Add parallel Print Page Options

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 psalm[a] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!
    Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
Your unfailing love will last forever.
    Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.
    I have sworn this oath to him:
‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
    they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’” Interlude
All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord;
    myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord?
    What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?
The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
    He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies!
    Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord?
    You are entirely faithful.

You rule the oceans.
    You subdue their storm-tossed waves.
10 You crushed the great sea monster.[b]
    You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
    everything in the world is yours—you created it all.
12 You created north and south.
    Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
13 Powerful is your arm!
    Strong is your hand!
    Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
    Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
    for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
    They exult in your righteousness.
17 You are their glorious strength.
    It pleases you to make us strong.
18 Yes, our protection comes from the Lord,
    and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.

19 Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people.
You said, “I have raised up a warrior.
    I have selected him from the common people to be king.
20 I have found my servant David.
    I have anointed him with my holy oil.
21 I will steady him with my hand;
    with my powerful arm I will make him strong.
22 His enemies will not defeat him,
    nor will the wicked overpower him.
23 I will beat down his adversaries before him
    and destroy those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him,
    and by my authority he will grow in power.
25 I will extend his rule over the sea,
    his dominion over the rivers.
26 And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
    my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
27 I will make him my firstborn son,
    the mightiest king on earth.
28 I will love him and be kind to him forever;
    my covenant with him will never end.
29 I will preserve an heir for him;
    his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.
30 But if his descendants forsake my instructions
    and fail to obey my regulations,
31 if they do not obey my decrees
    and fail to keep my commands,
32 then I will punish their sin with the rod,
    and their disobedience with beating.
33 But I will never stop loving him
    nor fail to keep my promise to him.
34 No, I will not break my covenant;
    I will not take back a single word I said.
35 I have sworn an oath to David,
    and in my holiness I cannot lie:
36 His dynasty will go on forever;
    his kingdom will endure as the sun.
37 It will be as eternal as the moon,
    my faithful witness in the sky!” Interlude

38 But now you have rejected him and cast him off.
    You are angry with your anointed king.
39 You have renounced your covenant with him;
    you have thrown his crown in the dust.
40 You have broken down the walls protecting him
    and ruined every fort defending him.
41 Everyone who comes along has robbed him,
    and he has become a joke to his neighbors.
42 You have strengthened his enemies
    and made them all rejoice.
43 You have made his sword useless
    and refused to help him in battle.
44 You have ended his splendor
    and overturned his throne.
45 You have made him old before his time
    and publicly disgraced him. Interlude

46 O Lord, how long will this go on?
    Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your anger burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my life is,
    how empty and futile this human existence!
48 No one can live forever; all will die.
    No one can escape the power of the grave.[c] Interlude

49 Lord, where is your unfailing love?
    You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.
50 Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced!
    I carry in my heart the insults of so many people.
51 Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord;
    they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.

52 Praise the Lord forever!
    Amen and amen!

Footnotes

  1. 89:Title Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.
  2. 89:10 Hebrew Rahab, the name of a mythical sea monster that represents chaos in ancient literature.
  3. 89:48 Hebrew of Sheol.