Psalms 89

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

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

³“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 to all generations.’” Selah.

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

⁶For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,

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

⁸Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you? Yah, your faithfulness is around you.

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

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

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

¹²You have created the north and the south. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

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

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

¹⁵Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.

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

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

¹⁸For our shield belongs to Yahweh, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹Then 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁶He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!’

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

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

²⁹I will also make his offspring endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

³⁰If his children forsake my law, and don’t walk in my ordinances;

³¹if they break my statutes, and don’t keep my commandments;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁴¹All who pass by the way rob him. He has become a reproach to his neighbors.

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

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

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

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

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

⁴⁷Remember how short my time is, for what vanity you have created all the children of men!

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

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

⁵⁰Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,

⁵¹With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh, with which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

⁵²Blessed be Yahweh forever more. Amen, and Amen.