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The Lord’s Covenant with David, and Israel’s Afflictions.

A skillful song, or a didactic or reflective poem, of Ethan the Ezrahite.

89 I will sing of the goodness and lovingkindness of the Lord forever;
With my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness from generation to generation.

For I have said, “Goodness and lovingkindness will be built up forever;
In the heavens [unchangeable and majestic] You will establish Your faithfulness.”

[God has said] “I have made a covenant with My chosen one;
I have sworn to David My servant,

I will establish your seed forever
And I will build up your throne for all generations.”(A) Selah.


The heavens (angels) praise Your wonders, O Lord,
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the divine beings is like the Lord,

A God greatly feared and reverently worshiped in the council of the holy [angelic] ones,
And awesome above all those who are around Him?

O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord?
Your faithfulness surrounds You [as an intrinsic, unchangeable part of Your very being].

You rule the swelling of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.(B)
10 
You have crushed Rahab (Egypt) like one who is slain;
You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

11 
The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and all that is in it, You have founded and established them.(C)
12 
The north and the south, You have created them;
Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon shout for joy at Your name.
13 
You have a strong arm;
Mighty is Your hand, Your right hand is exalted.
14 
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.
15 
Blessed and happy are the people who know the joyful sound [of the trumpet’s blast]!
They walk, O Lord, in the light and favor of Your countenance!
16 
In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 
For You are the glory of their strength [their proud adornment],
And by Your favor our horn is exalted.
18 
For our shield belongs to the Lord,
And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 
Once You spoke in a vision to Your godly ones,
And said, “I have given help to one who is mighty [giving him the power to be a champion for Israel];
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20 
“I have found David My servant;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,(D)
21 
With whom My hand shall be established and steadfast;
My arm also shall strengthen him.
22 
“The enemy will not outwit him,
Nor will the wicked man afflict or humiliate him.
23 
“I will crush his adversaries before him,
And strike those who hate him.
24 
“My faithfulness and My steadfast lovingkindness shall be with him,
And in My name shall his horn be exalted [great power and prosperity shall be conferred upon him].
25 
“I will also [a]set his hand on the [Mediterranean] sea,
And his right hand on the rivers [the tributaries of the Euphrates].
26 
“He will cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27 
“I will also make him My firstborn (preeminent),
The highest of the kings of the earth.(E)
28 
“My lovingkindness I will keep for him forevermore,
And My covenant will be confirmed to him.
29 
“His descendants I will establish forever,
And his throne [will endure] as the days of heaven.(F)

30 
“If his children [b]turn away from My law
And do not walk in My ordinances,
31 
If they break My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
32 
Then I will punish their transgression with the rod [of discipline],
And [correct] their wickedness with stripes.(G)
33 
“Nevertheless, I will not break off My lovingkindness from him,
Nor allow My faithfulness to fail.
34 
“My covenant I will not violate,
Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.
35 
“Once [for all] I have sworn by My holiness, [My vow which cannot be violated];
I will not lie to David.
36 
“His [c]descendants shall endure forever
And his throne [will continue] as the sun before Me.(H)
37 
“It shall be established forever like the moon,
And the witness in the heavens is ever faithful.”(I) Selah.

38 
But [in apparent contradiction of all this] You [the faithful Lord] have cast off and rejected;
You have been full of wrath against Your anointed.
39 
You have spurned and repudiated the covenant with Your servant;
You have profaned his crown [by casting it] in the dust.
40 
You have broken down all his [city] walls;
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 
All who pass along the road rob him;
He has become the scorn of his neighbors.
42 
You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 
Also, You have turned back the edge of his sword
And have not made him [strong enough] to stand in battle.
44 
You have put an end to his splendor
And have hurled 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 how fleeting my lifetime is;
For what vanity, [for what emptiness, for what futility, for what wisp of smoke] You have created all the sons of men!
48 
What man can live and not see death?
Can he rescue his soul from the [powerful] hand of Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead)? Selah.

49 
O Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses [so abundant in the days of David and Solomon],
Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?
50 
Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants [scorned, insulted, and disgraced];
How I bear in [d]my heart the reproach of all the many peoples,
51 
With which Your enemies have taunted, O Lord,
With which they have mocked the footsteps of Your anointed.

52 
Blessed be the Lord forevermore!
Amen and Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 89:25 I.e. extend his area of influence.
  2. Psalm 89:30 Lit forsake.
  3. Psalm 89:36 Lit seed.
  4. Psalm 89:50 Lit the fold of my garment.

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