Steadfast Love, Sung Forever
A wisdom psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.
89 1 I will sing of our Father's covenant love forever; I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 For I have said, "Covenant love is built to stand forever; in the heavens you establish your faithfulness."
3 "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: 4 'I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.'" Selah
5 The heavens praise your wonders, our Father, and your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the skies can be compared to our Father? Who among the heavenly beings is like our Father, 7 a Father greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who surround him? 8 O our Father, Father of heaven's armies, who is mighty like you? Your faithfulness surrounds you.
9 You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you calm them. 10 You crushed the sea monster Rahab like a slain carcass; with your mighty arm you scattered your enemies. a a v10 Rahab here is an ancient sea monster representing chaos, not the woman from Joshua. 11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that fills it — you founded them. 12 North and south — you created them; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at your name. 13 Your arm is mighty; your hand is strong; your right hand is raised high.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; covenant love and faithfulness go before you. 15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful shout, who walk, our Father, in the light of your face. 16 In your name they rejoice all day long, and in your righteousness they are lifted high. 17 For you are the glory of their strength, and by your favor our power is lifted high. 18 For our shield belongs to our Father, our king to the Holy One of Israel — our Father.
19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful ones and said: "I have granted help to a mighty one; I have raised up a chosen one from among the people. 20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, 21 so that my hand will hold him firm; my arm also will strengthen him. 22 No enemy will outwit him, and no wicked one will bring him low. 23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 24 My faithfulness and my covenant love will be with him, and in my name his power will be exalted. 25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 26 He will cry to me, 'You are my Father, the Rock of my salvation.' b b v26 The son of David who calls our Father "my Father" is fulfilled in Jesus, the greater Son who shares this confession with everyone he brings home. 27 And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 My loyal love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. 29 I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as long as the heavens endure.
30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk by my judgments, 31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will discipline their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with lashes, 33 but I will not remove my covenant love from him, nor will I betray my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant or alter the word my lips have spoken. 35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 His offspring will endure forever, his throne like the sun before me. 37 Like the moon it will be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies." Selah
38 But now you have spurned and rejected him; you have been full of wrath against your anointed. 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. 40 You have broken through all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. 41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. 42 You have lifted high the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 You have turned back the edge of his sword and have not helped him stand firm in battle. 44 You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you have wrapped him in shame. Selah
46 How long, our Father? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how fleeting my life is! For what emptiness you have made all people! 48 What man can live and never see death? Who can save himself from the grip of the grave? Selah c c v48 Sheol: the Hebrew name for the realm of the dead, the grave.
49 Sovereign Father, where is your covenant love of old, which you swore to David in your faithfulness? 50 Remember, Sovereign Father, the scorn heaped on your servants, how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many peoples, 51 with which your enemies have mocked, our Father, with which they have mocked your anointed at every step.
52 Blessed be our Father forever! Amen and Amen.