The Lord’s Covenant with David, and Israel’s Afflictions.
A [a]Maskil of [b]Ethan [c]the Ezrahite.
1I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever;
To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.
2 For I have said, “Lovingkindness will be built up forever;
In the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness.”
3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen;
I have sworn to David My servant,
4 I will establish your seed forever
And build up your throne to all generations.” [d]Selah.
5 The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
6 For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord?
Who among the [e]sons of the mighty is like the Lord,
7 A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,
And awesome above all those who are around Him?
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty [f]Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 You rule the swelling of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.
10 You Yourself crushed [g]Rahab like one who is slain;
You scattered Your enemies with [h]Your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and [i]all it contains, You have founded them.
12 The north and the south, You have created them;
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.
13 You have [j]a strong arm;
Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and [k]truth go before You.
15 How blessed are the people who know the [l]joyful sound!
O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
16 In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the glory of their strength,
And by Your favor [m]our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
[n]And our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19 [o]Once You spoke in vision to Your godly [p]ones,
And said, “I have [q]given help to one who is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20 “I have found David My servant;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21 With whom My hand will be established;
My arm also will strengthen him.
22 “The enemy will not [r]deceive him,
Nor the [s]son of wickedness afflict him.
23 “But I shall crush his adversaries before him,
And strike those who hate him.
24 “My faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him,
And in My name his horn will be exalted.
25 “I shall also set his hand on the sea
And his right hand on the rivers.
26 “He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27 “I also shall make him My firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
28 “My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall be confirmed to him.
29 “So I will establish his [t]descendants forever
And his throne as the days of heaven.
30 “If his sons forsake My law
And do not walk in My judgments,
31 If they [u]violate My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod
And their iniquity with stripes.
33 “But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him,
Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.
34 “My covenant I will not [v]violate,
Nor will I alter [w]the utterance of My lips.
35 “[x]Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David.
36 “His [y]descendants shall endure forever
And his throne as the sun before Me.
37 “It shall be established forever like the moon,
And the witness in the sky is faithful.” [z]Selah.
38 But You have cast off and rejected,
You have been full of wrath [aa]against Your anointed.
39 You have spurned the covenant of Your servant;
You have profaned his crown [ab]in the dust.
40 You have broken down all his walls;
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 All who pass along the way plunder him;
He has become a reproach to his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You also turn back the edge of his sword
And have not made him stand in battle.
44 You have made his [ac]splendor to cease
And cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have shortened the days of his youth;
You have covered him with shame. Selah.
46 How long, O Lord?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember [ad]what my span of life is;
For what vanity [ae]You have created all the sons of men!
48 What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his soul from the [af]power of [ag]Sheol? Selah.
49 Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord,
Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?
50 Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants;
[ah]How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
51 With which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.
52 Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.
Footnotes
- Psalm 89:1 Possibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 89:1 1 Kin 4:31
- Psalm 89:1 Ps 88: title
- Psalm 89:4 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
- Psalm 89:6 Or sons of gods
- Psalm 89:8 Heb Yah
- Psalm 89:10 I.e. Egypt
- Psalm 89:10 Lit the arm of Your might
- Psalm 89:11 Lit its fullness
- Psalm 89:13 Lit an arm with strength
- Psalm 89:14 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 89:15 Or blast of the trumpet, shout of joy
- Psalm 89:17 Another reading is You exalt our horn
- Psalm 89:18 Or Even to the Holy One of Israel our King
- Psalm 89:19 Or At that time
- Psalm 89:19 Some mss read one
- Psalm 89:19 Lit placed help upon
- Psalm 89:22 Or exact usury from him
- Psalm 89:22 Or wicked man
- Psalm 89:29 Lit seed
- Psalm 89:31 Lit profane
- Psalm 89:34 Lit profane
- Psalm 89:34 Lit that which goes forth
- Psalm 89:35 Or One thing
- Psalm 89:36 Lit seed
- Psalm 89:37 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
- Psalm 89:38 Lit with
- Psalm 89:39 Lit to the ground
- Psalm 89:44 Lit clearness, luster
- Psalm 89:47 Lit of what duration I am
- Psalm 89:47 Or have You...men?
- Psalm 89:48 Lit hand
- Psalm 89:48 I.e. the nether world
- Psalm 89:50 Lit My bearing in my bosom