Psalm 89

Perplexity about God’s Promises

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. x

1   I will sing about the LORDS faithful love forever; y

I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations

with my mouth. z

2   For I will declare,

“Faithful love is built up forever;

you establish your faithfulness in the heavens.” a

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.’ ” b    Selah

5   LORD, the heavens praise your wonders c

your faithfulness also—

in the assembly of the holy ones. d

6   For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?

Who among the heavenly beings E is like the LORD? e

7   God is greatly feared in the council of the holy ones,

more awe-inspiring than F all who surround him. f

8   LORD God of Armies,

who is strong like you, LORD? g

Your faithfulness surrounds you.

9   You rule the raging sea;

when its waves surge, you still them. h

10   You crushed Rahab like one who is slain; i

you scattered your enemies with your powerful arm. j

11   The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours.

The world and everything in it—you founded them. k

12   North and south—you created them. l

Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at your name. m

13   You have a mighty arm;

your hand is powerful;

your right hand is lifted high. n

14   Righteousness and justice are the foundation

of your throne; o

faithful love and truth go before you. p

15   Happy are the people who know the joyful shout; q

LORD, they walk in the light from your face. r

16   They rejoice in your name all day long,

and they are exalted by your righteousness. s

17   For you are their magnificent strength; t

by your favor our horn is exalted. u

18   Surely our shield G belongs to the LORD,

our king to the Holy One of Israel. v

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 H from the people. w

20   I have found David my servant;

I have anointed him with my sacred oil. x

21   My hand will always be with him,

and my arm will strengthen him. y

22   The enemy will not oppress I him;

the wicked will not afflict him. z

23   I will crush his foes before him

and strike those who hate him. a

24   My faithfulness and love will be with him,

and through my name

his horn will be exalted. b

25   I will extend his power to the sea

and his right hand to the rivers. c

26   He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, d

my God, the rock of my salvation.’ e

27   I will also make him my firstborn,

greatest of the kings of the earth. f

28   I will always preserve my faithful love for him,

and my covenant with him will endure. g

29   I will establish his line forever,

his throne as long as heaven lasts. J,h

30   If his sons abandon my instruction

and do not live by my ordinances, i

31   if they dishonor my statutes

and do not keep my commands, j

32   then I will call their rebellion

to account with the rod,

their iniquity with blows. k

33   But I will not withdraw

my faithful love from him

or betray my faithfulness. l

34   I will not violate my covenant

or change what my lips have said. m

35   Once and for all

I have sworn an oath by my holiness;

I will not lie to David. n

36   His offspring will continue forever,

his throne like the sun before me, o

37   like the moon, established forever,

a faithful witness in the sky.” p    Selah

38   But you have spurned and rejected him;

you have become enraged with your anointed. q

39   You have repudiated the covenant with your servant;

you have completely dishonored his crown. K,r

40   You have broken down all his walls;

you have reduced his fortified cities to ruins. s

41   All who pass by plunder him; t

he has become an object of ridicule

to his neighbors. u

42   You have lifted high the right hand of his foes;

you have made all his enemies rejoice. v

43   You have also turned back his sharp sword

and have not let him stand in battle. w

44   You have made his splendor L cease

and have overturned his throne. x

45   You have shortened the days of his youth;

you have covered him with shame. y    Selah

46   How long, LORD? Will you hide forever?

Will your anger keep burning like fire? z

47   Remember how short my life is.

Have you created everyone for nothing? a

48   What courageous person can live and never see death?

Who can save himself from the power of Sheol? b    Selah

49   Lord, where are the former acts of your faithful love

that you swore to David in your faithfulness? c

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. d

52   Blessed be the LORD forever.

Amen and amen. e