Psalm 89
New King James Version Par ▾ 

Remembering the Covenant with David, and Sorrow for Lost Blessings

A [a]Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;
With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
2For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”

3“I have made a covenant with My chosen,
I have sworn to My servant David:
4‘Your seed I will establish forever,
And build up your throne to all generations.’ ” Selah

5And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
6For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord?
7God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
8O Lord God of hosts,
Who is mighty like You, O Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9You rule the raging of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.
10You have broken [b]Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain;
You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

11The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.
12The north and the south, You have created them;
Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.
13You have a mighty arm;
Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand.
14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Mercy and truth go before Your face.
15Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
16In Your name they rejoice all day long,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
17For You are the glory of their strength,
And in Your favor our [c]horn is exalted.
18For our shield belongs to the Lord,
And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19Then You spoke in a vision to Your [d]holy one,
And said: “I have given help to one who is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20I have found My servant David;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21With whom My hand shall be established;
Also My arm shall strengthen him.
22The enemy shall not [e]outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23I will beat down his foes before his face,
And plague those who hate him.

24“But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him,
And in My name his horn shall be exalted.
25Also I will set his hand over the sea,
And his right hand over the rivers.
26He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
27Also I will make him My firstborn,
The highest of the kings of the earth.
28My mercy I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
29His seed also I will make to endure forever,
And his throne as the days of heaven.

30“If his sons forsake My law
And do not walk in My judgments,
31If they [f]break My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
32Then I will punish their transgression with the rod,
And their iniquity with stripes.
33Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not [g]utterly take from him,
Nor [h]allow My faithfulness to fail.
34My covenant I will not break,
Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
35Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David:
36His seed shall endure forever,
And his throne as the sun before Me;
37It shall be established forever like the moon,
Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah

38But You have cast off and abhorred,[i]
You have been furious with Your [j]anointed.
39You have renounced the covenant of Your servant;
You have [k]profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
40You have broken down all his hedges;
You have brought his [l]strongholds to ruin.
41All who pass by the way plunder him;
He is a reproach to his neighbors.
42You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
And have not sustained him in the battle.
44You have made his [m]glory cease,
And cast his throne down to the ground.
45The days of his youth You have shortened;
You have covered him with shame. Selah

46How long, Lord?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath burn like fire?
47Remember how short my time is;
For what futility have You created all the children of men?
48What man can live and not [n]see death?
Can he deliver his life from the power of [o]the grave? Selah

49Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses,
Which You swore to David in Your truth?
50Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
51With which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your [p]anointed.

52Blessed be the Lord forevermore!
Amen and Amen.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 89:1 Heb. Maschil
  2. Psalm 89:10 Egypt
  3. Psalm 89:17 Strength
  4. Psalm 89:19 So with many Heb. mss.; MT, LXX, Tg., Vg. holy ones
  5. Psalm 89:22 Or exact usury from him
  6. Psalm 89:31 profane
  7. Psalm 89:33 Lit. break off
  8. Psalm 89:33 Lit. deal falsely with My faithfulness
  9. Psalm 89:38 rejected
  10. Psalm 89:38 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
  11. Psalm 89:39 defiled
  12. Psalm 89:40 fortresses
  13. Psalm 89:44 splendor or brightness
  14. Psalm 89:48 experience death
  15. Psalm 89:48 Or Sheol
  16. Psalm 89:51 Commissioned one, Heb. messiah
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             


Bible Hub

Psalm 88
Top of Page
Top of Page