How does Psalm 89:31 connect with the Ten Commandments?

The immediate words of Psalm 89:31

“if they violate My statutes and do not keep My commands,”

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The covenant context: David and the Law

• Psalm 89 rehearses God’s covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:12-16).

• Verses 30-32 introduce a sober reminder: David’s descendants must obey God’s “statutes” and “commands,” or face discipline (v. 32).

• These terms reach back to the covenant at Sinai, showing that the royal line remains accountable to the same unchanging moral law.

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Echoes of the Ten Commandments

• “My statutes…My commands” is covenant language drawn directly from the giving of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21).

• Deuteronomy 4:13: “He declared to you His covenant… the Ten Commandments….”

• By referencing “statutes” and “commands,” Psalm 89:31 links the Davidic covenant to the foundational Sinai covenant, affirming that royalty does not stand above God’s moral requirements.

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Key parallels between Psalm 89:31 and the Decalogue

• First Commandment (Exodus 20:3) – Loyalty to the one true God; any “violation” breaks covenant fidelity.

• Third Commandment (Exodus 20:7) – Reverencing God’s name; kings who misrepresent Him “violate” His statutes.

• Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:12) – Honor authority; David’s sons were to honor their heavenly Father first.

• Sixth–Eighth Commandments – Prohibitions against murder, adultery, theft; royal power could tempt them in these very areas (cf. 2 Samuel 11).

• Tenth Commandment – Coveting breeds every other sin; unchecked desire leads to the rod of discipline promised in Psalm 89:32.

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Why this connection matters today

• God’s moral law is consistent; His “commands” in Psalm 89:31 are the same commandments spoken at Sinai.

• The Lord’s faithfulness to discipline proves His covenant love (Hebrews 12:6).

• Jesus affirmed and fulfilled the Law, not abolishing it (Matthew 5:17-19), and believers, like David’s heirs, demonstrate covenant loyalty by walking in those commandments through the Spirit’s enabling (John 14:15-17; Romans 8:3-4).