89:1
[Poem For Ethan the native-born] I shall sing the faithful love of Yahweh for ever, from age to age my lips shall declare your constancy,
89:2
for you have said: love is built to last for ever, you have fixed your constancy firm in the heavens.
89:3
'I have made a covenant with my Chosen One, sworn an oath to my servant David:
89:4
I have made your dynasty firm for ever, built your throne stable age after age.'Pause
89:5
The heavens praise your wonders, Yahweh, your constancy in the gathering of your faithful.
89:6
Who in the skies can compare with Yahweh? Who among the sons of god can rival him?
89:7
God, awesome in the assembly of holy ones, great and dreaded among all who surround him,
89:8
Yahweh, God Sabaoth, who is like you? Mighty Yahweh, your constancy is all round you!
89:9
You control the pride of the ocean, when its waves ride high you calm them.
89:10
You split Rahab in two like a corpse, scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
89:11
Yours are the heavens and yours the earth, the world and all it holds, you founded them;
89:12
you created the north and the south, Tabor and Hermon hail your name with joy.
89:13
Yours is a strong arm, mighty your hand, your right hand raised high;
89:14
Saving Justice and Fair Judgement the foundations of your throne, Faithful Love and Constancy march before you.
89:15
How blessed the nation that learns to acclaim you! They will live, Yahweh, in the light of your presence.
89:16
In your name they rejoice all day long, by your saving justice they are raised up.
89:17
You are the flower of their strength, by your favour our strength is triumphant;
89:18
for to Yahweh belongs our shield, to the Holy One of Israel our king.
89:19
Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful you said: 'I have given strength to a warrior, I have raised up a man chosen from my people.
89:20
'I have found David my servant, and anointed him with my holy oil.
89:21
My hand will always be with him, my arm will make him strong.
89:22
'No enemy will be able to outwit him, no wicked man overcome him;
89:23
I shall crush his enemies before him, strike his opponents dead.
89:24
'My constancy and faithful love will be with him, in my name his strength will be triumphant.
89:25
I shall establish his power over the sea, his dominion over the rivers.
89:26
'He will cry to me, "You are my father, my God, the rock of my salvation!"
89:27
So I shall make him my first-born, the highest of earthly kings.
89:28
'I shall maintain my faithful love for him always, my covenant with him will stay firm.
89:29
I have established his dynasty for ever, his throne to be as lasting as the heavens.
89:30
'Should his descendants desert my law, and not keep to my rulings,
89:31
should they violate my statutes, and not observe my commandments,
89:32
'then I shall punish their offences with the rod, their guilt with the whip,
89:33
but I shall never withdraw from him my faithful love, I shall not belie my constancy.
89:34
'I shall not violate my covenant, I shall not withdraw the word once spoken.
89:35
I have sworn by my holiness, once and for all, never will I break faith with David.
89:36
'His dynasty shall endure for ever, his throne like the sun before me,
89:37
as the moon is established for ever, a faithful witness in the skies.'Pause
89:38
Yet you yourself -- you have spurned and rejected, and have vented your wrath on your anointed,
89:39
you have repudiated the covenant with your servant, dishonoured his crown in the dust.
89:40
You have pierced all his defences, and laid his strongholds in ruins,
89:41
everyone passing by plunders him, he has become the butt of his neighbours.
89:42
You have raised high the right hand of his opponents, have made all his enemies happy;
89:43
you have snapped off his sword on a rock, and failed to support him in battle.
89:44
You have stripped him of his splendid sceptre, and toppled his throne to the ground.
89:45
You have aged him before his time, enveloped him in shame. Pause
89:46
How long, Yahweh, will you remain hidden? For ever? Is your anger to go on smouldering like a fire?
89:47
Remember me; how long have I left? For what pointless end did you create all the children of Adam?
89:48
Who can live and never see death? Who can save himself from the clutches of Sheol?Pause
89:49
Lord, what of those pledges of your faithful love? You made an oath to David by your constancy.
89:50
Do not forget the insults to your servant; I take to heart the taunts of the nations,
89:51
which your enemies have levelled, Yahweh, have levelled at the footsteps of your anointed!
89:52
Blessed be Yahweh for ever. Amen, Amen.
Previous
Next