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