Psalms 89:31

"If his children forsake my law, and don’t walk in my ordinances;"

Key Reflection

In Psalms 89:31, God asserts that even if His people—referred to here as "his children"—forsake His divine law and fail to follow His commandments, He will not completely withdraw His steadfast love or faithfulness from them. This verse underscores the enduring nature of God's covenant with His people, highlighting a commitment that transcends their temporary lapses in obedience. The cultural context suggests that ancient Israelites would have understood the severity of breaking such covenants; however, this passage reassures them of God’s unwavering loyalty despite any breaches of faithfulness from their side.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

If they break my statutes -Margin, “profane.” The Hebrew word means to pollute or defile; and the idea is, If they practically contemn them; if they regard them as things of nought, or treat them with disdain as a polluted or defiled thing. It is in this way that the mass of mankind do regard the commands of God. They treat them with no respect; they practically class them among objects that are polluted, and that are to be avoided as defiled and defiling. And keep not my commandments -If they do not regulate their conduct by my laws.

More from Psalms 89

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