Psalms 89

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