Psalm 89:33-35

"Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David."

In the verses before these God speaks of his dealings with David's children (grandchildren, great- grandchildren, etc.). While God had made promises to David, those of his family that would disobey the LORD would be judged for their sin. Nevertheless, and in wonderful contrast to those things, God assures that He will keep His promises to David. Three thoughts come out of this passage.

First, the failings of mankind do not thwart God in His purposes. While the sin of David's children might have kept God from blessing them in particular, it certainly did not, neither will it even now, keep God from keeping, His promises to David. This is what God asserts in these verses from Psalm 89. It is by His own holiness that He has sworn unto David. Since it is His holiness that is at stake, God further asserts that He will not lie unto David. So it is with all of His promises. Were God to make a promise, and then not make good, it would be rightly said that He cannot be depended upon. He here ties His veracity to His holiness. So if He were to make a promise and then not keep it, it could be said that He is not holy! And certainly if He were not holy, then He would be unworthy of our reverence. But as Isaiah heard the angels say, "Holy, holy, holy", so is God. He is the ultimate in holiness.

Secondly, this means that His promises to judge sin are sure. We are happy to take Him at His word when it is to our advantage. But the fact is that there is much in scripture that speaks of His judging sin, and the sinner. He did it before in the flood and in the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (as two examples), and He promises that He will do so again. This is unavoidable. The world shrugs off His judgment against sin by claiming that He is love. While the Bible says that this is so, it also says that He must judge sin. His love does not preclude His judgment. So it is absolutely certain that the day will come when sin will be judged, and all things will be made right. It is as sure as God's holiness.

Finally, for those that know Him as savior, there are many more promises in the scriptures. Yet we know that we have sinned. The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. One of the works of the Holy Spirit in the heart is to convict of sin. But, in 2 Timothy 2:13 Paul says, "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." He assures us of His faithfulness to us. The fact of His faithfulness is based on His character. He will not deny Himself. Our hearts are wicked and deceitful, God promises His faithfulness. Other things that he has promised include His promise to take us into His presence for all of eternity. He has also promised to never forsake us, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Because it is He that promises, and it is impossible for Him to lie, we can be mightily assured that He will make good on His promises. It is based on His character, His holiness.

God's character is at stake. It is impossible for Him to lie. He will complete the plans that He has for this world. He will judge sin. He can be trusted.

HJK