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Sing of the Lovingkindness of Yahweh Forever

A [a]Maskil of [b]Ethan [c]the Ezrahite.

89 I will (A)sing of the lovingkindnesses of Yahweh forever;
From generation to generation I will (B)make known Your (C)faithfulness with my mouth.
For I have said, “(D)Lovingkindness will be built up forever;
In the heavens You will establish Your (E)faithfulness.”
“I have cut a covenant with (F)My chosen;
I have (G)sworn to David My [d]servant,
I will establish your (H)seed forever
And build up your (I)throne from generation to generation.” [e]Selah.

The (J)heavens will praise Your wonders, O Yahweh;
Your faithfulness also (K)in the assembly of the (L)holy ones.
For (M)who in the sky is comparable to Yahweh?
Who among the [f](N)sons of the mighty is like Yahweh,
A God (O)greatly dreaded in the council of the (P)holy ones,
And [g](Q)fearsome above all those who are around Him?
O Yahweh God of hosts, (R)who is like You, O mighty Yah?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
You rule the swelling of the sea;
When its waves rise, You (S)still them.
10 You Yourself crushed [h](T)Rahab like one who is slain;
You (U)scattered Your enemies with Your strong arm.

11 The (V)heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The (W)world and its fullness, You have founded them.
12 The (X)north and the south, You have created them;
(Y)Tabor and (Z)Hermon (AA)sing with joy at Your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
Your hand is strong, Your (AB)right hand is exalted.
14 (AC)Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
(AD)Lovingkindness and [i]truth go before You.
15 How blessed are the people who know the (AE)loud shout of joy!
O Yahweh, they walk in the (AF)light of Your face.
16 In (AG)Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the beauty of (AH)their strength,
And by Your favor [j]our (AI)horn is exalted.
18 For our (AJ)shield belongs to Yahweh,
[k]And our king to the (AK)Holy One of Israel.

19 Formerly You spoke in vision to Your [l]holy [m]ones,
And said, “I have bestowed help to a (AL)mighty one;
I have exalted one (AM)chosen from the people.
20 I have (AN)found David My [n]servant;
With My holy (AO)oil I have anointed him,
21 With whom (AP)My hand will be established;
My arm also will (AQ)strengthen him.
22 The enemy will not [o]deceive him,
Nor the [p](AR)son of unrighteousness afflict him.
23 But I shall (AS)crush his adversaries before him,
And strike those who hate him.
24 My (AT)faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him,
And in My name his (AU)horn will be exalted.
25 I shall also set his hand (AV)on the sea
And his right hand on the rivers.
26 He will call to Me, ‘You are (AW)my Father,
My God, and the (AX)rock of my salvation.’
27 I also shall make him My (AY)firstborn,
The (AZ)highest of the kings of the earth.
28 My (BA)lovingkindness I will keep for him forever,
And My (BB)covenant shall be confirmed to him.
29 So I will set up his (BC)seed to endure forever
And his (BD)throne (BE)as the days of heaven.

30 “If his sons (BF)forsake My law
And do not walk in My judgments,
31 If they profane My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
32 Then I will punish their transgression with the (BG)rod
And their iniquity with striking.
33 But I will not break off (BH)My lovingkindness from him,
Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.
34 My (BI)covenant I will not profane,
Nor will I (BJ)alter what comes forth from My lips.
35 [q]Once I have (BK)sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David.
36 His (BL)seed shall endure forever
And his (BM)throne (BN)as the sun before Me.
37 It shall be established forever (BO)like the moon,
And the (BP)witness in the sky is faithful.” [r]Selah.

38 But You have (BQ)cast off and (BR)rejected,
You have been full of wrath [s]against Your (BS)anointed.
39 You have (BT)spurned the covenant of Your [t]slave;
You have (BU)profaned (BV)his crown to the ground.
40 You have (BW)broken down all his walls;
You have (BX)beset his strongholds with ruin.
41 (BY)All who pass along the way plunder him;
He has become a (BZ)reproach to his neighbors.
42 You have (CA)exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have (CB)made all his enemies be glad.
43 You also turn back the edge of his sword
And have (CC)not made him arise in battle.
44 You have made his [u](CD)splendor to cease
And cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have (CE)shortened the days of his youth;
You have (CF)wrapped him up with shame. Selah.

46 (CG)How long, O Yahweh?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your (CH)wrath burn like fire?
47 (CI)Remember [v]what my span of life is;
For what (CJ)vanity [w]You have created all the sons of men!
48 What man can live and not (CK)see death?
Can he (CL)provide his soul escape from the [x]power of Sheol? Selah.

49 Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord,
Which You (CM)swore to David in Your faithfulness?
50 Remember, O Lord, the (CN)reproach of Your [y]slaves;
[z]How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
51 With which (CO)Your enemies have reproached, O Yahweh,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of (CP)Your anointed.

52 (CQ)Blessed be Yahweh forever!
Amen and Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 89 Title Possibly Contemplative, Didactic, Skillful Psalm
  2. Psalm 89 Title 1 Kin 4:31
  3. Psalm 89 Title Ps 88: title
  4. Psalm 89:3 Or slave, cf. 89:39; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  5. Psalm 89:4 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  6. Psalm 89:6 Or sons of gods
  7. Psalm 89:7 Or awesome
  8. Psalm 89:10 Egypt
  9. Psalm 89:14 Or faithfulness
  10. Psalm 89:17 Or You exalt our horn
  11. Psalm 89:18 Or Even to the Holy One of Israel our King
  12. Psalm 89:19 Or ones of lovingkindness
  13. Psalm 89:19 Some mss one, cf. 16:10
  14. Psalm 89:20 Or slave,cf. 89:39; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  15. Psalm 89:22 Or exact usury from him
  16. Psalm 89:22 Or unrighteous man
  17. Psalm 89:35 Or One thing
  18. Psalm 89:37 Selah may mean Pause, Crescendo, Musical Interlude
  19. Psalm 89:38 Lit with
  20. Psalm 89:39 Or servant, cf. Ps 89:3, 20
  21. Psalm 89:44 Lit clearness, luster
  22. Psalm 89:47 Lit of what duration I am
  23. Psalm 89:47 Or have You...men?
  24. Psalm 89:48 Lit hand
  25. Psalm 89:50 Or servants, cf. Ps 89:3, 20
  26. Psalm 89:50 Lit My bearing in my bosom

Psalm 89[a]

A maskil[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

I will sing(A) of the Lord’s great love forever;
    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known(B)
    through all generations.
I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
    that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.(C)
You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to David my servant,
‘I will establish your line forever
    and make your throne firm through all generations.’”[c](D)

The heavens(E) praise your wonders, Lord,
    your faithfulness too, in the assembly(F) of the holy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
    Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?(G)
In the council(H) of the holy ones(I) God is greatly feared;
    he is more awesome than all who surround him.(J)
Who is like you,(K) Lord God Almighty?(L)
    You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

You rule over the surging sea;
    when its waves mount up, you still them.(M)
10 You crushed Rahab(N) like one of the slain;
    with your strong arm you scattered(O) your enemies.
11 The heavens are yours,(P) and yours also the earth;(Q)
    you founded the world and all that is in it.(R)
12 You created the north and the south;
    Tabor(S) and Hermon(T) sing for joy(U) at your name.
13 Your arm is endowed with power;
    your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.(V)

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;(W)
    love and faithfulness go before you.(X)
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk(Y) in the light(Z) of your presence, Lord.
16 They rejoice in your name(AA) all day long;
    they celebrate your righteousness.
17 For you are their glory and strength,(AB)
    and by your favor you exalt our horn.[d](AC)
18 Indeed, our shield[e](AD) belongs to the Lord,
    our king(AE) to the Holy One of Israel.

19 Once you spoke in a vision,
    to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
    I have raised up a young man from among the people.
20 I have found David(AF) my servant;(AG)
    with my sacred oil(AH) I have anointed(AI) him.
21 My hand will sustain him;
    surely my arm will strengthen him.(AJ)
22 The enemy will not get the better of him;(AK)
    the wicked will not oppress(AL) him.
23 I will crush his foes before him(AM)
    and strike down his adversaries.(AN)
24 My faithful love will be with him,(AO)
    and through my name his horn[f] will be exalted.
25 I will set his hand over the sea,
    his right hand over the rivers.(AP)
26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,(AQ)
    my God, the Rock(AR) my Savior.’(AS)
27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,(AT)
    the most exalted(AU) of the kings(AV) of the earth.
28 I will maintain my love to him forever,
    and my covenant with him will never fail.(AW)
29 I will establish his line forever,
    his throne as long as the heavens endure.(AX)

30 “If his sons forsake my law
    and do not follow my statutes,
31 if they violate my decrees
    and fail to keep my commands,
32 I will punish their sin with the rod,
    their iniquity with flogging;(AY)
33 but I will not take my love from him,(AZ)
    nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
34 I will not violate my covenant
    or alter what my lips have uttered.(BA)
35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
    and I will not lie to David—
36 that his line will continue forever
    and his throne endure before me like the sun;(BB)
37 it will be established forever like the moon,
    the faithful witness in the sky.”(BC)

38 But you have rejected,(BD) you have spurned,
    you have been very angry with your anointed one.
39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant
    and have defiled his crown in the dust.(BE)
40 You have broken through all his walls(BF)
    and reduced his strongholds(BG) to ruins.
41 All who pass by have plundered(BH) him;
    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.(BI)
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
    you have made all his enemies rejoice.(BJ)
43 Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword
    and have not supported him in battle.(BK)
44 You have put an end to his splendor
    and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short(BL) the days of his youth;
    you have covered him with a mantle of shame.(BM)

46 How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your wrath burn like fire?(BN)
47 Remember how fleeting is my life.(BO)
    For what futility you have created all humanity!
48 Who can live and not see death,
    or who can escape the power of the grave?(BP)
49 Lord, where is your former great love,
    which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has[g] been mocked,(BQ)
    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
51 the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,
    with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.(BR)

52 Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.(BS)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 89:1 In Hebrew texts 89:1-52 is numbered 89:2-53.
  2. Psalm 89:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  3. Psalm 89:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 37, 45 and 48.
  4. Psalm 89:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one.
  5. Psalm 89:18 Or sovereign
  6. Psalm 89:24 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  7. Psalm 89:50 Or your servants have