Chapter 89

  Maschil. Of Ethan the Ezrahite.
My song will be of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make his faith clear to all generations.  

  For you have said, Mercy will be made strong for ever; my faith will be unchanging in the heavens.  

  I have made an agreement with the man of my selection, I have made an oath to David my servant;  

  I will make your seed go on for ever, your kingdom will be strong through all generations. (Selah.)  

  In heaven let them give praise for your wonders, O Lord; and your unchanging faith among the saints.  

  For who is there in the heavens in comparison with the Lord? who is like the Lord among the sons of the gods?  

  God is greatly to be feared among the saints, and to be honoured over all those who are about him.  

  O Lord God of armies, who is strong like you, O Jah? and your unchanging faith is round about you.  

  You have rule over the sea in storm; when its waves are troubled, you make them calm.  

  Rahab was crushed by you like one wounded to death; with your strong arm you put to flight all your haters.  

  Yours are the heavens, and the earth is yours; you have made the world, and everything which is in it.  

  You have made the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon are sounding with joy at your name.  

  Yours is an arm of power; strong is your hand and high your right hand.  

  The seat of your kingdom is resting on righteousness and right judging: mercy and good faith come before your face.  

  Happy are the people who have knowledge of the holy cry: the light of your face, O Lord, will be shining on their way.  

  In your name will they have joy all the day: in your righteousness will they be lifted up.  

  For you are the glory of their strength; in your pleasure will our horn be lifted up.  

  For our breastplate is the Lord; and our king is the Holy One of Israel's.  

  Then your voice came to your holy one in a vision, saying, I have put the crown on a strong one, lifting up one taken from among the people.  

  I have made discovery of David my servant; I have put my holy oil on his head.  

  My hand will be his support; my arm will give him strength.  

  The deceit of those who are against him will not overcome him; he will not be troubled by the sons of evil.  

  I will have those who are against him broken before his face, and his haters will be crushed under my blows.  

  But my faith and my mercy will be with him; and in my name will his horn be lifted up.  

  I will put his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.  

  He will say to me, You are my father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.  

  And I will make him the first of my sons, most high over the kings of the earth.  

  I will keep my mercy for him for ever; my agreement with him will not be changed.  

  His seed will keep their place for ever; his kingdom will be eternal, like the heavens.  

  If his children give up my law, and are not ruled by my decisions;  

  If my rules are broken, and my orders are not kept;  

  Then I will send punishment on them for their sin; my rod will be the reward of their evil-doing.  

  But I will not take away my mercy from him, and will not be false to my faith.  

  I will be true to my agreement; the things which have gone out of my lips will not be changed.  

  I have made an oath once by my holy name, that I will not be false to David.  

  His seed will not come to an end for ever; the seat of his kingdom will be like the sun before me.  

  It will be fixed for ever like the moon; and the witness in heaven is true. (Selah.)  

  But you have put him away in disgust; you have been angry with the king of your selection.  

  You have made your agreement with your servant of no effect: you have had no respect for his crown, it has come down even to the earth.  

  All his walls are broken down; you have given his strong towers to destruction.  

  All those who come by take away his goods; he is laughed at by his neighbours.  

  You have given power to the right hand of his haters; you have made glad all those who are against him.  

  His sword is turned back; you have not been his support in the fight.  

  You have put an end to his glory: the seat of his kingdom has been levelled to the earth.  

  You have made him old before his time; he is covered with shame. (Selah.)  

  How long, O Lord, will you Keep yourself for ever from our eyes? how long will your wrath be burning like fire?  

  See how short my time is; why have you made all men for no purpose?  

  What man now living will not see death? will he be able to keep back his soul from the underworld? (Selah.)  

  Lord, where are your earlier mercies? where is the oath which you made to David in unchanging faith?  

  Keep in mind, O Lord, the shame of your servants, and how the bitter words of all the people have come into my heart;  

  The bitter words of your haters, O Lord, shaming the footsteps of your king.  

  Let the Lord be praised for ever. So be it, So be it.