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A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.

89 I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
    With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever.
    You established the heavens.
    Your faithfulness is in them.”

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to David, my servant,
‘I will establish your offspring forever,
    and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah.
The heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh,
    your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh?
    Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,
a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones,
    to be feared above all those who are around him?
Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you?
    Yah, your faithfulness is around you.
You rule the pride of the sea.
    When its waves rise up, you calm them.
10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain.
    You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours.
    The earth also is yours,
    the world and its fullness.
    You have founded them.
12 You have created the north and the south.
    Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
13 You have a mighty arm.
    Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
    Loving kindness and truth go before your face.
15 Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you.
    They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
16 In your name they rejoice all day.
    In your righteousness, they are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength.
    In your favor, our horn will be exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to Yahweh,
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Then you spoke in vision to your saints,
    and said, “I have given strength to the warrior.
    I have exalted a young man from the people.
20 I have found David, my servant.
    I have anointed him with my holy oil,
21 with whom my hand shall be established.
    My arm will also strengthen him.
22 No enemy will tax him.
    No wicked man will oppress him.
23 I will beat down his adversaries before him,
    and strike those who hate him.
24 But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him.
    In my name, his horn will be exalted.
25 I will set his hand also on the sea,
    and his right hand on the rivers.
26 He will call to me, ‘You are my Father,
    my God, and the rock of my salvation!’
27 I will also appoint him my firstborn,
    the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more.
    My covenant will stand firm with him.
29 I will also make his offspring endure forever,
    and his throne as the days of heaven.
30 If his children forsake my law,
    and don’t walk in my ordinances;
31 if they break my statutes,
    and don’t keep my commandments;
32 then I will punish their sin with the rod,
    and their iniquity with stripes.
33 But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him,
    nor allow my faithfulness to fail.
34 I will not break my covenant,
    nor alter what my lips have uttered.
35 Once I have sworn by my holiness,
    I will not lie to David.
36 His offspring will endure forever,
    his throne like the sun before me.
37 It will be established forever like the moon,
    the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah.

38 But you have rejected and spurned.
    You have been angry with your anointed.
39 You have renounced the covenant of your servant.
    You have defiled his crown in the dust.
40 You have broken down all his hedges.
    You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 All who pass by the way rob him.
He has become a reproach to his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries.
    You have made all of his enemies rejoice.
43 Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword,
    and haven’t supported him in battle.
44 You have ended his splendor,
    and thrown his throne down to the ground.
45 You have shortened the days of his youth.
    You have covered him with shame. Selah.
46 How long, Yahweh?
    Will you hide yourself forever?
    Will your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time is,
    for what vanity you have created all the children of men!
48 What man is he who shall live and not see death,
    who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?[a] Selah.
49 Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses,
    which you swore to David in your faithfulness?
50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants,
    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,
51 With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh,
    with which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

52 Blessed be Yahweh forever more.
Amen, and Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 89:48 Sheol is the place of the dead.

Psalm 89

A Contemplative Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;
    with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
    Your faithfulness shall be established in the heavens.”
You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
    I have sworn to David my servant:
‘Your offspring I will establish forever,
    and build up your throne for all generations.’ ” Selah

Let the heavens praise Your wonders, O Lord;
    Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
    Who among the heavenly sons is like the Lord?
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the holy ones
    and awesome to all those who surround Him.
O Lord God of Hosts, who is a mighty Lord like You,
    with Your faithfulness all around You?

You rule the raging of the sea;
    when the waves arise, You still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a corpse;
    You scattered Your enemies with Your strong arm.
11 The heavens are Yours; the earth also is Yours;
    the world and all that is in it, You have founded them.
12 The north and the south, You have created them;
    Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.
13 You have a mighty arm,
    and strong is Your hand, and victorious is Your right hand.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
    mercy and truth shall go before Your presence.
15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful shout.
    They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your presence.
16 In Your name they rejoice all the day,
    and in Your righteousness they shall be exalted.
17 For You are the beauty of their strength;
    by Your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For the Lord is our shield of defense,
    and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

19 Long ago You spoke in a vision
    to Your godly one and said:
“I have 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 By whom My hand shall be established;
    My arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not take tribute from him,
    nor the wicked humiliate him.
23 I will beat down his foes before him
    and strike down those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him,
    and in My name his horn shall be exalted.
25 I will set his hand on the sea
    and his right hand on the rivers.
26 He shall cry unto Me, ‘You are my Father, my God,
    and the Rock of my salvation.’
27 Also I will make him my firstborn,
    the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 In My mercy I will keep him forever,
    and My covenant shall stand firm with him.
29 His offspring also I will establish forever
    and his throne as the days of heaven.

30 “If his children forsake My law
    and do not walk in My judgments,
31 if they break My statutes
    and do not keep My commandments,
32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod
    and their iniquity with lashes.
33 Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not remove from him
    nor be false in My faithfulness.
34 My covenant I will not violate
    nor alter the word that has gone out from My lips.
35 Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness
    that I will not lie to David:
36 His offspring shall endure forever,
    and his throne as the sun before Me;
37 it shall be established forever as the moon
    and as a faithful witness in the heavens.” Selah

38 But now You have cast off and rejected him,
    You have been wrathful with Your anointed king.
39 You have renounced the covenant with Your servant;
    You have defiled his crown by casting it to the ground.
40 You have broken down all his walls;
    You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 All who pass by the way plunder him;
    he is a reproach to his neighbors.
42 You have set high the right hand of his adversaries;
    You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword
    and have not made him stand in battle.
44 You have made his glory cease
    and cast his throne down to the ground.
45 The days of his youth You have shortened;
    You have covered him with shame. Selah

46 How long, O Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever?
    How long shall Your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time is!
    Why have You made all people in such emptiness?
48 What man can live and not see death?
    Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah
49 Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses,
    which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?
50 Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants
    and how I bear in my heart the insults of the many nations,
51 which Your enemies taunt, O Lord,
    with which they mock the footsteps of Your anointed king.

52 Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.