“I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth” (Psalm 89:1).
Psalm 89
One of the terms used in the declaration of a biblical covenant is the word “lovingkindness,” which means, “I love you based solely on what I do for you.” Lovingkindness is not love based on “what you do for me” as it is understood in broken friendships and broken homes today. Where as in the postmodern Christian culture which is more often defined by “I love you if you’ll do this for me” or “I love you because you do this for me.” Lovingkindness says, “I love you based on the fact that I choose to love you” or “I love you regardless” or “I love you, period.” Taking it one step further, lovingkindness says, “The more I do for you, the more I love you.”
- Psalm 89:2-4 – “For I have said, ‘Lovingkindness will be built up forever; in the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.’ ‘I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed forever and build up your throne to all generations.’ ”
What were the terms of the covenant God made with David?
What did David do to deserve such a promise?
Why do you think God chose David to express His lovingkindness (unconditional love) toward, even after David’s sin with Bathsheba? - Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Titus 3:4-6 – “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by The Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”
How do these passages define God’s lovingkindness towards us in the death of His Son? - Psalm 89: 20-22, 28 – “I have found David My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand will be established; my arm also will strengthen him. The enemy will not deceive him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him.”
How have you, having found the lovingkindness of God through your faith in Jesus, witnessed evidence of God’s unconditional love? - 89:30-33 – “If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments, 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 break off My lovingkindness from him, nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.”
As the Roman guards beat the crown of thrones into Jesus’ brow with rods and laid out stripes of blood across His back with the scourge, what was Jesus doing to meet the requirements of our sin in not keeping God’s commandments? - Psalm 86:8-10 – “There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like Yours. All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name. For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God.”
What is our proper response to the lovingkindness of God?
John 13:15 – “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.”
From today’s scripture, how does THE Shepherd inspire you to shepherd your flock?
“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by The Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:4-6).
Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication
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