Psalms89
English Standard Version
1A of the . I will of the of the Lord, ; with my I will make your to .
2 I , Steadfast will be ; in the you will your .
3You have said, I have a with my ; I have to my :
4I will your , and your for .
5Let the your , O Lord, your in the of the !
6 in the can be to the Lord? Who among the is the Lord,
7a to be in the of the , and who are him?
8O Lord of , is as you are, O Lord, with your all you?
9You the of the ; when its , you them.
10You like a ; you your with your .
11The are yours; the is yours; the and all that is in , you have them.
12The and the , you have them; and your .
13You have a ; is your , your .
14 and are the of your ; and go .
15 are the who the festal , who , O Lord, in the of your ,
16who in your the and in your are .
17 you are the of their ; by your our is .
18 our belongs to the Lord, our to the of .
19Of you in a to your , and : I have one who is ; I have one the .
20I have , my ; with my I have him,
21so my shall be him; my shall him.
22The shall him; the shall him.
23I will his him and those who him.
24My and my shall be with him, and in my shall his be .
25I will his on the and his on the .
26He shall to me, You are my , my , and the of my .
27And I will him the , the of the of the .
28My I will for him , and my will for him.
29I will his and his as the of the .
30 his my and do according to my ,
31 they my and do my ,
32then I will their with the and their with ,
33but I will my be to my .
34I will my the word that my .
35 for all I have by my ; I will to .
36His shall endure , his as long as the me.
37Like the it shall be , a in the .
38But now you have and ; you are your .
39You have the with your ; you have his in the .
40You have his ; you have his in .
41 who him; he has of his .
42You have the of his ; you have made his .
43You have turned the of his , and you have made him in .
44You have his to and his to the .
45You have the of his ; you have with .
46How long, O Lord? Will you yourself ? will your like ?
47 time is! you have the of !
48 can and ? Who can his the of ?
49 , is your of , which by your you to ?
50 , O , how your are , and how I in my the insults of the ,
51with your , O Lord, with they the of your .
52 be the Lord ! and . Book Four
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 89.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: God's mercy and truth, and his covenant. (1–4). The glory and perfection of God. (5–14). The happiness of those in communion with him. (15–18). God's covenant with David, as a type of Christ. (19–37). A calamitous state lamented, Prayer for redress. (38–52).
vv1-4
Though our expectations may be disappointed, yet God's promises are established in the heavens, in his eternal counsels; they are out of the reach of opposers in hell and earth. And faith in the boundless mercy and everlasting truth of God, may bring comfort even in the deepest trials.
vv5-14
The more God's works are known, the more they are admired. And to praise the Lord, is to acknowledge him to be such a one that there is none like him. Surely then we should feel and express reverence when we worship God. But how little of this appears in our congregations, and how much cause have we to humble ourselves on this account! That almighty power which smote Egypt, will scatter the enemies of the church, while all who trust in God's mercy will rejoice in his name; for mercy and truth direct all he does. His counsels from eternity, and their consequences to eternity, are all justice and judgment.
vv15-18
Happy are those who so know the joyful sound of the gospel as to obey it; who experience its power upon their hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives. Though believers are nothing in themselves, yet having all in Christ Jesus, they may rejoice in his name. May the Lord enable us to do so. The joy of the Lord is the strength of his people; whereas unbelief dispirits ourselves and discourages others. Though it steals upon us under a semblance of humility, yet it is the very essence of pride. Christ is the Holy One of Israel; and in him was that peculiar people more blessed than in any other blessing.
Key Words
מַשְׂכִּיל: instructive, i.e. a didactic poem
אֵיתָן: Ethan, the name of four Israelites
אֶזְרָחִי: an Ezrachite or descendant of Zerach
שִׁיר: to sing
חֵסֵד: kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty
עוֹלָם: properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) always
פֶּה: the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with preposition) according to
יָדַע: to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
אֱמוּנָה: literally firmness; figuratively security; morally fidelity
דּוֹר: properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwelling
Cross References
Psalms 89The foundational covenant promise to David's seed and throne, directly quoted and celebrated here.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Connects the 'sure mercies of David' directly to God's everlasting, unbreakable covenant.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
God's historical selection and finding of David, His chosen servant, to be anointed.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel psalm recalling God's oath and sworn covenant to David concerning his kingly line.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The classic praise of God's incomparable glory: 'Who is like unto thee, O Lord?'
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Christ as the supreme realization of the 'firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.'
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Identical imagery of broken-down hedges and exposed vine, representing the humiliation of Israel.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The requirement of reverence and godly fear in the presence of the holy God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies 'Rahab' as Egypt, whom God's arm cut and wounded in the Exodus.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The eternal throne of God characterized by righteousness and justice as its foundation.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The enduring sun and moon used as cosmic symbols of the perpetuity of David's kingdom.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
God's covenant with day and night compared to the absolute certainty of His covenant with David.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Scoffers mocking the footsteps of the anointed, asking 'Where is the promise of his coming?'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Declares Jesus Christ to be the seed of David according to the flesh, fulfilling the oath.
Supported by JFB
The concluding doxology 'Amen, and Amen' closing Book 3 of the Psalter, parallel to Book 1.
Supported by Matthew Poole