1 An instruction. Of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving-kindness of Jehovah for ever; with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness from generation to generation. 2 For I said, Loving-kindness shall be built up for ever; in the very heavens wilt thou establish thy faithfulness. 3 I have made a covenant with mine elect, I have sworn unto David my servant: 4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne from generation to generation. Selah. 5 And the heavens shall celebrate thy wonders, O Jehovah, and thy faithfulness in the congregation of the saints. 6 For who in the heaven can be compared to Jehovah? [who] among the sons of the mighty shall be likened to Jehovah? 7 God is greatly to be feared in the council of the saints, and terrible for all that are round about him. 8 Jehovah, God of hosts, who is like unto thee, the strong Jah? And thy faithfulness is round about thee. 9 Thou rulest the pride of the sea: when its waves arise, thou stillest them. 10 Thou hast crushed Rahab as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with the arm of thy strength. 11 Thine are the heavens, the earth also is thine; the world and its fulness, thou hast founded them. 12 The north and the south, thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon triumph in thy name. 13 Thine is the arm of might: strong is thy hand, high is thy right hand. 14 Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of thy throne; loving-kindness and truth go before thy face. 15 Blessed is the people that know the shout of joy: they walk, O Jehovah, in the light of thy countenance. 16 In thy name are they joyful all the day, and in thy righteousness are they exalted. 17 For thou art the glory of their strength; and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. 18 For Jehovah is our shield, and the Holy One of Israel, our king. 19 Then thou spakest in vision of thy Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon a mighty one; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. 20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: 21 With whom my hand shall be established; and mine arm shall strengthen him. 22 No enemy shall exact upon him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him; 23 But I will beat down his adversaries before his face, and will smite them that hate him. 24 And my faithfulness and my loving-kindness shall be with him, and by my name shall his horn be exalted. 25 And I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. 26 He shall call unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation; 27 And as to me, I will make him firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. 28 My loving-kindness will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him; 29 And I will establish his seed for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. 30 If his sons forsake my law, and walk not in mine ordinances; 31 If they profane my statutes, and keep not my commandments: 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33 Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor belie my faithfulness; 34 My covenant will I not profane, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. 35 Once have I sworn by my holiness; I will not lie unto David: 36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me; 37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and the witness in the sky is firm. Selah. 38 But thou hast rejected and cast off; thou hast been very wroth with thine anointed: 39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant; thou hast profaned his crown to the ground: 40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin. 41 All that pass by the way plunder him; he is become a reproach to his neighbours. 42 Thou hast exalted the right hand of his oppressors; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice: 43 Yea, thou hast turned back the edge of his sword, and hast not made him stand in the battle. 44 Thou hast made his brightness to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground; 45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened; thou hast covered him with shame. Selah. 46 How long, Jehovah, wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy fury burn like fire? 47 Remember, as regards me, what life is. Wherefore hast thou created all the children of men to be vanity? 48 What man liveth, and shall not see death? Shall he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah. 49 Where, Lord, are thy former loving-kindnesses, [which] thou swarest unto David in thy faithfulness? 50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants — that I bear in my bosom [that of] all the mighty peoples — 51 Wherewith thine enemies, O Jehovah, have reproached, wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. 52 Blessed be Jehovah for evermore! Amen, and Amen.
Psalm 89 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Ethan the Ezrahite
A wise man whom Solomon's wisdom surpassed.
Cited in the guide: 1 Kings 4:31; Psalm 89:1
Cross references (52)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 101:1; Psalm 89:8; Psalm 119:90; Lamentations 3:23; Psalm 89:33
- 2 Psalm 36:5; Nehemiah 9:31; Psalm 103:17; Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18
- 3 Psalm 132:11; 2 Samuel 7:10–16; 1 Kings 8:16; Hebrews 7:21; Acts 2:30
- 4 Luke 1:32–33; 2 Samuel 7:12–16; Isaiah 9:6–7; Psalm 132:12; Philippians 2:9–11
- 5 Psalm 19:1; Psalm 97:6; Isaiah 44:23; Revelation 7:10–12; 2 Thessalonians 1:7
- 6 Psalm 86:8; Jeremiah 10:6; Psalm 71:19; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 113:5
- 7 Psalm 47:2; Psalm 76:7–11; Hebrews 12:28–29; Jeremiah 10:7; Revelation 15:3–4
- 8 Psalm 71:19; Jeremiah 32:17; 1 Samuel 2:2; Isaiah 40:25–26; Psalm 147:5
- 9 Psalm 65:7; Psalm 107:25–29; Mark 4:41; Mark 4:39; Matthew 8:24–27
- 10 Psalm 87:4; Psalm 68:30; Psalm 144:6; Isaiah 24:1; Exodus 3:19–20
- 11 1 Chronicles 29:11; Genesis 1:1; Psalm 115:16; Psalm 24:1–2; 1 Corinthians 10:26
- 12 Job 26:7; Joshua 12:1; Joshua 19:22; Deuteronomy 3:8–9; Judges 4:6
- 13 Psalm 62:11; Psalm 89:10; Daniel 4:34–35; Matthew 6:13
- 14 Psalm 97:2; Proverbs 16:12; Psalm 45:6–7; Psalm 145:17; Psalm 85:13
- 15 Psalm 44:3; Isaiah 2:5; Psalm 4:6; Job 29:3; Psalm 100:1
- 16 Philippians 4:4; Philippians 3:9; Psalm 29:7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Psalm 89:12
- 17 Psalm 75:10; Psalm 92:10; Psalm 148:14; 1 Samuel 2:10; 1 Corinthians 1:30–31
- 18 Psalm 47:9; Psalm 71:22; Isaiah 33:22; Isaiah 1:4; Isaiah 12:6
- 19 1 Samuel 16:18; 1 Kings 11:34; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:6–11; 2 Samuel 7:8–17
- 20 1 Samuel 16:12–13; Isaiah 61:1–3; 1 Samuel 16:1; John 3:34; Acts 13:22
- 21 Isaiah 42:1; Psalm 18:32–39; Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 89:13; Ezekiel 30:24–25
- 22 2 Samuel 7:10; 1 Chronicles 17:9; Matthew 4:1–10; John 17:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3
- 23 2 Samuel 7:9; 2 Samuel 22:40–44; 2 Samuel 3:1; Psalm 18:40; 2 Samuel 7:1
- 24 2 Corinthians 1:20; Psalm 89:16–17; Psalm 91:14; John 17:6; Psalm 89:33
- 25 Psalm 80:11; Psalm 72:8–11; 1 Kings 4:21; Revelation 11:15; Psalm 2:8
- 26 2 Samuel 7:14; 2 Samuel 22:47; Psalm 95:1; Psalm 62:6–7; Matthew 26:42
- 27 Colossians 1:15; Colossians 1:18; Romans 8:29; Revelation 19:16; Psalm 2:7
- 28 Isaiah 55:3; Acts 13:32–34; Jeremiah 33:20–21; Isaiah 54:10; 2 Samuel 7:15–16
- 29 Psalm 89:4; Deuteronomy 11:21; Isaiah 9:7; Psalm 89:36; Daniel 2:44
- 30 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 119:53; Proverbs 28:4; Psalm 132:12
- 31 Psalm 55:20
- 32 2 Samuel 7:14; Proverbs 3:11–12; Hebrews 12:6–11; 1 Kings 11:39; 1 Kings 11:14
- 33 Isaiah 54:8–10; 2 Samuel 7:15; Lamentations 3:31–32; Hebrews 6:18; Jeremiah 33:20–26
- 34 Numbers 23:19; Matthew 24:35; James 1:17; Malachi 3:6; Romans 11:29
- 35 Psalm 132:11; Hebrews 6:13; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:17; Amos 4:2
- 36 Psalm 72:5; Psalm 89:29; Isaiah 59:21; Psalm 72:17; Luke 1:33
- 37 Jeremiah 31:35–36; Psalm 104:19; Genesis 1:14–18; Genesis 9:13–16; Isaiah 54:9–10
- 38 1 Chronicles 28:9; Deuteronomy 32:19; Psalm 89:51; Psalm 106:40; Zechariah 13:7
- 39 Lamentations 5:16; Psalm 74:7; Isaiah 43:28; Psalm 89:34–36; John 13:7
- 40 Psalm 80:12; Lamentations 2:2; Lamentations 2:5; Isaiah 5:5–6; Job 1:10
- 41 Psalm 79:4; Jeremiah 50:17; Jeremiah 24:9; Deuteronomy 28:37; Daniel 9:16
- 42 Revelation 11:10; Psalm 80:6; Leviticus 26:17; John 16:20; Deuteronomy 28:25
- 43 2 Chronicles 25:8; Leviticus 26:36–37; Numbers 14:42; Numbers 14:45; Joshua 7:8–12
- 44 1 Kings 12:16–20; 1 Samuel 4:21–22; 1 Kings 14:25–28; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–10; Daniel 7:20–25
- 45 Psalm 109:29; Psalm 44:15; Micah 7:10; Psalm 102:23; Psalm 89:28–29
- 46 Psalm 79:5; Psalm 78:63; Psalm 90:13; Isaiah 45:15; Isaiah 8:17
- 47 Job 14:1; Job 7:7; Job 10:9; Job 9:25–26; James 4:14
- 48 Ecclesiastes 9:5; Psalm 49:15; Hebrews 11:5; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Psalm 49:7–9
- 49 2 Samuel 7:15; Hebrews 7:21; Isaiah 55:3; Psalm 54:5; Isaiah 63:7–15
- 50 Psalm 74:18; Psalm 74:22; Psalm 69:9; Romans 15:3; Psalm 79:10–12
- 51 1 Peter 4:14–16; Psalm 74:10; Matthew 5:10–12; Hebrews 11:36; Matthew 12:24
- 52 Psalm 41:13; Psalm 72:18–19; 1 Timothy 1:17; Psalm 106:48; Habakkuk 3:17–19
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The Title of this eighty-seventh Psalm contains a fresh subject for enquiry: the words occurring here, "for Melech to respond," being nowhere else found.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
Their fierce and bloody minds were awed, and bridled, and marvellously tempered by Him who so long before said by His prophet, "I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquities with stripes; nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from them." Chapter 8 — Of the Advantages and Disadvantages Which Often Indiscriminately Accrue to… Will some …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Human witness oftentimes there is not; but He who fashioned us, an unerring witness, abides faithful in heaven, and beholds what thou doest.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
In the Old Testament it is said through (en) God we shall do valiantly, and, "My praise shall be continually of (en) thee;" and again, "In thy name will I rejoice." In Paul we read, "In God who created all things," and, "Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father;" and "if now …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)
… Israelite," mention is made of the promises God made to king David, and some things are there added similar to those found in the Book of Samuel, such as this, "I have sworn to David my servant that I will prepare his seed for ever." And again, "Then thou spakest in vision to thy sons, and saidst, I have laid …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)