Some Words of Encouragement

Christian Reader, consider these comforting lines from Psalm 89 (1650 Scottish Psalter):

31 If they my laws break, and do not
keep my commandements;
32 I’ll visit then their faults with rods,
their sins with chastisements.
33 Yet I’ll not take my love from him,
nor false my promise make.
34 My cov’nant I’ll not break, nor change
what with my mouth I spake.

I’m also reminded of that comforting passage from Hebrews 12:

4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

If you’d like to listen to this Psalm sung, here’s a link:

http://www.christcovenantrpc.org/Sit…ms/Psalm89.mp3

Here are the words from the Psalm (vv. 21-34).

21 With whom my hand shall stablish’d be;
mine arm shall make him strong.
22 On him the foe shall not exact,
nor son of mischief wrong.

23 I will beat down before his face
all his malicious foes;
I will them greatly plague who do
with hatred him oppose.

24 My mercy and my faithfulness
with him yet still shall be;
And in my name his horn and pow’r
men shall exalted see.

25 His hand and pow’r shall reach afar;
I’ll set it in the sea;
And his right hand established
shall in the rivers be.

26 Thou art my Father, he shall cry,
thou art my God alone;
And he shall say, Thou art the Rock
of my salvation.

27 I’ll make him my first-born, more high
than kings of any land.
28 My love I’ll ever keep for him,
my cov’nant fast shall stand.

29 His seed I by my pow’r will make
for ever to endure;
And, as the days of heav’n, his throne
shall stable be, and sure.

30 But if his children shall forsake
my laws, and go astray,
And in my judgments shall not walk,
but wander from my way:

31 If they my laws break, and do not
keep my commandements;
32 I’ll visit then their faults with rods,
their sins with chastisements.

33 Yet I’ll not take my love from him,
nor false my promise make.
34 My cov’nant I’ll not break, nor change
what with my mouth I spake.