Psalms
Chapter 89
1 I will sing about God’s kindness forever; with my words, I will tell everyone about your faithfulness through all times.
2 I have said that kindness will last forever; you will set your faithfulness firmly in the skies.
3 I have made a promise with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant.
4 I will make your descendants last forever, and build your kingdom for all generations. Pause and think.
5 The sky will praise your miracles, God: your faithfulness too, among the holy people.
6 Who in heaven can compare to God? Who among the powerful is like God?
7 God should be greatly respected by his holy people and revered by all who are around him.
8 God of all, who is as mighty as you? Who matches your faithfulness?
9 You control the furious sea: when its waves rise, you calm them.
10 You have shattered Rahab like someone killed; you have spread out your enemies with your powerful arm.
11 The skies and the earth belong to you; you created the world and everything in it.
12 You created the north and the south: Tabor and Hermon will be happy in your name.
13 You have a powerful arm; your hand is strong and your right hand is lifted high.
14 Fairness and right decisions support your rule; kindness and honesty will be ahead of you.
15 Happy are the people who know the joyful sound: they will walk, God, in the light of your presence.
16 They will be happy all day because of you, God, and your goodness will lift them up.
17 For you are the source of their power; and by your kindness, we are made strong.
18 God is our protector; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
19 You spoke in a vision to your holy one and said, I have given help to someone strong; I have raised up a chosen one from the people.
20 I have chosen David as my servant; I have anointed him with my sacred oil.
21 I will support him with my hand; my arm will also make him strong.
22 The enemy will not force him to pay; nor will the wicked person hurt him.
23 I will defeat his enemies in front of him and trouble those who hate him.
24 My loyalty and kindness will stay with him, and through my power, his strength will be lifted up.
25 I will give him power over the sea and control over the rivers.
26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my father, my God, and the rock who saves me.’
27 I will also make him my most important child, greater than all the rulers of the world.
28 I will always show him kindness, and my agreement with him will always be strong.
29 I will make his descendants last forever, and his throne will endure as long as the sky.
30 If his children ignore my rules and do not follow my decisions;
31 If they do not follow my laws and do not obey my commands;
32 I will punish their sins with a rod and their wrongdoings with whipping.
33 I will not completely remove my kindness from him, nor let my faithfulness end.
34 I will not break my promise or change what I have said.
35 I have sworn by my holiness that I will not lie to David.
36 His descendants will last forever, and his rule will be like the sun in my presence.
37 It will last forever like the moon, and be a reliable witness in the sky. Pause.
38 But you have rejected and despised, you have been angry with your chosen one.
39 You have broken the agreement with your servant; you have disrespected his crown by throwing it to the ground.
40 You have torn down all his fences; you have destroyed his strong defenses.
41 Everyone who goes by robs him; he’s a disgrace to his neighbors.
42 You gave strength to his foes; you made all his enemies happy.
43 You have also dulled the edge of his sword, and have not allowed him to stand strong in battle.
44 You have ended his glory and thrown his throne down to the ground.
45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have wrapped him in disgrace. Pause.
46 How long, God? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your anger keep burning like fire?
47 Remember how brief my life is; why have you created everyone for no purpose?
48 Who is the person that will live and not die? Can he save himself from the power of the grave? Pause and think.
49 God, where are your past acts of love, which you promised to David in your faithfulness?
50 Remember, God, how your servants are insulted; I carry the insults of many peoples deep in my heart.
51 Your enemies have insulted you, God; they have insulted the path your chosen one has walked.
52 May God be praised always. So be it, and so be it.