I be authentically known? Does anyone think I matter? The questions that pour out of the deepest recesses of your heart were dealt with long before you dared to ask them. So now we can turn our attention to the one who demonstrated that love for us and leverage his grace toward an act of authentic worship.

APPLY
What act of worship will I offer to the Lord?

To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!