Psalms 89:38 · Bible study
Psalms 89:38 Commentary: When Covenant Seems Broken
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 89:38 contrasts God's sworn covenant with his anointed and the raw lament of apparent rejection. A bold prayer that holds God to his word.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist confronts God with the apparent failure of his covenant with David, using strong language of rejection and anger.
- Key words: “cast off,” “abhorred,” “wroth,” “anointed”, each carries overtones of covenantal breach and personal rejection.
- Main debate: Is this verse about a specific historical King (Rehoboam, Zedekiah) or a messianic prophecy pointing to Christ?
- Theological theme: The tension between divine promise and present suffering, and the role of lament in maintaining faith.
- Best use: A model for honest prayer when God seems distant or unfaithful, affirming that complaint can be a form of faithfulness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him; You are enraged by Your anointed one.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed.
KJV King James Version 1769
But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But thou hast cast off and rejected, Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Thou, Thou hast cast off, and dost reject, Thou hast shown Thyself wroth With Thine anointed,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But thou hast rejected and cast off; thou hast been very wroth with thine anointed:
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Mas tú desechaste y menospreciaste á tu ungido; y te has airado con él.
Porém tu te rebelaste, e o rejeitaste; ficaste irado contra o teu Ungido.
Comme la lune il aura une éternelle durée.
Aber nun verstößest du und verwirfst und zürnest mit deinem Gesalbten.
Hij zal eeuwiglijk bevestigd worden, gelijk de maan; en de Getuige in den hemel is getrouw. Sela.
Eppure tu l’hai reietto e sprezzato, ti sei gravemente adirato contro il tuo unto.
Jako miesiąc będzie utwierdzone na wieki, i jako świadkowie na niebie godnowierni. Sela.
但你 惱怒 你的受膏者，就丟掉 棄絕他。
But you have put him away in disgust; you have been angry with the king of your selection.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators agree that this verse is the hinge of the psalm. After reciting God's sworn covenant with David in verses 1, 37, the poet now turns with a stark “But you” (Keil & Delitzsch). Cambridge Bible calls it “the audacity of expostulation,” noting that the psalmist confronts God with the fullest detail of the promise and then declares it broken. Barnes draws out the force of “cast off” as treating the king “like a foul, offensive thing.” Calvin sees this as the church’s complaint when God seems to abandon her. Gill connects it to the Anointed One suffering as a surety, bearing wrath due to sin. All agree: this is not unbelief but the boldness of faith that holds God to his word. The same God who promised an eternal throne appears to have rejected his king. The lament is raw, but it remains prayer.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Historical Crisis: The psalm reflects a specific national disaster like Rehoboam's division or the Babylonian exile, with the king facing God's wrath (Wesley, Calvin).
- Messianic Prophecy: The anointed one is ultimately Christ, who experienced the Father's rejection on the cross as a substitute for sinners (Gill).
What is clear: The verse expresses a raw lament of covenant conflict, but it is addressed to God, indicating faith that he hears and can restore.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the anointed | All agree it refers to the Davidic king, the one anointed to rule. | Some see a specific historical king like Rehoboam or Zedekiah (Wesley, Calvin), while others see a messianic prophecy fulfilled in Christ (Gill). |
| Boldness of the lament | All agree the psalmist is praying, not cursing. | Some Jewish traditions found the audacity scandalous (Aben Ezra), while Christian commentators see it as a model of faithful protest (Cambridge Bible). |
| Historical setting | The psalm reflects a time of national disaster for the Davidic monarchy. | Suggestions range from the division after Rehoboam (Calvin) to the Babylonian exile (Keil & Delitzsch). |
| Covenant failure | God's covenant is not actually broken; the psalmist is describing appearances. | Some emphasize the conditional element of the covenant (Barnes), while others stress that the covenant remains eternal despite temporary rejection (Gill). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The psalm is attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite, a wise man compared to Solomon (1 Kings 4:31). The language suggests a time when the Davidic monarchy had suffered a catastrophic defeat. Commentators like Calvin and the Cambridge Bible consider the setting either the division of the kingdom after Rehoboam or the Babylonian exile. The “anointed one” (verse 38) is the king, chosen and set apart by God. In ancient Israel, anointing was a sacred act (1 Samuel 16:13), and the king was seen as God's representative. To reject the king was to reject God's own appointment.
The covenant language in the psalm echoes 2 Samuel 7, where God promised David an eternal dynasty, conditional on obedience. But the psalmist now sees the covenant seemingly revoked: “You have renounced the covenant of your servant” (verse 39). The verb “cast off” (translated from a Hebrew root used elsewhere of divorce, Hosea 8:3, 5, or of God rejecting his people, Psalm 44:9). The psalmist is not alone in this kind of lament; similar complaints appear in Psalm 44 and Lamentations. The boldness of the complaint is striking: the poet charges God with forgetting his own oath. Yet the very act of bringing the complaint to God shows faith, believing that God can hear and answer. The psalm does not end in despair but with praise (verse 52), suggesting that lament is a way to restore relationship. This cultural pattern of covenant lawsuit, where the vassal appeals to the suzerain’s faithfulness, shapes the entire prayer.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts and traditions.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, the boldness of this verse troubled some commentators. The Cambridge Bible reports that Aben Ezra (d. 1167) knew of a “wise and pious man in Spain who would neither read nor listen to this Psalm.” Early Christian readers, by contrast, saw here a prophecy of Christ’s rejection. The Geneva Bible (1599) connects the anger against the Anointed to the crucifixion. Throughout church history, this verse has been used in services of lament, especially on Good Friday, as a cry of one who appears forsaken yet still trusts the covenant. The tension between promise and experience remains central for all who pray honestly.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Promise Painted, God's everlasting covenant with David, sworn by his holiness (verses 34-37).
- The Contradiction Felt, The stark contrast with present rejection and wrath (verse 38).
- The Prayer Offered, Holding God to his word in bold lament, not despair.
Five-point outline
- Context of Covenant, The foundation of God’s promise to David.
- Confrontation of Faith, The psalmist dares to speak what he sees.
- Language of Lament, The specific words for rejection: cast off, abhorred, wroth.
- Hope Beneath the Complaint, Why this is not unbelief but trust.
- Song That Endures, The doxology that frames the whole psalm.
Illustration hooks
- A parent who promised a child something good but circumstances prevented it; the child’s honest hurt becomes a cry for explanation.
- A married couple facing a season of distance after bright wedding vows; the pain feels like the promises are broken, yet love persists.
- A church that prayed fervently for deliverance but saw persecution and loss; they wrestle with whether God still keeps his covenant.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Is it okay to be angry with God when he doesn’t seem to keep his promises?”
- “Why does God allow his people to suffer if he loves us and made a covenant?”
- “Does this psalm mean God actually broke his covenant, or just seemed to?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse plunges us into the rawest place of faith: the moment when God’s actions contradict his promises. The psalmist does not hide his pain or his accusation. As a group, consider how you can bring your hardest questions to God, trusting that he can handle them.
Discussion questions
- What words in this verse stand out to you, and why? What emotions do they stir?
- How does this verse fit with the glowing promises earlier in the psalm (verses 34-37)? What tension does it create?
- Barnes notes that “cast off” means treating someone “like a foul, offensive thing.” Why would the psalmist use such language of God?
- Is the psalmist being disrespectful, or is this a form of faithful relationship? What biblical examples support your view?
- How does the rest of the psalm (especially verses 46-52) shape the meaning of this verse? Does lament lead somewhere?
- When have you felt as if God had rejected you or broken a promise? How did you respond, or how could you respond?
- What does this verse teach us about prayer and honesty with God? How might it change the way you pray this week?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 32:19 | Yahweh saw and abhorred, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters. |
| II Samuel 1:21 | You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil. |
| II Samuel 15:26 | but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.” |
| I Chronicles 28:9 | You, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. |
| II Chronicles 12:1 | When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned Yahweh’s law, and all Israel with him. |
| II Chronicles 12:12 | When he humbled himself, Yahweh’s wrath turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether. Moreover, there were good things found in Judah. |
| Psalms 44:9 | But now you rejected us, and brought us to dishonor, and don’t go out with our armies. |
| Psalms 44:26 | Rise up to help us. Redeem us for your loving kindness’ sake. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the psalmist's perplexity: God's covenant with David promised an unending throne, yet now that throne is profaned and the people are in captivity. The psalmist sees this as a contradiction, but Clarke notes he never doubts that God cannot lie, only wonders how the promise and the present calamity can both be true.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws attention to the force of the original Hebrew words, showing that "cast off" means to treat someone as repulsive and worthless, and "wroth" pictures God's anger overflowing. He identifies the anointed one as the divinely appointed king, connecting this language to David's experience when Absalom drove him from the throne.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin traces the psalmist's deliberate movement: he first grounds his prayer in God's covenant with David, then recalls God's power and redemption, only to return to the covenant and finally lament that God seems to have forgotten it. For Calvin, the psalm's point is
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the severity of God's rejection: not merely setting aside, but abhorring and burning with anger against His own Anointed. This points to the depth of suffering the chosen king or Messiah would endure, where divine favor appears to be completely withdrawn.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that the apparent casting off and abhorring of the Anointed is not a contradiction to God's covenant love. The Lord never rejected Christ's person, but as the sinner's surety, Christ bore the sins and wrath due to his people, reconciling this suffering with the promise of unfailing lovingkindness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the stark shift in tone from earlier promises of God's favor to the mournful language of being cast off and rejected. For this commentator, the passage presents sobering evidence of a real sense of divine abandonment, contrasting sharply with the preceding assurances.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch note the psalm's sharp turn at But You, contrasting God's promises with present rejection. They read You have rejected as absolute, needing no supplied object. Uniquely, they interpret rock as a blade, meaning God turned back the king's sword. The king's shame comes from premature aging under sorrow, not an early death.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that God's present treatment of David's line appears to flatly contradict the covenant promises. He acknowledges the real difficulty of reconciling providence with promise, yet insists they are consistent: God's works always fulfill His word and never truly contradict it. For Henry, what looks like contradiction is only apparent, and faith must hold both together.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights the shift in tone as the speaker moves from confidently declaring God's promises to humbly arguing with God over their apparent delay. The emphasis falls on respectful expostulation rather than doubt: even certainty about God's word can coexist with honest questioning about its timing.