“[Y]our faithfulness surrounds you…”

Ever heard of Ethan the Ezrahite?  Me neither!  Ethan is one of many rare and obscure names that appear in the Bible.  This much we do know:  his name means “firmness,” and he was considered to be a wise man in the days of King Solomon (1 Ki. 4:31).  The psalm he wrote gives us a profound lesson about one of the most wonderful characteristics of God — His faithfulness.

When a guy meets a girl and wants to pursue a friendship with her, he will normally start talking about himself — that he’s a nice guy, has good friends, is mature, stable, fun loving, etc.  He will do almost anything to get her to believe him.  But if she’s careful, she won’t take his word alone; she will check his track record to see if he’s telling the truth, that he is indeed nice, stable, etc.  Thus, if the guy is faithful, his word is true and accurate.  What he says about himself is what the record shows.

We see the Lord doing the same thing.  As Ethan wrote this psalm he struggled to sort out some deep questions.  In the past God made promises to King David (verses 3-4).  In Ethan’s time those promises appeared to be on the threshold of being broken.  King Solomon had corrupted himself with too many wives, many of whom were outside the faith.  Idolatry in Israel had been increasing for years.  Enemies outside Jerusalem were threatening.  The nation was literally falling apart.  In fact, civil war and division eventually became a reality.  Israel to the north separated from the southern two tribes of Judah and Benjamin when Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, succeeded him on the throne.  These were the days of Ethan.

Ethan wrestles with the faithfulness of God in bad times.  He says in verse 1, “I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.”  Given the times, he writes and sings in faith.  In verse 2 he says, “[I will declare] that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.”  Clearly he is lifting his eyes up and looking beyond his day and time.  He continues, “The heavens praise your wonders, O 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.  O Lord God Almighty, who is like you?  You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you” (vs. 6-8).  Ethan is determined not to let his circumstances, and those surrounding the Jewish nation, get him down.  It might have been good for him to remember what David had written earlier in Psalm 119:75, “in faithfulness you have afflicted me.”

What does this have to do with the guy’s interest in the girl?  Everything!  As we said, faithfulness first requires a promise, a statement of character.  We see Ethan raising this point in vs. 3-4 when God says, “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 throughout all generations’.”  God made the most serious of promises — a covenant!  His word was bound; his actions defined.  Second came the track record.  How was God doing?  Was he keeping His word?  Was it good?  At the moment Ethan is struggling.  Despite what outward circumstances look like, God says in verse 24, “But my faithful love will be with him [David], and through my name his horn will be exalted.  Still later God says I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.  I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered” (vs. 33-34).  Abraham discovered the same thing, becoming “fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised”  (Rom. 4:21).  While things looked grim, Ethan lived up to his name and stayed firm, seeing that God was not in the wrong.  In fact, God is the only one who is never at fault and always true to His word!

A good one-word synonym for faithfulness is consistency.  What He says and what He does are the same.  God makes promises; God keeps promises — all of them!  What He says happens exactly as He said.  And what happens is a result of His prior decree.  The Bible is the written record and proof of both.  It is God’s “paper trail.”  What other book of any religion demonstrates over the millennia that God is true to His word?  None, absolutely none!  That is why even “[t]he heavens praise your wonders, O Lord” (v. 5a).

Ethan the Ezrahite definitely got it right.  His praise of God’s faithfulness was neither premature nor illegitimate.  It never is.  Lift up your eyes!  God is faithful! (1 Cor. 10:13)  Are you praising Him for His faithfulness today?  Are you reflecting in your life faithfulness — consistency — to Him?