I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.
But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
Psalms 89 is a powerful and complex psalm, attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite, a Levite known for his wisdom (1_chronicles 15:17–18; 1_kings 4:31). The psalm wrestles with the tension between God's unwavering promises and the harsh realities of suffering and defeat experienced by Israel, particularly the Davidic line. This psalm is a maskil, a contemplative and somber song, inviting us to deeply consider God's character and our response to adversity (Psalm 32:1; 53:1; 55:1). It echoes themes found elsewhere in the Psalter, where faith and honest struggle intertwine (Psalm 22; 73; 74). Some scholars suggest its composition may be linked to specific historical events like the Egyptian invasion during Rehoboam's reign (1_kings 14:25–28) or the Babylonian exile (2_kings 24:10–16), periods of immense national crisis.
Praising God's Faithfulness (89:1-18)
The psalm opens with exuberant praise for God's hesed – His steadfast love and faithfulness (89:1-2). Ethan establishes the foundation of his song on the bedrock of God's character. He celebrates God's covenant with David (2_samuel 7:11–16), a promise of an enduring kingdom through David's descendants (89:3-4). This covenant held profound significance for Israel, pointing towards the ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, a descendant of David who reigns forever (Acts 2:29-36).
Ethan emphasizes God's unmatched power and sovereignty (89:5-14). He proclaims that no one can compare to Him (89:6). God is revered even among the heavenly beings (89:7). He subdues the raging sea, symbolized by "Rahab," a sea monster often used metaphorically for Egypt (Isaiah 51:9; Psalm 87:4; 89:9-10). God's justice, righteousness, glory, strength, and unwavering love are the cornerstones of His reign (89:14). All creation belongs to Him (89:11-12; 1_corinthians 10:26; Psalm 24:1; 50:12).
The psalmist then personalizes the praise, recognizing the blessedness of those who walk in intimate fellowship with God (89:15-18). Those who experience God's favor rejoice in His name all day long and find strength in His righteousness. God is their shield and protector (89:16, 18).
God's Covenant with David (89:19-37)
The psalm returns to the theme of God's covenant with David, highlighting God's gracious choice and anointing of David as king (89:19-20). God promises to establish David's lineage forever through the Messiah (89:28-29). God will empower this King with strength, faithfulness, and might (89:21, 24-25). The Messiah's kingdom will be universal and unconquerable.
God acknowledges that David's descendants may disobey Him, and He will discipline them accordingly (89:30-32). However, He assures that He will never break His covenant or betray His faithfulness (89:33-34). God has sworn an oath to David and will not lie (89:35). Despite the failures of the Davidic kings, God guarantees that David's offspring will continue forever (89:36). Ultimately, these promises are fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Human sinfulness cannot thwart God's sovereign purposes.
Lament and Plea for Mercy (89:38-51)
The tone of the psalm takes a dramatic turn as Ethan expresses deep sorrow and lament. It appears as though God has abandoned the Davidic line (89:38-45). The psalmist is anxious to affirm God’s faithfulness to his unconditional covenant promise because it seemed that God had cast off the Davidic line. One after another of David’s sons had been unfaithful—until finally God allowed Jerusalem to be overrun and David’s throne to be overthrown, too (89:38-40, 44). The sins of the kings and the people had resulted in shame (89:45). Had God’s judgment trumped his promises?
The psalmist questions how long God's anger will burn (89:46). He reminds God of the brevity of human life and the inevitability of death (89:47-48). He pleads with God to remember His covenant with David and His steadfast love (89:49). He laments the insults and reproaches hurled at God's anointed one and His people by their enemies (89:50-51). Ethan insists that God's reputation is at stake and implores Him to remember (89:50)—a prayer that finds its ultimate answer in the coming of Christ.
A Final Blessing (89:52)
Despite the despair and uncertainty expressed in the preceding verses, the psalm concludes with a declaration of praise: "Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen" (89:52). This doxology affirms the psalmist's unwavering faith in God's ultimate sovereignty and goodness, even in the face of overwhelming adversity. It also marks the end of Book III of the Psalms.
Psalms 89 offers a profound exploration of faith, doubt, and the enduring nature of God's promises. It reminds us that even when we face seemingly insurmountable challenges, we can still cling to God's faithfulness and trust in His ultimate plan. The psalm teaches us to be honest in our lament, while simultaneously holding fast to the hope found in God's unwavering love. It is a powerful reminder that even in the midst of suffering, God's blessings endure.
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.
But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
Psalms 89 is a powerful and complex psalm, attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite, a Levite known for his wisdom (1_chronicles 15:17–18; 1_kings 4:31). The psalm wrestles with the tension between God's unwavering promises and the harsh realities of suffering and defeat experienced by Israel, particularly the Davidic line. This psalm is a maskil, a contemplative and somber song, inviting us to deeply consider God's character and our response to adversity (Psalm 32:1; 53:1; 55:1). It echoes themes found elsewhere in the Psalter, where faith and honest struggle intertwine (Psalm 22; 73; 74). Some scholars suggest its composition may be linked to specific historical events like the Egyptian invasion during Rehoboam's reign (1_kings 14:25–28) or the Babylonian exile (2_kings 24:10–16), periods of immense national crisis.
Praising God's Faithfulness (89:1-18)
The psalm opens with exuberant praise for God's hesed – His steadfast love and faithfulness (89:1-2). Ethan establishes the foundation of his song on the bedrock of God's character. He celebrates God's covenant with David (2_samuel 7:11–16), a promise of an enduring kingdom through David's descendants (89:3-4). This covenant held profound significance for Israel, pointing towards the ultimate fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, a descendant of David who reigns forever (Acts 2:29-36).
Ethan emphasizes God's unmatched power and sovereignty (89:5-14). He proclaims that no one can compare to Him (89:6). God is revered even among the heavenly beings (89:7). He subdues the raging sea, symbolized by "Rahab," a sea monster often used metaphorically for Egypt (Isaiah 51:9; Psalm 87:4; 89:9-10). God's justice, righteousness, glory, strength, and unwavering love are the cornerstones of His reign (89:14). All creation belongs to Him (89:11-12; 1_corinthians 10:26; Psalm 24:1; 50:12).
The psalmist then personalizes the praise, recognizing the blessedness of those who walk in intimate fellowship with God (89:15-18). Those who experience God's favor rejoice in His name all day long and find strength in His righteousness. God is their shield and protector (89:16, 18).
God's Covenant with David (89:19-37)
The psalm returns to the theme of God's covenant with David, highlighting God's gracious choice and anointing of David as king (89:19-20). God promises to establish David's lineage forever through the Messiah (89:28-29). God will empower this King with strength, faithfulness, and might (89:21, 24-25). The Messiah's kingdom will be universal and unconquerable.
God acknowledges that David's descendants may disobey Him, and He will discipline them accordingly (89:30-32). However, He assures that He will never break His covenant or betray His faithfulness (89:33-34). God has sworn an oath to David and will not lie (89:35). Despite the failures of the Davidic kings, God guarantees that David's offspring will continue forever (89:36). Ultimately, these promises are fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Human sinfulness cannot thwart God's sovereign purposes.
Lament and Plea for Mercy (89:38-51)
The tone of the psalm takes a dramatic turn as Ethan expresses deep sorrow and lament. It appears as though God has abandoned the Davidic line (89:38-45). The psalmist is anxious to affirm God’s faithfulness to his unconditional covenant promise because it seemed that God had cast off the Davidic line. One after another of David’s sons had been unfaithful—until finally God allowed Jerusalem to be overrun and David’s throne to be overthrown, too (89:38-40, 44). The sins of the kings and the people had resulted in shame (89:45). Had God’s judgment trumped his promises?
The psalmist questions how long God's anger will burn (89:46). He reminds God of the brevity of human life and the inevitability of death (89:47-48). He pleads with God to remember His covenant with David and His steadfast love (89:49). He laments the insults and reproaches hurled at God's anointed one and His people by their enemies (89:50-51). Ethan insists that God's reputation is at stake and implores Him to remember (89:50)—a prayer that finds its ultimate answer in the coming of Christ.
A Final Blessing (89:52)
Despite the despair and uncertainty expressed in the preceding verses, the psalm concludes with a declaration of praise: "Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen" (89:52). This doxology affirms the psalmist's unwavering faith in God's ultimate sovereignty and goodness, even in the face of overwhelming adversity. It also marks the end of Book III of the Psalms.
Psalms 89 offers a profound exploration of faith, doubt, and the enduring nature of God's promises. It reminds us that even when we face seemingly insurmountable challenges, we can still cling to God's faithfulness and trust in His ultimate plan. The psalm teaches us to be honest in our lament, while simultaneously holding fast to the hope found in God's unwavering love. It is a powerful reminder that even in the midst of suffering, God's blessings endure.