Psalms 89
1 Of understanding, for Ethan the Ezrahite. The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.
[A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.] I will sing of the loving kindness of YHWH forever. With my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For thou hast said: Mercy shall be built up for ever in the heavens: thy truth shall be prepared in them.
I indeed declare, "Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them."
3 I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant:
"I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant,
4 Thy seed will I settle for ever. And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation.
'I will establish your offspring forever, and build up your throne for all generations.'" (Selah)
5 The heavens shall confess thy wonders, O Lord: and thy truth in the church of the saints.
The heavens will praise your wonders, YHWH; your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
6 For who in the clouds can be compared to the Lord: or who among the sons of God shall be like to God?
For who in the skies can be compared to YHWH? Who among the sons of God is like YHWH,
7 God, who is glorified in the assembly of the saints: great and terrible above all them that are about him.
a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around him?
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is like to thee? thou art mighty, O Lord, and thy truth is round about thee.
YHWH, the God of hosts, who is a mighty one like you, JAH? Your faithfulness is around you.
9 Thou rulest the power of the sea: and appeasest the motion of the waves thereof.
You rule the pride of the sea. When its waves rise up, you calm them.
10 Thou hast humbled the proud one, as one that is slain: with the arm of thy strength thou hast scattered thy enemies.
You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth: the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded:
The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours; the world and its fullness. You have founded them.
12 The north and the sea thou hast created. Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name:
The north and the south, you have created them. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
13 Thy arm is with might. Let thy hand be strengthened, and thy right hand exalted:
You have a mighty arm. Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.
14 Justice and judgment are the preparation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face:
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.
15 Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance:
Blessed are the people who know the joyful shout. They walk in the light of your presence, YHWH.
16 And in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy justice they shall be exalted.
In your name they rejoice all day. In your righteousness, they are exalted.
17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted.
For you are the glory of their strength. In your favor, our horn will be exalted.
18 For our protection is of the Lord, and of our king the holy one of Israel.
For our shield belongs to YHWH; our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19 Then thou spokest in a vision to thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of my people.
Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful ones, and said, "I have bestowed strength on the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people.
20 I have found David my servant: with my holy oil I have anointed him.
I have found David, my servant. I have anointed him with my holy oil,
21 For my hand shall help him: and my arm shall strengthen him.
with whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall have no advantage over him: nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt him.
No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.
23 And I will cut down his enemies before his face; and them that hate him I will put to flight.
I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.
24 And my truth and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted.
25 And I will set his hand in the sea; and his right hand in the rivers.
I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.
26 He shall cry out to me: Thou art my father: my God, and the support of my salvation.
He will call to me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.'
27 And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth.
I will also appoint him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him.
I will keep my loving kindness for him forevermore. My covenant will stand firm with him.
29 And I will make his seed to endure for evermore: and his throne as the days of heaven.
And I will establish his descendants forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
30 And if his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments:
If his children forsake my Law, and do not walk in my ordinances;
31 If they profane my justices: and keep not my commandments:
if they break my statutes, and do not keep my commandments;
32 I will visit their iniquities with a rod: and their sins with stripes.
then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
33 But my mercy I will not take away from him: nor will I suffer my truth to fail.
But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.
34 Neither will I profane my covenant: and the words that proceed from my mouth I will not make void.
I will not break my covenant, nor alter what my lips have uttered.
35 Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David:
Once have I sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David.
36 His seed shall endure for ever.
His descendants will endure forever, his throne like the sun before me.
37 And his throne as the sun before me: and as the moon perfect for ever, and a faithful witness in heaven.
It will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky." (Selah)
38 But thou hast rejected and despised: thou hast been angry with thy anointed.
But you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed.
39 Thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his sanctuary on the earth.
You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have defiled his crown in the dust.
40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges: thou hast made his strength fear.
You have broken down all his hedges. You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 All that pass by the way have robbed him: he is become a reproach to his neighbours.
All who pass by the way rob him. He has become an object of ridicule to his neighbors.
42 Thou hast set up the right hand of them that oppress him: thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries. You have made all of his enemies rejoice.
43 Thou hast turned away the help of his sword; and hast not assisted him in battle.
Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword, and haven't supported him in battle.
44 Thou hast made his purification to cease: and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground.
You have ended his splendor, and thrown his throne down to the ground.
45 Thou hast shortened the days of his time: thou hast covered him with confusion.
You have shortened the days of his youth. You have covered him with shame. (Selah)
46 How long, O Lord, turnest thou away unto the end? shall thy anger burn like fire?
How long, YHWH? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember what my substance is for hast thou made all the children of men in vain?
Remember how short my time is. Have you created the descendants of Adam for no reason?
48 Who is the man that shall live, and not see death: that shall deliver his soul from the hand of hell? (Sheol h7585)
What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
49 Lord, where are thy ancient mercies, according to what thou didst swear to David in thy truth?
YHWH, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?
50 Be mindful, O Lord, of the reproach of thy servants (which I have held in my bosom) of many nations:
Remember, YHWH, the ridicule of all the many peoples against your servants I have borne in my heart,
51 Wherewith thy enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the change of thy anointed.
how your enemies have ridiculed, YHWH, how they have ridiculed the footsteps of your anointed one.
52 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it.
Blessed be YHWH forevermore. Amen, and Amen.
