Best of Friends, Different Struggles

Psalm 89

After twenty years of working in electronics repair and electrical design a very good friend Scott suggested I apply for a software job, which I did. The vice president doing the hiring, and also doing my interview had read through my resume and spoke very frankly to me. "There is nothing in this resume that means anything to me, let alone for the position I need to fill. What can you tell me why I should consider hiring you?" I gave a brief answer on being able to learn quickly and be consistent and able get better as I work. Scott and another software engineer, both very excellent in their work as well had vouched for me from having worked with me for five years before then. They saw me write software to use for troubleshooting the electronics hardware, in some cases working on software issues that were not considered priority to the software department, but were necessary reponding to customer returns, and hardware/software design issues. The next day I was hired on their word alone. Where in all my previous jobs I worked at each at most five years. This my first actual software job I worked more than fifteen years in customer support, quality assurance, coding, testing, and on customer site installation work. The installation work was with another friend I had worked with before at that previous job. Scott, Ricky, and I worked together at two different places of employment for a combined time of more than twenty years. We became the best of friends. And my friend Scott died almost a year after my my wife died. Friends in life until death.

In 1 Chronicles 15 there are three men who were selected for a job to work together. They were singers, but they were also very wise men. First we see these three mentioned as singers who David set to sing in the house of the Lord (1 Chronicles 6:31, 32, 33, 39, 44), but named specifically in 1 Chronicles 15.

And David spake to the chief of the Levites, that they should appoint certain of their brethren to sing with instruments of music, with violes and harps, and cymbals, that they might make a sound, and lift up their voice with joy. So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and of his brethren Asaph the son of Berechiah, and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah,

So Heman, Asaph and Ethan were singers to make a sound with cymbals of brass,

1 Chronicles 15:16 - 17, 19 GNV

In this case they were part of the overall prosession to bring back the ark of God to Jerusalem. We learn even more of them later in the beginning ofSolomon's reign.

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and a large heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore, And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser then any man: yea, then were Ethan the Ezrahite, then Heman, then Chalcol, then Darda the sons of Mahol: and he was famous throughout all nations round about.

1 Kings 4:29 - 31 GNV

In 1 Chronicles 16 is seen that Asaph had an affinity for the cymbals even though Heman and Ethan also played the cymbals. More is learned of the appointment for Asaph and Heman, but Ethan isn't mentioned again until Psalm 89.

Contrasted with Heman's writings in Psalm 88 Ethan provides his own one time entry in the book of Psalms. While Heman found at that point in his life starts from the very beginning with "crying day and night before thee", Ethan begins declaring:

A Psalm to give instruction, of Ethan the Ezrahite.

I will sing the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I declare thy truth from generation to generation.

Psalms 89:1 GNV

That was one of the first songs I learned in Sunday School. But what I never knew was how the psalm ended. Oh the praise Ethan wrote, even sections actually writing as the very words of the Lord was being spoken. How up lifting! How many praises! Oh the ascribing of the very character of God in glory of whom the Lord alone is worthy!

But what's this? What does the last third of the writing say?

But thou hast rejected and abhorred, thou hast been angry with thine Anointed. Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant, and profaned his crown, casting it on the ground. Thou hast broken down all his walls: thou hast laid his fortresses in ruin.

Psalms 89:38-40 GNV‬‬

What a great reversal! Now he is beginning to sound like his friend Heman. Or does he? Interesting enough is that my through the Bible reading was the end of the farewell speech Moses gave to the children of Israel just before the went into the promised land led by Joshua. Chapters 29 and 30 of Deuteronomy remind them of the blessing and cursing that follows the obedience or disobedience to God's law. What Ethan describes sounds like the result of disobedience.

The Ethan asks a familiar question asked by other psalmists, How long? (vs 46) How often we question God's timing. Then we remind God:

Remember of what time I am: wherefore shouldest thou create in vain all the children of men?

Psalms 89:47 GNV

Look here God. I don't have that much time left on this earth! Was your effort in creating me in vain? Yes, the friends Heman and Ethan, cymbalists in David's choir, more than likely good friends with Asaph too, these wise men to whom Solomon was compared, bring their struggle to God quite differently. And the Lord saw fit to keep their writings in His precious holy Word.

Praised be the Lord for evermore. So be it, even so be it.

Psalms 89:52 GNV