Psalm 89

Cynicism is always the critic. Cynicism disbelieves all things. It is the continual impulse to find the secret story that will show why everything anyone ever thought to be valuable is actually an unworthy disappointment to be scoffed at. Cynicism rips down, but steadfast love and covenant faithfulness build up.

The Lord is full of covenant love. I will sing of that love forever, even if cynicism declares me the fool for believing. The Lord has established an eternal community of promise-keeping love in the heavens. At the very center of that community is the King of love, Jesus Christ, the Lord's chosen One, the promised Son of David.

Jesus died at a young age. He was not married. He had no descendants. But when He gave His life for us on the cross, He became a Cornerstone of the eternal temple of God. Those who believe in Him are sons of God and living stones in the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are His offspring by the Spirit.

We live now in a world of cynicism, and it corrodes our hearts until praise seems foolish and extreme. But this cynicism makes no sense for the Lord's children who believe in God and who acknowledge that they have faith in Jesus, the Son of God. How can we not praise God? If even God and His praise must be a target for cynical thoughts, what is left in all of existence that could possibly be praiseworthy? Oddly enough, cynicism is all too willing to take that number one spot. Cynicism convinces people that God could not possibly be known, and that He should not be praised. But a system of thinking that rips everything apart can seem like the one praiseworthy passion left for the cynic. What a strange perversion! The God of creation must not be spoken of too much or acknowledged as God outside of a worship service, but making fun of everything is so right, that memorizing cynical quips and even singing cynical songs is more than permissible. Cynicism has become the only remaining commendable virtue.

How can we recover the beauty of covenant love again in this toxic environment? Should we get cynical about cynicism? What will be left standing when we make fun of cynicism? We need to have our eyes opened to Someone who is worthy of praise. The answer for us must come as a gift to us from the King of love, from His throne on high in the new creation of steadfast faithfulness.

Men and angels in heaven know that the being who created the vast array of stars is worthy of praise. They know that the God who has given Himself in covenant love to Israel is far above them. They sing of His power and wisdom. They are able to observe His sovereign care over everything on earth, and they exalt Him.

Only this God of gods can safely demolish our cynicism. When He makes that enemy flee, we find ourselves in His glorious presence. When we try to destroy cynicism by being cynical, nothing is left for us but death.

Only the Lord, with His perfect grace and favor can save us and protect us. He is with us in the midst of His praise.

But how can we find God? This psalm tells us that He has revealed to us the way to Himself in a person. Writing after king David lived, this song records that the way for the world to find the God of Israel will come through an anointed “David.”

This Christ would be able to demolish every enemy, He would have the steadfast love of the Lord, and extend that love to all who would call upon His Name. He would call the Almighty “Father,” and reign far above all the kings of the earth. The Father would keep steadfast love with His holy Son, and we would find perfect safety and blessing in Him.

Jesus is this Son. He is the way to life. God will treat us as His Sons, even disciplining us for our good, but He will never take His steadfast love away from us because of Jesus. We shall live forever, because we have become His offspring.

Between the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the revealing of the resurrected Son of David more than 600 years later, the promises of God to bless His people through a kingly Son of David were a great wonder. It was very easy then to be cynical about His coming. But then Jesus rose from the dead.

The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate attack on cynicism. If the resurrection is true, death is not the final story for us. If the resurrection is true, we need to hear what Jesus says and believe it. We need to embrace the Father through the resurrected Son, who made a lasting peace for us by His own blood. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of David and the Son of God has delivered our lives from the power of hell. He is more than able to demolish our cynicism and give us a lasting hope.

What can we say in the face of such worthy covenant faithfulness that has comes to save? What can we sing about the sinless substitute who endures the cross in order to secure for us a kingdom of love?

“Blessed be the Lord forever!” Sing about Him today without shame. Do not be silenced.