Perplexity about God’s Promises
A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. 89:title 1Kg 4:31; 1Ch 2:6
1 I will sing about the Lord’s faithful love forever; 89:1 Ps 101:1
I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations
with my mouth. 89:1 Ps 92:2; 119:90
2 For I will declare,
"Faithful love is built up forever;
you establish your faithfulness in the heavens." 89:2 Ps 36:5
3 The Lord said,
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn an oath to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever
and build up your throne for all generations.’ " 89:3–4 2Sm 7:8–16; 1Ch 17:7–14; Jr 33:17–21Selah
5 Lord, the heavens praise your wonders 89:5 Ps 19:1; 97:6 —
your faithfulness also —
in the assembly of the holy ones. 89:5 Ps 149:1
6 For who in the skies can compare with the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings 89:6 Or the angels, or the sons of the mighty is like the Lord? 89:6 Ps 86:8; 113:5
7 God is greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,
more awe-inspiring than 89:7 Or ones, revered by all who surround him. 89:7 Ps 89:5; 96:4
8 Lord God of Armies,
who is strong like you, Lord? 89:8 Ex 15:11; 2Sm 7:22
Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9 You rule the raging sea;
when its waves surge, you still them. 89:9 Jb 38:11; Ps 104:9; Mt 8:23–27
10 You crushed Rahab like one who is slain; 89:10 Is 30:7; 51:9–10
you scattered your enemies with your powerful arm. 89:10 Ps 68:1; 92:9
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours.
The world and everything in it — you founded them. 89:11 1Ch 29:11; Ps 24:1
12 North and south — you created them. 89:12 Jb 26:7
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at your name. 89:12 Ps 133:3; Jr 46:18
13 You have a mighty arm;
your hand is powerful;
your right hand is lifted high. 89:13 Ps 98:1; 118:16
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation
of your throne; 89:14 Ps 97:2
faithful love and truth go before you. 89:14 Ps 85:13
15 Happy are the people who know the joyful shout; 89:15 Ps 98:6
Lord, they walk in the light from your face. 89:15 Nm 6:25; Ps 56:13; 1Jn 1:7
16 They rejoice in your name all day long,
and they are exalted by your righteousness. 89:16 Ps 20:5; 105:3
17 For you are their magnificent strength; 89:17 Ps 28:8
by your favor our horn is exalted. 89:17 Ps 148:14
18 Surely our shield 89:18 = the king belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. 89:18 Ps 84:9
19 You once spoke in a vision to your faithful ones
and said, "I have granted help to a warrior;
I have exalted one chosen 89:19 Or exalted a young man from the people. 89:19 2Sm 17:10; 1Kg 11:34; Ps 78:70
20 I have found David my servant;
I have anointed him with my sacred oil. 89:20 1Sm 16:13; Ps 47:9; Ac 13:22
21 My hand will always be with him,
and my arm will strengthen him. 89:21 Ps 18:35; 80:17
22 The enemy will not oppress 89:22 Or not exact tribute from him;
the wicked will not afflict him. 89:22 2Sm 7:10
23 I will crush his foes before him
and strike those who hate him. 89:23 2Sm 7:9; Ps 2:9
24 My faithfulness and love will be with him,
and through my name
his horn will be exalted. 89:24 Ps 21:7; 132:17
25 I will extend his power to the sea
and his right hand to the rivers. 89:25 Ps 72:8
26 He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, 89:26 2Sm 7:14; 1Ch 22:10
my God, the rock of my salvation.’ 89:26 2Sm 22:47; Ps 18:2
27 I will also make him my firstborn,
greatest of the kings of the earth. 89:27 Ex 4:22; Jr 31:9; Col 1:15
28 I will always preserve my faithful love for him,
and my covenant with him will endure. 89:28 2Ch 13:5; Ps 105:8
29 I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as heaven lasts. 89:29 Lit as days of heaven, 89:29 Is 9:7; Jr 33:17
30 If his sons abandon my instruction
and do not live by my ordinances, 89:30 2Sm 7:14; 1Kg 2:4
31 if they dishonor my statutes
and do not keep my commands, 89:31 1Sm 12:15
32 then I will call their rebellion
to account with the rod,
their iniquity with blows. 89:32 Jb 9:34
33 But I will not withdraw
my faithful love from him
or betray my faithfulness. 89:33 2Sm 7:15
34 I will not violate my covenant
or change what my lips have said. 89:34 Lv 26:44; Jdg 2:1
35 Once and for all
I have sworn an oath by my holiness;
I will not lie to David. 89:35 Am 4:2
36 His offspring will continue forever,
his throne like the sun before me, 89:36 Ps 72:5,17
37 like the moon, established forever,
a faithful witness in the sky." 89:37 Jb 16:19; Lk 1:33Selah
38 But you have spurned and rejected him;
you have become enraged with your anointed. 89:38 1Ch 28:9; Ps 44:9
39 You have repudiated the covenant with your servant;
you have completely dishonored his crown. 89:39 Lit have dishonored his crown to the ground, 89:39 Ps 74:7; Lm 2:7; 5:16
40 You have broken down all his walls;
you have reduced his fortified cities to ruins. 89:40 Ps 80:12; Lm 2:2,5
41 All who pass by plunder him; 89:41 Jr 30:16
he has become an object of ridicule
to his neighbors. 89:41 Dt 28:37; 1Kg 9:7; Ps 44:13; 79:4; 102:8; Jr 20:7; 24:9
42 You have lifted high the right hand of his foes;
you have made all his enemies rejoice. 89:42 Ps 13:4; 80:6
43 You have also turned back his sharp sword
and have not let him stand in battle. 89:43 Ps 44:10
44 You have made his splendor 89:44 Hb obscure cease
and have overturned his throne. 89:44 Ezk 28:7
45 You have shortened the days of his youth;
you have covered him with shame. 89:45 Is 54:4; Ezk 7:18; Ob 10Selah
46 How long, Lord? Will you hide forever?
Will your anger keep burning like fire? 89:46 Ps 6:3; 13:1; 35:17; 79:5
47 Remember how short my life is.
Have you created everyone for nothing? 89:47 Ps 39:6–7; 90:5–6,9–10
48 What courageous person can live and never see death?
Who can save himself from the power of Sheol? 89:48 Ps 16:10; 22:29Selah
49 Lord, where are the former acts of your faithful love
that you swore to David in your faithfulness? 89:49 2Sm 7:15; Jr 30:9; Ezk 34:23
50 Remember, Lord, the ridicule against your servants —
in my heart I carry abuse from all the peoples —
51 how your enemies have ridiculed, Lord,
how they have ridiculed every step of your anointed. 89:50–51 Ps 69:9; 74:10,18,22
52 Blessed be the Lord forever.
Amen and amen. 89:52 Ps 41:13; 72:19–20; 106:48