Psalms 89 - Prayer Tents

Psalms 89

New Living Translation

A psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.

89I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.

2Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

3The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant. I have sworn this oath to him.

4‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever; they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’” Interlude

5All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.

6For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord? What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?

7The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.

8O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord? You are entirely faithful.

9You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves.

10You crushed the great sea monster[2]. You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

11The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours - you created it all.

12You created north and south. Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.

13Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.

14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

15Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.

16They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness.

17You are their glorious strength. It pleases you to make us strong.

18Yes, our protection comes from the Lord, and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.

19Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people. You said, “I have raised up a warrior. I have selected him from the common people to be king.

20I have found my servant David. I have anointed him with my holy oil.

21I will steady him with my hand; with my powerful arm I will make him strong.

22His enemies will not defeat him, nor will the wicked overpower him.

23I will beat down his adversaries before him and destroy those who hate him.

24My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him, and by my authority he will grow in power.

25I will extend his rule over the sea, his dominion over the rivers.

26And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’

27I will make him my firstborn son, the mightiest king on earth.

28I will love him and be kind to him forever; my covenant with him will never end.

29I will preserve an heir for him; his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.

30But if his descendants forsake my instructions and fail to obey my regulations,

31if they do not obey my decrees and fail to keep my commands,

32then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their disobedience with beating.

33But I will never stop loving him nor fail to keep my promise to him.

34No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said.

35I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie.

36His dynasty will go on forever; his kingdom will endure as the sun.

37It will be as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky!” Interlude

38But now you have rejected him and cast him off. You are angry with your anointed king.

39You have renounced your covenant with him; you have thrown his crown in the dust.

40You have broken down the walls protecting him and ruined every fort defending him.

41Everyone who comes along has robbed him, and he has become a joke to his neighbors.

42You have strengthened his enemies and made them all rejoice.

43You have made his sword useless and refused to help him in battle.

44You have ended his splendor and overturned his throne.

45You have made him old before his time and publicly disgraced him. Interlude

46O Lord, how long will this go on? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your anger burn like fire?

47Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence!

48No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave[3]. Interlude

49Lord, where is your unfailing love? You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.

50Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced! I carry in my heart the insults of so many people.

51Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord; they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.

52Praise the Lord forever! Amen and amen!

[1] Psalms 89:1Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term
[2] Psalms 89:10Hebrew Rahab, the name of a mythical sea monster that represents chaos in ancient literature
[3] Psalms 89:48Hebrew of Sheol