King Now & Forevermore

10 Monday Aug 2026

Tags

annointed one, Christ, David, death, doubt, Ethan the Ezrahite, faith, grave, Jesus, king, King David, Messiah, mocked, Psalms, taunts, the LORD

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 89:46-52 (NIV)*

How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your wrath burn like fire?
Remember how fleeting is my life.
    For what futility you have created all humanity!
Who can live and not see death,
    or who can escape the power of the grave?
Lord, where is your former great love,
    which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked,
    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
the taunts with which your enemies, LORD, have mocked,
    with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.
Praise be to the LORD forever!
Amen and Amen.

Reflection

Many people believe that Christ is Jesus’ last name. That is not true. The Bible does not tell us Jesus’ family name. Often, he is identified by the town that he is from—Jesus of Nazareth. What then is the significance of the word Christ or Khristos in the Greek? Christ is a title. One might even call it a job description. It means the anointed one, the one designated by God to rule and reign over his people. The Greek word Khristos or Christ corresponds to the Hebrew word Mashiach or Messiah. The anointed one or Christ was and is the son of David, who rules over the house of Jacob and the Israel of God. Just as David was anointed to be king of Israel, Jesus is anointed to be our king for this life and eternity.

When we read Psalm 89 with the understanding that the anointed one is also the Christ, the psalm takes on a whole new layer of meaning. Yes, during the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, the anointed one was mocked. But this is also true of Jesus, the anointed Son of David, who was led off to be crucified outside the city gate. These words were fulfilled in Christ: Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, the taunts with which your enemies, LORD, have mocked, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one (v. 50-51).

But there is a significant difference between the Old Testament, anointed one, and our New Testament Christ. The psalmist asks this question: Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave? (v. 48)

The implicit answer is that no one can escape death and the grave. But… but there is One—One, who tasted death on our behalf—One, who escaped the power of the grave. His name is Jesus. He is the Christ, the anointed One, and our Messiah. He is the One who by virtue of the resurrection is King now and forevermore.

Response

LORD God, I thank you for Jesus, the Christ, the anointed One. Thank you for your death, burial, and resurrection. I join with the psalmist in saying, “Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.”

Your Turn

In what way is Christ a job description? What job has he done and is he doing for you?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look, click here.

God’s True Firstborn

05 Wednesday Aug 2026

Posted by Tim K in Psalm 89, Psalms

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Abraham, David, Ethan the Ezrahite, firstborn, Jesus, Mary, Moses, Psalms, Savior, Son of God, the LORD

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 89:19-29 (NIV)*

Once you spoke in a vision,
    to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
    I have raised up a young man from among the people.
I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.
The enemy will not get the better of him;
    the wicked will not oppress him.
I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries.
My faithful love will be with him,
    and through my name his horn will be exalted.
I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.
He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
    my God, the Rock my Savior.’
And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
    the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
I will maintain my love to him forever,
    and my covenant with him will never fail.
I will establish his line forever,
    his throne as long as the heavens endure.

Reflection

Who is the principal figure in the Old Testament canon? Some would argue for Moses, the liberator of a nation of slaves. Others would go farther back yet to Abraham, the ancestral father of the nation of Israel. Here in Psalm 89, Ethan the Ezrahite and author of this psalm casts his vote in favor of David.

David’s name appears more frequently in the Bible than any name including the name of Jesus. Here in Psalm 89, Ethan draws a direct prophetic link to Jesus, the Son of God. He writes this about David: He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’ And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth (v. 26-27).

No other man in the Holy Scriptures can claim to be appointed as God’s firstborn. This is an honor that is reserved for David alone. But David prefigures or foreshadows Jesus, the true Son of God. Jesus was not appointed to the role of God’s son. He was conceived and born into this world as the divine Son of the Most High. Through the miracle of incarnation, the son of Mary was also the Son of God and the Savior of the world. And this Mary was of royal lineage. She was a direct descendant of King David.

In Jesus Christ these words find their fulfillment: I will maintain my love to him [David] forever, and my covenant with him will never fail. I will establish his [David’s] line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure (v. 28-29).

Response

LORD God, I am thankful for Jesus. I am thankful that in the dark long ago you devised a plan to send a Savior to this world. You sent a better son than David. You sent Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn

Are you thankful for God’s Son? Why? How will you express your appreciation today?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

The Foundation of God’s Authority

04 Tuesday Aug 2026

Posted by Tim K in Psalm 89, Psalms

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Tags

authority, Ethan the Ezrahite, God's Authority, justice, legitimate authority, love, Psalms, Righteousness, the LORD, throne of God

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 89:14-18 (NIV)*

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
    love and faithfulness go before you.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.
They rejoice in your name all day long;
    they celebrate your righteousness.
For you are their glory and strength,
    and by your favor you exalt our horn.
Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD,
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Reflection

Late one afternoon my wife and I got a call from my son. He found himself in a difficult spot. He and his wife had just bought two swivel chairs. He had wrongly assumed that both would fit into the trunk of his car. Despite his best efforts the second chair would not fit. Could I come, pick up and deliver the second chair to their home?

My wife had a batch of homemade buns rising in the oven, so she was not available. The delivery task fell to me. So off I drove in a torrential downpour through heavy rush-hour traffic to pick up this chair. Did I resent this interruption in my schedule? Did I get all steamed up about the inconvenience? Was I upset that I was a few minutes late for dinner? No. In all seriousness, none of this bothered me because I love my son and his wife. I was glad to help. I even took a minute or two to sit in that comfy chair and appreciate their new purchase.

Today’s reading from Psalm 89 is all about a chair—a special chair. It’s called the throne of God. Unlike the rollers on the bottom of the chair that my son purchased, this chair has a foundation. It’s immovable. The psalmist makes this statement. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you (v.14).

The throne of God speaks of His authority. God’s authority rests squarely on His righteousness and justice. This has always been so and will be so forever. Righteousness and justice are foundational to all authority. When authorities in this world go astray and engage in unjust and immoral behavior, we find this abhorrent. We question the legitimacy of such authorities. We say they have lost the moral authority to govern.

But God does more than just sit on His throne and govern. He moves out from that throne. Again, the psalmist states, “Love and faithfulness go before you.” God is active in this world. Daily the LORD demonstrates His love and faithfulness to His people and to those who do not call on His name. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). Furthermore, our heavenly Father is eager to do these things because He loves us.

Response

Heavenly Father, you are good and kind to all. I thank you for your love and faithfulness. Today, I want to walk in the light of your presence, LORD, and rejoice in your name all day long. Amen.

Your Turn

Can you testify that on various occasions God’s love and faithfulness have gone before you? Reflect on those occasions.

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

He is Incomparable!

03 Monday Aug 2026

Posted by Tim K in Psalm 89, Psalms

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Tags

awesome, comparison, Ethan the Ezrahite, excel, heavenly host, incomparable, Olympics, Psalms, the LORD

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 89:5-13 (NIV)*

The heavens praise your wonders, LORD,
    your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD?
    Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
    he is more awesome than all who surround him.
Who is like you, LORD God Almighty?
    You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
You rule over the surging sea;
    when its waves mount up, you still them.
You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;
    with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
    you founded the world and all that is in it.
You created the north and the south;
    Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
Your arm is endowed with power;
    your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

Reflection

I think we all have memories of past Olympics. We can talk ourselves into believing that golden podium moments will last forever, but they don’t. They are highlights in athletic achievement and well worth celebrating. In some events world records have been set, but in due time those records will be broken. It seems they always are.

How do we determine gold medal performances? By comparison of course. That’s what Olympic competition is all about. The results of a team or athlete are compared with others in their field. Though many compete on the local, national and world stage, only the very best bring home Olympic gold.

That’s how winners are determined on the human level—the world level. But what about the heavenly level—the spiritual level? How are the best and most powerful determined there? In our reading from Psalm 89, the psalmist attempts to come up with an answer.

For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? (v. 6-8a)

The truth is obvious. There is no point in comparison. The LORD God Almighty is incomparable. He wins every race since He is enthroned beyond time. As the Creator, He is the source—the starting point—of all power in heaven and on earth. His wisdom is beyond the best human mind. In all things He is incomparable!

Response

LORD God, I marvel at your wisdom and power. But most of all I marvel at your love—love that encompasses all—even me. Help me to excel at pleasing you. Thank you, LORD! Amen.

Your Turn

How can we excel in our love and service for God? What motivates you to please your heavenly Father?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

Great Love Forever

31 Friday Jul 2026

Posted by Tim K in Psalm 89, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

baby, child, Ethan the Ezrahite, love forever, parental love, Psalms, Robert Munsch, stillborn, the LORD

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Listen to today’s reading by Jonathan Dent:

Reading: Psalm 89:1-4 (NIV)*

I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever;
    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
    through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
    that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to David my servant,
‘I will establish your line forever
    and make your throne firm through all generations.’”

Reflection

The opening stanzas of Psalm 89 remind me of a little rhyme found in a children’s book. It goes like this:

“I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
as long as I’m living
my baby you’ll be.”

The lines of that little song were first sung by Robert Munsch as he held his stillborn baby in his arms. Imagine the grief he felt when for a second time his wife gave birth to another stillborn child. Again, he took that little baby in his arms, and he rocked it back and forth and sang,

“I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
as long as I’m living
my baby you’ll be.”

The bestselling children’s book Love You Forever was birthed from that heart-wrenching experience. If you are a parent or a grandparent, this little picture book should come with a warning label: Impossible to read without tearing up.

There’s an element of forever in the bond between a parent and a child. I am a father forever to my two sons, Timothy, and Joshua. My love for those two boys hasn’t diminished as they have grown into young men. Though they have moved out of our home, they will be forever loved, and we will be forever linked by love and faithfulness. God’s love for us is that kind of love. It’s a forever love just as the psalmist declares. I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations (v. 1).

Love and faithfulness are what marriage is all about. It’s one of those forever things along with parenthood. When God is at the center, these relationships last forever because they don’t end at the grave. I’m so glad we have the promise that they will continue on.

Response

LORD God, I am so glad that I’m your child forever. You have loved me and welcomed me into your family. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! Amen.

Your Turn

Will you sing of the LORD’s great love forever? Now is a great time to get started.

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

Pray for peace in Israel, Iran and the Middle East
and continue to pray for peace to return to Ukraine and Russia!

My Firstborn

23 Monday May 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 89, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

David, Ethan the Ezrahite, firstborn

Reading: Psalm 89:19-29
Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have raised up a young man from among the people.
I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.
The enemy will not get the better of him;
the wicked will not oppress him.
I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries.
My faithful love will be with him,
and through my name his horn will be exalted.
I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.
He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Savior.’
And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
I will maintain my love to him forever,
and my covenant with him will never fail.
I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as the heavens endure (NIV).*

Photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Who is the principal figure in the Old Testament canon? Some would argue for Moses, the liberator of a nation of slaves. Others would go farther back yet to Abraham, the ancestral father of the nation of Israel. Here in Psalm 89, Ethan the Ezrahite and author of this psalm casts his vote in favor of David.

Response: LORD God, I am thankful for Jesus. I am thankful that in the dark long ago you devised a plan to send a Savior to this world. You sent a better son than David. You sent Jesus. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you thankful for God’s Son? Why? How will you express your appreciation today?

Please pray for the people of Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer has won the 2021 Best Book of the Year Award and for those who love God’s word, it’s an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. For a closer look at Volumes II and III click here.

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Tag Archives: Ethan the Ezrahite

King Now & Forevermore

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 89:46-52 (NIV)*

Response

Your Turn

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

God’s True Firstborn

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 89:19-29 (NIV)*

Response

Your Turn

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

The Foundation of God’s Authority

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 89:14-18 (NIV)*

Response

Your Turn

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

He is Incomparable!

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 89:5-13 (NIV)*

Response

Your Turn

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Great Love Forever

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365 by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 89:1-4 (NIV)*

Response

Your Turn

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

My Firstborn

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for the people of Ukraine!