Psa 89 | HCSB | STEP | A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite . I will sing about the Lord ’s faithful love forever ; I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations with my mouth .

Psalms 89

Perplexity about God’s Promises

1 A ^{▼▼Maskil: From a Hebrew word meaning to be prudent or to have insight; possibly a contemplative, instructive, or wisdom psalm}Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. ^b

I will sing about the Lord’s faithful love forever; ^c
I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations
with my mouth. ^d
2 For I will declare,
“Faithful love is built up forever;
You establish Your faithfulness in the heavens.” ^e

3 The Lord said,

“I have made a covenant with My chosen one;
I have sworn an oath to David My servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever
and build up your throne for all generations.’” ^{f
,} ^{▼▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"}
Selah

5 Lord, the heavens praise Your wonders ^h –
Your faithfulness also –
in the assembly of the holy ones. ⁱ
6 For who in the skies can compare with the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings ^{▼▼Or the angels, or the sons of the mighty} is like the Lord? ^k
7 God is greatly ^{▼▼fear(s) God or the Lord/ the fear of the Lord: No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe, and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.}feared in the council of the holy ones,
more awe-inspiring than ^{▼▼Or ones, revered by} all who surround Him. ⁿ
8 Lord God of ^{▼▼Hosts/hosts: Military forces consisting of God's angels, sometimes including the sun, moon, and stars, and occasionally, Israel}Hosts,
who is strong like You, Lord? ^p
Your faithfulness surrounds You.
9 You rule the raging sea;
when its waves surge, You still them. ^q
10 You crushed ^{▼▼Rahab: Or boisterous one, a mythological sea serpent or dragon defeated at the time of creation. Scripture sometimes uses the name metaphorically to describe Egypt.}Rahab like one who is slain; ^s
You scattered Your enemies with Your powerful arm. ^t
11 The heavens are Yours; the earth also is Yours.
The world and everything in it – You founded them. ^u
12 North and south – You created them. ^v
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name. ^w
13 You have a mighty arm;
Your hand is powerful;
Your right hand is lifted high. ^x
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation
of Your throne; ^y
faithful love and truth go before You. ^z
15 Happy are the people who know the joyful shout; ^aa
^{▼▼Yahweh/Yah: Or The Lord; the personal name of God in Hebrew; "Yah" is the shortened form of the name.}Yahweh, they walk in the light of Your presence. ^ac
16 They rejoice in Your name all day long,
and they are exalted by Your righteousness. ^ad
17 For You are their magnificent strength; ^ae
by Your favor our ^{▼▼horn: A symbol of power based on the strength of animal horns}horn is exalted. ^ag
18 Surely our shield ^{▼▼= the king} belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel. ^ai

19 You once spoke in a vision to Your loyal ones
and said: “I have granted help to a warrior;
I have exalted one chosen ^{▼▼Or exalted a young man} from the people. ^ak
20 I have found David My servant;
I have anointed him with My sacred oil. ^al
21 My hand will always be with him,
and My arm will strengthen him. ^am
22 The enemy will not afflict ^{▼▼Or not exact tribute from} him;
no wicked man will oppress him. ^ao
23 I will crush his foes before him
and strike those who hate him. ^ap
24 My faithfulness and love will be with him,
and through My name
his horn will be exalted. ^aq
25 I will extend his power to the sea
and his right hand to the rivers. ^ar
26 He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father, ^as
my God, the rock of my salvation.’ ^at
27 I will also make him My firstborn,
greatest of the kings of the earth. ^au
28 I will always preserve My faithful love for him,
and My covenant with him will endure. ^av
29 I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as heaven lasts. ^{▼▼Lit as days of heaven
,} ^ax
30 If his sons forsake My instruction
and do not live by My ordinances, ^ay
31 if they dishonor My statutes
and do not keep My commands, ^az
32 then I will call their rebellion
to account with the rod,
their sin with blows. ^ba
33 But I will not withdraw
My faithful love from him
or betray My faithfulness. ^bb
34 I will not violate My covenant
or change what My lips have said. ^bc
35 Once and for all
I have sworn an oath by My holiness;
I will not lie to David. ^bd
36 His offspring will continue forever,
his throne like the sun before Me, ^be
37 like the moon, established forever,
a faithful witness in the sky.” ^{bf
,} ^{▼▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"}
Selah

38 But You have spurned and rejected him;
You have become enraged with Your anointed. ^bh
39 You have repudiated the covenant with Your servant;
You have completely dishonored his crown. ^{▼▼Lit have dishonored his crown to the ground
,} ^bj
40 You have broken down all his walls;
You have reduced his fortified cities to ruins. ^bk
41 All who pass by plunder him; ^bl
he has become an object of ridicule
to his neighbors. ^bm
42 You have lifted high the right hand of his foes;
You have made all his enemies rejoice. ^bn
43 You have also turned back his sharp sword
and have not let him stand in battle. ^bo
44 You have made his splendor ^{▼▼Hb obscure} cease
and have overturned his throne. ^bq
45 You have shortened the days of his youth;
You have covered him with shame. ^{br
,} ^{▼▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"}
Selah

46 How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your anger keep burning like fire? ^bt
47 Remember how short my life is.
Have You created ^{▼▼everyone/ human race: Literally, sons of man or sons of Adam}everyone for nothing? ^bv
48 What man can live and never see death?
Who can save himself from the power of ^{▼▼Sheol: A Hebrew word for either the grave or the realm of the dead}Sheol? ^{bx
,} ^{▼▼Selah: A Hebrew word whose meaning is uncertain; various interpretations include: (1) a musical notation, (2) a pause for silence, (3) a signal for worshipers to fall prostrate on the ground, (4) a term for the worshipers to call out, and (5) a word meaning "forever"}
Selah

49 Lord, where are the former acts of Your faithful love
that You swore to David in Your faithfulness? ^bz
50 Remember, Lord, the ridicule against Your servants –
in my heart I carry abuse from all the peoples –
51 how Your enemies have ridiculed, Lord,
how they have ridiculed every step of Your anointed. ^ca

52 May the Lord be praised forever.
^{▼▼Amen: The transliteration of a Hebrew word signifying that something is certain, valid, truthful, or faithful; it is often used at the end of biblical songs, hymns, and prayers.}Amen and amen. ^cc