The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
The writer of this psalm approaches God's throne with the covenant made to David as his anchor: God promised to sustain His favor toward this people forever through their king. He rehearses God's power in all creation and His faithfulness in redemption, yet the complaint that follows cuts sharp, God has seemingly abandoned His Church to her enemies, withdrawn all help and comfort, as though He had forgotten His own word.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 89:1-52
The days of his youth hast thou shortened. The time of the king's energy was brief, he grew feeble before his time. Thou hast covered him with shame. Shame was heaped upon him because of his premature decay and his failure in arms. This was very grievous to the writer of this Psalm, who was evidently a most loyal adherent of the house of David.
God seems to have cast off David's house entirely, not merely disciplined it but cancelled the whole covenant, yet we mistake the rebukes of Providence if we think they void His word. When Christ Himself hung on the cross under God's wrath, the covenant stood eternal still.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 89:38-52