Psalms 89:30-37

Sin and disobedience would not cancel God’s promises to David in the covenant. They would bring discipline on the offenders, but God swore to deliver the blessings He had promised David.

Since Jesus Christ, David’s descendant, has not yet ruled over Israel as these promises guarantee, we should look for a literal fulfillment of them in the future. This means He will rule on the earth, since this is what God promised David (2 Samuel 7:5-16). For this reason we look for an earthly reign of Messiah, not just a heavenly reign over the hearts of all believers. [Note: See the discussion of the messianic king in VanGemeren, pp. 586-91.] The hope of an earthly reign over Israel is what distinguishes premillennialists from amillennialists and postmillennialists. This hope rests on a literal interpretation of God’s promises in the Davidic Covenant (cf. Psalms 89:3-4; Psalms 89:27-29; Psalms 89:35-37; Psalms 89:49). [Note: See Ronald B. Allen, "Evidence from Psalms 89," in A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus, pp. 55-77.]