‏ Psalms 89:19-29


19 Then you
tn The pronoun “you” refers to the Lord, who is addressed here. The quotation that follows further develops the announcement of vv. 3-4.
spoke through a vision to your faithful followers
tc Many medieval mss read the singular here, “your faithful follower.” In this case the statement refers directly to Nathan’s oracle to David (see 2 Sam 7:17).
and said:
“I have placed a young hero
tc The MT reads עֵזֶר (ʿezer, “help, strength”), thus “I have placed help on a warrior,” which might effectively mean “I have strengthened a warrior.” The BHS note suggests reading נֵזֶר (nezer, “crown”), similar to the sentiment of anointing in the next verse. HALOT suggests reading עֹזֶר (ʿozer, “hero”) based on an Ugaritic cognate which means “young man, hero, warrior” (HALOT 811 s.v. II עזר). Craigie treats it similarly, taking עזר as “lad/boy/stripling,” parallel to “young man” in the next line, and seeing either David and Saul or David and Goliath as the historical referent (P. C. Craigie, Psalms [WBC], 19:410).
over a warrior;
I have raised up a young man
tn Or perhaps “a chosen one.”
from the people.

20 I have discovered David, my servant.
With my holy oil I have anointed him as king.
tn The words “as king” are supplied in the translation for clarification, indicating that a royal anointing is in view.

21 My hand will support him,
tn Heb “with whom my hand will be firm.”

and my arm will strengthen him.

22 No enemy will be able to exact tribute
tn Heb “an enemy will not exact tribute.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential.
from him;
tn The translation understands the Hiphil of נָשַׁא (nashaʾ) in the sense of “act as a creditor.” This may allude to the practice of a conqueror forcing his subjects to pay tribute in exchange for “protection.” Another option is to take the verb from a homonymic verbal root meaning “to deceive,” “to trick.” Still another option is to emend the form to יִשָּׂא (yissaʾ), a Qal imperfect from נָאַשׂ (naʾas, “rise up”) and to translate “an enemy will not rise up against him” (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 2:317).

a violent oppressor will not be able to humiliate him.
tn Heb “and a son of violence will not oppress him.” The imperfect is understood in a modal sense, indicating capability or potential. The reference to a “son of violence” echoes the language of God’s promise to David in 2 Sam 7:10 (see also 1 Chr 17:9).

23 I will crush his enemies before him;
I will strike down those who hate him.

24 He will experience my faithfulness and loyal love,
tn Heb “and my faithfulness and my loyal love [will be] with him.”

and by my name he will win victories.
tn Heb “and by my name his horn will be lifted up.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 75:10; 92:10; Lam 2:17).

25 I will place his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers.
tn Some identify “the sea” as the Mediterranean and “the rivers” as the Euphrates and its tributaries. However, it is more likely that “the sea” and “the rivers” are symbols for hostile powers that oppose God and the king (see v. 9, as well as Ps 93:3-4).

26 He will call out to me,
You are my father,
sn You are my father. The Davidic king was viewed as God’s “son” (see 2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7). The idiom reflects ancient Near Eastern adoption language associated with covenants of grant, by which a lord would reward a faithful subject by elevating him to special status, referred to as “sonship.” Like a son, the faithful subject received an “inheritance,” viewed as an unconditional, eternal gift. Such gifts usually took the form of land and/or an enduring dynasty. See M. Weinfeld, “The Covenant of Grant in the Old Testament and in the Ancient Near East,” JAOS 90 (1970): 184-203, for general discussion and some striking extra-biblical parallels.
my God, and the protector who delivers me.’
tn Heb “the rocky summit of my deliverance.”

27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son,
sn The firstborn son typically had special status and received special privileges.

the most exalted of the earth’s kings.

28 I will always extend my loyal love to him,
and my covenant with him is secure.
tn Heb “forever I will keep for him my loyal love and will make my covenant secure for him.”

29 I will give him an eternal dynasty
tn Heb “and I will set in place forever his offspring.”

and make his throne as enduring as the skies above.
tn Heb “and his throne like the days of the heavens.”
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