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(A special psalm by Ethan the Ezrahite.)

The Lord's Agreement with David

(A) Our Lord, I will sing
    of your love forever.
Everyone yet to be born
will hear me praise
    your faithfulness.
I will tell them, “God's love
    can always be trusted,
and his faithfulness lasts
    as long as the heavens.”

You said, “David, my servant,
    is my chosen one,
and this is the agreement
    I made with him:
(B) David, one of your descendants
    will always be king.”

Our Lord, let the heavens
    now praise your miracles,
and let all your angels
    praise your faithfulness.

None who live in the heavens
    can compare with you.
You are the most fearsome
    of all who live in heaven;
all the others fear
    and greatly honor you.
You are Lord God All-Powerful!
No one is as loving
    and faithful as you are.
You rule the roaring sea
    and calm its waves.
10 You crushed the monster Rahab,[a]
and with your powerful arm
    you scattered your enemies.
11 The heavens and the earth
    belong to you.
And so does the world
    with all its people
because you created them
12     and everything else.[b]

Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon
    gladly praise you.
13 You are strong and mighty!

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Footnotes

  1. 89.10 Rahab: Many people in the ancient world thought that the world was controlled by this sea monster that the Lord destroyed at the time of creation (see Isaiah 51.9).
  2. 89.12 and everything else: The Hebrew text has “Zaphon and Yamin,” which may either be the names of mountains or refer to the directions “north and south,” with the meaning “everything from north to south.”

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)

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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.