Psalms 89
1 A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing evermore of the love of the Lord, proclaiming to all generations his faithfulness.
A psalm (maskil) of Ethan the Ezraite I will sing of the Lord's trustworthy love forever; I will tell all generations of your faithfulness.
2 For your love you did promise to build up forever, your faithfulness firm as the heavens themselves.
For I have said, “Your unfailing love lasts forever; your faithfulness endures as long as the heavens.”
3 ‘I have made with my chosen a covenant, and sworn to David my servant,
You said, “I have made an agreement with my chosen one, I gave a binding promise to my servant David:
4 to establish his seed forever, and to build up his throne to all ages.’ (Selah)
I will make sure your lineage lasts forever; I will keep your throne secure for all generations.” (Selah)
5 Then the holy assembly in heaven praised your marvellous faithfulness, Lord.
All the heavenly beings will sing of the wonderful things you have done, Lord; angels will gather to sing of your faithfulness.
6 For who in the skies may compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the gods?
For who in heaven can compare to the Lord? Who is like the Lord even among the angels?
7 A God to be feared in the holy assembly, awful and great above all who are round him.
The heavenly council are in awe of God; all who surround him are overwhelmed by him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you? Your strength and faithfulness, Lord, surround you.
Lord God Almighty, who is as powerful as you? In all this, Lord, you are completely trustworthy.
9 You are the Lord of the raging sea: when its waves surge, it is you who still them.
You rule the restless seas; you calm their stormy waves.
10 It was you who did pierce and crush Rahab in pieces, and scatter your foes by your mighty arm.
You crushed Rahab the sea-monster to death; by your power you scattered your enemies.
11 Yours are the heavens, yours also the earth, the world and its fulness, it’s you who did found them.
The heavens belong to you, and the earth too; you made the world and everything in it.
12 The north and the south, it’s you have created them; Tabor and Hermon shout praise to your name.
You created north and south; Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon celebrate you.
13 You have an arm with the might of a hero; strong is your hand, high uplifted your right hand.
Your arm is powerful. Your hand is strong. Your right hand is held up high in command.
14 Justice and right are the base of your throne, kindness and faithfulness ever attend you.
Your character of goodness and fairness is the basis for the way you rule; dependable love and trustworthiness are always with you.
15 Happy the people who know the glad shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face.
How happy are those who know how to shout your praises, Lord. They live in the light of your presence.
16 They exult in your name all the day, and your righteousness they extol.
They celebrate the person you are all day long, so glad that you do what's right.
17 For you are our strength and our pride. Your favour will lift us to honour.
They rely on you, their glory and strength; by your grace you lift us up.
18 For the holy Lord of Israel keeps our defender and king.
Yes, the Lord is the one who shields us, and our king belongs to the Holy One of Israel.
19 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
Once you spoke in a vision to your faithful servant and said, “I have given strength to the warrior I have chosen from the people to become king.
20 ‘I found my servant David, and anointed with holy oil.
I have selected David my servant, and I have anointed him with the oil of my holiness.
21 My hand will be with him forever, my arm will give him strength.
I have placed my hand on him to steady him; and I have made him strong by my powerful arm.
22 ‘No enemy will dare to assail him, nor the wicked to oppress him;
His enemies will not deceive him; the wicked will not bring him down.
23 but his foes I will shatter before him, I will strike down those who hate him.
I will wipe out his enemies before him; I will strike down those who hate him.
24 ‘My loyal love shall attend him, and I will lift him to honour.
My trustworthiness and unfailing love will be with him, and through me he will be victorious.
25 I will set his hand on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.
I will extend his rule from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River.
26 ‘As for him, he will call me “My father, my God, and my rock of salvation.”
He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27 And I will make him my firstborn, highest of kings on the earth.
I will also make him my first-born son, the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 ‘My love will I keep for him ever, my covenant with him shall stand fast.
I will love him faithfully forever; my agreement with him shall never come to an end.
29 His line will I make everlasting, and his throne as the days of the heavens.
I will make sure his royal line lasts forever; his dynasty will continue as long as the heavens endure.
30 ‘If his children forsake my law, and walk not as I have ordained;
But if his descendants abandon my laws, if they do not follow my rules,
31 if they profane my statutes, and do not keep my commandments;
if they break my decrees, and do not keep my commandments,
32 ‘I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with scourges.
I will punish their rebellion by beating them with a rod, and their sin by lashing them with a whip.
33 But my love will I not take from him, nor will I belie my faithfulness.
However, I will not take away my love from him; I will not break my promise to him.
34 ‘I will not profane my covenant by changing the word that has passed my lips.
I will not annul the agreement I have with him; I will not alter a single word I've said.
35 Once have I solemnly sworn and I would not lie to David,
By my holy character I have made a vow to David that I will not lie to him.
36 ‘that his line should endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me,
His royal line will last forever, and his dynasty will continue before me as long as the sun endures.
37 firm as the moon which for ever and ever is fixed in the sky.’ (Selah)
It will continue forever like the moon, an enduring witness in the heavens.” (Selah)
38 But you have cast off in contempt, and been furious with your anointed.
But you have rejected and abandoned him! You are angry with your chosen king!
39 You have spurned the covenant with your servant, and his sacred crown dashed to the ground.
You have broken the agreement you had with him; you have thrown his crown to the ground!
40 You have broken down all his walls, and laid his bulwarks in ruins.
You have torn down his defensive walls; you have ruined his fortresses.
41 All who pass on their way despoil him, the scorn of his neighbours is he now.
Everyone who passes by has robbed him; he has become an object of mockery to the nations nearby.
42 You have given his foes the victory, and made all his enemies glad.
You have made his enemies strong; you have made them celebrate their victory.
43 You have turned back his sword from the foe, you did not lift him up in the battle.
You have repelled his sharp sword; you have not helped him in battle.
44 The sceptre you took from his hand, and his throne you did hurl to the ground.
You took away his glory; you threw his throne to the ground.
45 You have shortened the days of his youth, and covered him with shame. (Selah)
You have made him grow old before his time; you have totally humiliated him. (Selah)
46 How long, Lord will you hide you forever? How long are the fires of your wrath to burn?
How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself from us forever, your anger burning like fire?
47 Remember, Lord, the shortness of life how fleeting you made all people.
Remember me—my life is so short! Why did you bother creating futile humanity?
48 Who can live without seeing death? Who can rescue their life from the clutch of Sheol? (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
There's no one who doesn't die—no one can save themselves from the power of the grave. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
49 Where, Lord, is your kindness of old, which you in your faithfulness swore to David?
Where is the trustworthy love you used to have, Lord, that you faithfully promised to David?
50 Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, how I bear in my heart the scorn of all nations
Don't forget, Lord, how your servants are being humiliated! I'm burdened down with the insults of so many nations!
51 The scorn which your enemies hurl, O Lord, which they hurl at the footsteps of your anointed.
Your enemies taunt me, Lord, mocking your king wherever he goes.
52 Blest be the Lord, for ever and ever. Amen and Amen.
May the Lord be blessed for ever. Amen and amen.
