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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]

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