Psalms 89

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

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing evermore of the love of the Lord, proclaiming to all generations his faithfulness.

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

For your love you did promise to build up forever, your faithfulness firm as the heavens themselves.

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

‘I have made with my chosen a covenant, and sworn to David my servant,

4 'I will establish your offspring forever, and build up your throne for all generations.'" (Selah)

to establish his seed forever, and to build up his throne to all ages.’ (Selah)

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

Then the holy assembly in heaven praised your marvellous faithfulness, Lord.

6 For who in the skies can be compared to YHWH? Who among the sons of God is like YHWH,

For who in the skies may compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the gods?

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

A God to be feared in the holy assembly, awful and great above all who are round him.

8 YHWH, the God of hosts, who is a mighty one like you, JAH? Your faithfulness is around you.

O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you? Your strength and faithfulness, Lord, surround you.

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

You are the Lord of the raging sea: when its waves surge, it is you who still them.

10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

It was you who did pierce and crush Rahab in pieces, and scatter your foes by your mighty arm.

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

Yours are the heavens, yours also the earth, the world and its fulness, it’s you who did found them.

12 The north and the south, you have created them. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

The north and the south, it’s you have created them; Tabor and Hermon shout praise to your name.

13 You have a mighty arm. Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.

You have an arm with the might of a hero; strong is your hand, high uplifted your right hand.

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

Justice and right are the base of your throne, kindness and faithfulness ever attend you.

15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful shout. They walk in the light of your presence, YHWH.

Happy the people who know the glad shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face.

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

They exult in your name all the day, and your righteousness they extol.

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

For you are our strength and our pride. Your favour will lift us to honour.

18 For our shield belongs to YHWH; our king to the Holy One of Israel.

For the holy Lord of Israel keeps our defender and king.

19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful ones, and said, "I have bestowed strength on the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people.

In a vision of old you did speak in this way to the one whom you loved: ‘A crown I have set on the hero I chose to be over the people

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

‘I found my servant David, and anointed with holy oil.

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

My hand will be with him forever, my arm will give him strength.

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

‘No enemy will dare to assail him, nor the wicked to oppress him;

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

but his foes I will shatter before him, I will strike down those who hate him.

24 But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted.

‘My loyal love shall attend him, and I will lift him to honour.

25 I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.

I will set his hand 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.'

‘As for him, he will call me “My father, my God, and my rock of salvation.”

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

And I will make him my firstborn, highest of kings on the earth.

28 I will keep my loving kindness for him forevermore. My covenant will stand firm with him.

‘My love will I keep for him ever, my covenant with him shall stand fast.

29 And I will establish his descendants forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

His line will I make everlasting, and his throne as the days of the heavens.

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

‘If his children forsake my law, and walk not as I have ordained;

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

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

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

‘I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with scourges.

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

But my love will I not take from him, nor will I belie my faithfulness.

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

‘I will not profane my covenant by changing the word that has passed my lips.

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

Once have I solemnly sworn and I would not lie to David,

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

‘that his line should endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me,

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

firm as the moon which for ever and ever is fixed in the sky.’ (Selah)

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

But you have cast off in contempt, and been furious with your anointed.

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

You have spurned the covenant with your servant, and his sacred crown dashed to the ground.

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

You have broken down all his walls, and laid his bulwarks in ruins.

41 All who pass by the way rob him. He has become an object of ridicule to his neighbors.

All who pass on their way despoil him, the scorn of his neighbours is he now.

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

You have given his foes the victory, and made all his enemies glad.

43 Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword, and haven't supported him in battle.

You have turned back his sword from the foe, you did not lift him up in the battle.

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

The sceptre you took from his hand, and his throne you did hurl to the ground.

45 You have shortened the days of his youth. You have covered him with shame. (Selah)

You have shortened the days of his youth, and covered him with shame. (Selah)

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

How long, Lord will you hide you forever? How long are the fires of your wrath to burn?

47 Remember how short my time is. Have you created the descendants of Adam for no reason?

Remember, Lord, the shortness of life how fleeting you made all people.

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

Who can live without seeing death? Who can rescue their life from the clutch of Sheol? (Selah) (Sheol h7585)

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

Where, Lord, is your kindness of old, which you in your faithfulness swore to David?

50 Remember, YHWH, the ridicule of all the many peoples against your servants I have borne in my heart,

Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, how I bear in my heart the scorn of all nations

51 how your enemies have ridiculed, YHWH, how they have ridiculed the footsteps of your anointed one.

The scorn which your enemies hurl, O Lord, which they hurl at the footsteps of your anointed.

52 Blessed be YHWH forevermore. Amen, and Amen.

Blest be the Lord, for ever and ever. Amen and Amen.