Psalm 89 | English Standard Version

English Standard Version

I Will Sing of the Steadfast Love of the Lord

1 A Maskil^[1] of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. (1Ki 4:31; 1Ch 2:6; Ps 88:11; Ps 89:5; Ps 89:8; Ps 89:14; Ps 89:24; Ps 89:28; Ps 89:33; Ps 89:49; Ps 101:1; Ps 119:90; Isa 55:3)

1Ki 4:311Ch 2:6Ps 88:11Ps 89:5Ps 89:8Ps 89:14Ps 89:24Ps 89:28Ps 89:33Ps 89:49Ps 101:1Ps 119:90Isa 55:3

2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” (Ps 36:5; Ps 89:1) 3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: (2Sa 7:8; 1Ki 8:16; 1Ch 17:7; Ps 89:19; Ps 89:28; Ps 89:34; Ps 89:35; Ps 89:39; Ps 89:49; Ps 132:11; Isa 42:1; Jer 33:17)

2Sa 7:81Ki 8:161Ch 17:7Ps 89:19Ps 89:28Ps 89:34Ps 89:35Ps 89:39Ps 89:49Ps 132:11Isa 42:1Jer 33:17

4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” (Ps 89:29; Ps 89:36; Isa 9:7; Lu 1:32; Joh 12:34)

Ps 89:29Ps 89:36Isa 9:7Lu 1:32Joh 12:34

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! (Job 1:6; Job 5:1; Job 15:15; Ps 19:1; Ps 50:6; Ps 88:12; Ps 89:7; Ps 97:6; Re 7:10)

Job 1:6Job 5:1Job 15:15Ps 19:1Ps 50:6Ps 88:12Ps 89:7Ps 97:6Re 7:10

6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings^[2] is like the Lord, (Ps 86:8; Ps 89:8) 7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? (Ps 47:2; Ps 89:5; Ps 103:20) 8 O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? (1Sa 2:2; Ps 35:10; Ps 68:4) 9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. (Job 38:11; Ps 65:7) 10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. (Ex 14:30; Job 9:13; Ps 53:5) 11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. (Ge 1:1; 1Ch 29:11; Ps 24:1; Ps 104:5)

Ge 1:11Ch 29:11Ps 24:1Ps 104:5

12 The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. (De 3:9; Job 26:7; Ps 98:8; Jer 46:18)

De 3:9Job 26:7Ps 98:8Jer 46:18

13 You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. (Ps 85:13; Ps 89:2; Ps 97:2) 15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, (Ps 4:6; Ps 66:1) 16 who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. (Job 36:7; Ps 20:5; Ps 20:7) 17 For you are the glory of their strength; by your favor our horn is exalted. (Ps 75:10; Ps 78:61; Ps 89:24) 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel. (Ps 47:9; Ps 71:22) 19 Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one,^[3] and said: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. (2Sa 17:10; Ps 21:5; Ps 89:3) 20 I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, (1Sa 16:13; Ac 13:22) 21 so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. (Ps 80:17) 22 The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him. (2Sa 7:10) 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. (2Sa 7:9; Ps 2:9) 24 My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. (Ps 89:1; Ps 89:17) 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. (Ps 72:8) 26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ (2Sa 7:14; Ps 18:2) 27 And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. (Ex 4:22; Nu 24:7; Ro 8:29; Col 1:15; Col 1:18; Heb 1:5; Re 19:16)

Ex 4:22Nu 24:7Ro 8:29Col 1:15Col 1:18Heb 1:5Re 19:16

28 My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm^[4] for him. (Ps 89:3) 29 I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. (Job 14:12; Ps 89:4) 30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules,^[5] (2Sa 7:14; 1Ki 2:4) 31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, (Job 9:34) 33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. (Ps 89:28) 35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. (Ps 60:6; Heb 6:18) 36 His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. (Ps 72:5; Ps 89:4; Ps 89:29) 37 Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” (Job 16:19; Ps 89:36) 38 But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. (Ps 44:9; Ps 89:20; Ps 89:51) 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. (Job 19:9; Ps 74:7; Ps 89:3; La 2:7)

Job 19:9Ps 74:7Ps 89:3La 2:7

40 You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. (Ps 80:12) 41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. (Ps 44:13; Ps 69:9; Ps 69:19; Ps 89:40; Ps 89:50)

Ps 44:13Ps 69:9Ps 69:19Ps 89:40Ps 89:50

42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not made him stand in battle. 44 You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame. (Ps 71:13; Ps 102:23; Ps 109:29) 46 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? (Ps 13:1; Ps 78:63; Ps 79:5) 47 Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! (Job 7:7; Job 10:9; Job 14:1; Ps 39:5)

Job 7:7Job 10:9Job 14:1Ps 39:5

48 What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? (Ps 16:10; Ps 49:9; Lu 2:26; Heb 11:5)

Ps 16:10Ps 49:9Lu 2:26Heb 11:5

49 Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? (Ps 89:1) 50 Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults^[6] of all the many nations, (Ps 74:18; Ps 74:22; Ps 79:12; Ps 89:41)

Ps 74:18Ps 74:22Ps 79:12Ps 89:41

51 with which your enemies mock, O Lord, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed. (Ps 17:11; Ps 56:6; Ps 89:20; Ps 89:38)

Ps 17:11Ps 56:6Ps 89:20Ps 89:38

52 Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen. (Ps 41:13)

King James Version

1 Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. 3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, 4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. 5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. 6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? 7 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. 8 O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? 9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. 10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. 11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. 12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. 13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. 14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. 16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. 17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. 18 For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. 19 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. 20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: 21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. 23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. 24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. 25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. 26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. 27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. 28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. 29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. 30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. 35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. 36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. 37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah. 38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. 39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. 40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. 41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours. 42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. 43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. 44 Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. 45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah. 46 How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? 48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. 49 Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth? 50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; 51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. 52 Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.

New International Version

A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love for ever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.^[1] 2 I will declare that your love stands firm for ever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. 3 You said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, 4 “I will establish your line for ever and make your throne firm through all generations.” ’^[2] 5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings? 7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. 8 Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. 9 You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. 10 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies. 11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it. 12 You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name. 13 Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. 16 They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness. 17 For you are their glory and strength, and by your favour you exalt our horn.^[3] 18 Indeed, our shield^[4] belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel. 19 Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: ‘I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have raised up a young man from among the people. 20 I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him. 21 My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him. 22 The enemy will not get the better of him; the wicked will not oppress him. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries. 24 My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn^[5] will be exalted. 25 I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers. 26 He will call out to me, “You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Saviour.” 27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth. 28 I will maintain my love to him for ever, and my covenant with him will never fail. 29 I will establish his line for ever, his throne as long as the heavens endure. 30 ‘If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes, 31 if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands, 32 I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging; 33 but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered. 35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness – and I will not lie to David – 36 that his line will continue for ever and his throne endure before me like the sun; 37 it will be established for ever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.’ 38 But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one. 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust. 40 You have broken through all his walls and reduced his strongholds to ruins. 41 All who pass by have plundered him; he has become the scorn of his neighbours. 42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle. 44 You have put an end to his splendour and cast his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame. 46 How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself for ever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all humanity! 48 Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave? 49 Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David? 50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has^[6] been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations, 51 the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one. 52 Praise be to the Lord for ever! Amen and Amen.