Psalms 89

1 A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.

A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving kindness of the LORD forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

2 For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever; in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”

I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them.”

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David My servant:

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant,

4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’”

‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’” (Selah)

5 The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD— Your faithfulness as well— in the assembly of the holy ones.

The heavens will praise your wonders, LORD, your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

6 For who in the skies can compare with the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?

For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like the LORD,

7 In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared, and awesome above all who surround Him.

a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around him?

8 O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You? O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You.

LORD, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you? LORD, your faithfulness is around you.

9 You rule the raging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them.

You rule the pride of the sea. When its waves rise up, you calm them.

10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

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, and also the earth. The earth and its fullness You founded.

The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours, the world and its fullness. You have founded them.

12 North and south You created; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.

You have created the north and the south. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

13 Mighty is Your arm; strong is Your hand. Your right hand is exalted.

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 devotion and faithfulness go before You.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.

15 Blessed are those who know the joyful sound, who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence.

Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, LORD.

16 They rejoice in Your name all day long, and in Your righteousness they exult.

In your name they rejoice all day. In your righteousness, they are exalted.

17 For You are the glory of their strength, and by Your favor our horn is exalted.

For you are the glory of their strength. In your favor, our horn will be exalted.

18 Surely our shield belongs to the LORD, and our king to the Holy One of Israel.

For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 You once spoke in a vision; to Your godly ones You said, “I have bestowed help on a warrior; I have exalted one chosen from the people.

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 My servant David; with My sacred oil I have anointed him.

I have found David, my servant. I have anointed him with my holy oil,

21 My hand will sustain him; surely My arm will strengthen him.

with whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him.

22 No enemy will exact tribute; no wicked man will oppress him.

No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.

23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him.

I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.

24 My faithfulness and loving devotion will be with him, and through My name his horn will be exalted.

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 over the sea, and his right hand upon the rivers.

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, the Rock of my salvation.’

He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!’

27 I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

I will also appoint him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

28 I will forever preserve My loving devotion for him, and My covenant with him will stand fast.

I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him.

29 I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.

I will also make his offspring endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

30 If his sons forsake My law and do not walk in My judgments,

If his children forsake my law, and do not walk in my ordinances;

31 if they violate My statutes and fail to keep My commandments,

if they break my statutes, and do not keep my commandments;

32 I will attend to their transgression with the rod, and to their iniquity with stripes.

then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

33 But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him, nor ever betray My faithfulness.

But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.

34 I will not violate My covenant or alter the utterance of My lips.

I will not break my covenant, nor alter what my lips have uttered.

35 Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness— I will not lie to David—

Once I have sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David.

36 his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,

His offspring will endure forever, his throne like the sun before me.

37 like the moon, established forever, a faithful witness in the sky.”

It will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.” (Selah)

38 Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him; You are enraged by Your anointed one.

But you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed.

39 You have renounced the covenant with Your servant and sullied his crown in the dust.

You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have defiled his crown in the dust.

40 You have broken down all his walls; You have reduced his strongholds to rubble.

You have broken down all his hedges. You have brought his strongholds to ruin.

41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become a reproach to his neighbors.

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 foes; You have made all his enemies rejoice.

You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries. You have made all of his enemies rejoice.

43 You have bent the edge of his sword and have not sustained him in battle.

Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword, and have not supported him in battle.

44 You have ended his splendor and cast his throne to the ground.

You have ended his splendor, and thrown his throne down to the ground.

45 You have cut short the days of his youth; You have covered him with shame.

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 keep burning like fire?

How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember the briefness of my lifespan! For what futility You have created all men!

Remember how short my time is, for what vanity you have created all the children of men!

48 What man can live and never see death? Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? (Sheol h7585)

What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol (Sheol h7585)? (Selah)

49 Where, O Lord, is Your loving devotion of old, which You faithfully swore to David?

Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?

50 Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants, which I bear in my heart from so many people—

Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,

51 how Your enemies have taunted, O LORD, and have mocked every step of Your anointed one!

With which your enemies have mocked, LORD, with which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

52 Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and amen.

Blessed be the LORD forever more. Amen, and Amen.