Psalm 89
New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord’s Covenant with David, and Israel’s Afflictions.
A [a]Maskil of [b]Ethan [c]the Ezrahite.
89 I will (A)sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever;
To all generations I will (B)make known Your (C)faithfulness with my mouth.
2 For I have said, “(D)Lovingkindness will be built up forever;
In the heavens You will establish Your (E)faithfulness.”
3 “I have made a covenant with (F)My chosen;
I have (G)sworn to David My servant,
4 I will establish your (H)seed forever
And build up your (I)throne to all generations.” [d]Selah.
5 The (J)heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;
Your faithfulness also (K)in the assembly of the (L)holy ones.
6 For (M)who in the skies is comparable to the Lord?
Who among the [e](N)sons of the mighty is like the Lord,
7 A God (O)greatly feared in the council of the (P)holy ones,
And (Q)awesome above all those who are around Him?
8 O Lord God of hosts, (R)who is like You, O mighty [f]Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 You rule the swelling of the sea;
When its waves rise, You (S)still them.
10 You Yourself crushed [g](T)Rahab like one who is slain;
You (U)scattered Your enemies with [h]Your mighty arm.
11 The (V)heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The (W)world and [i]all it contains, You have founded them.
12 The (X)north and the south, You have created them;
(Y)Tabor and (Z)Hermon (AA)shout for joy at Your name.
13 You have [j]a strong arm;
Your hand is mighty, Your (AB)right hand is exalted.
14 (AC)Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
(AD)Lovingkindness and [k]truth go before You.
15 How blessed are the people who know the [l](AE)joyful sound!
O Lord, they walk in the (AF)light of Your countenance.
16 In (AG)Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the glory of (AH)their strength,
And by Your favor [m]our (AI)horn is exalted.
18 For our (AJ)shield belongs to the Lord,
[n]And our king to the (AK)Holy One of Israel.
19 [o]Once You spoke in vision to Your godly [p]ones,
And said, “I have [q]given help to one who is (AL)mighty;
I have exalted one (AM)chosen from the people.
20 “I have (AN)found David My servant;
With My holy (AO)oil I have anointed him,
21 With whom (AP)My hand will be established;
My arm also will (AQ)strengthen him.
22 “The enemy will not [r]deceive him,
Nor the [s](AR)son of wickedness afflict him.
23 “But I shall (AS)crush his adversaries before him,
And strike those who hate him.
24 “My (AT)faithfulness and My lovingkindness will be with him,
And in My name his (AU)horn will be exalted.
25 “I shall also set his hand (AV)on the sea
And his right hand on the rivers.
26 “He will cry to Me, ‘You are (AW)my Father,
My God, and the (AX)rock of my salvation.’
27 “I also shall make him My (AY)firstborn,
The (AZ)highest of the kings of the earth.
28 “My (BA)lovingkindness I will keep for him forever,
And My (BB)covenant shall be confirmed to him.
29 “So I will establish his [t](BC)descendants forever
And his (BD)throne (BE)as the days of heaven.
30 “If his sons (BF)forsake My law
And do not walk in My judgments,
31 If they [u]violate My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
32 Then I will punish their transgression with the (BG)rod
And their iniquity with stripes.
33 “But I will not break off (BH)My lovingkindness from him,
Nor deal falsely in My faithfulness.
34 “My (BI)covenant I will not [v]violate,
Nor will I (BJ)alter [w]the utterance of My lips.
35 “[x]Once I have (BK)sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David.
36 “His [y](BL)descendants shall endure forever
And his (BM)throne (BN)as the sun before Me.
37 “It shall be established forever (BO)like the moon,
And the (BP)witness in the sky is faithful.” [z]Selah.
38 But You have (BQ)cast off and (BR)rejected,
You have been full of wrath [aa]against Your (BS)anointed.
39 You have (BT)spurned the covenant of Your servant;
You have (BU)profaned (BV)his crown [ab]in the dust.
40 You have (BW)broken down all his walls;
You have (BX)brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 (BY)All who pass along the way plunder him;
He has become a (BZ)reproach to his neighbors.
42 You have (CA)exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have (CB)made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You also turn back the edge of his sword
And have (CC)not made him stand in battle.
44 You have made his [ac](CD)splendor to cease
And cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have (CE)shortened the days of his youth;
You have (CF)covered him with shame. Selah.
46 (CG)How long, O Lord?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your (CH)wrath burn like fire?
47 (CI)Remember [ad]what my span of life is;
For what (CJ)vanity [ae]You have created all the sons of men!
48 What man can live and not (CK)see death?
Can he (CL)deliver his soul from the [af]power of [ag]Sheol? Selah.
49 Where are Your former lovingkindnesses, O Lord,
Which You (CM)swore to David in Your faithfulness?
50 Remember, O Lord, the (CN)reproach of Your servants;
[ah]How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
51 With which (CO)Your enemies have reproached, O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of (CP)Your anointed.
52 (CQ)Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.
Footnotes
- Psalm 89:1 Possibly, Contemplative, or Didactic, or Skillful Psalm
- Psalm 89:1 1 Kin 4:31
- Psalm 89:1 Ps 88: title
- Psalm 89:4 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
- Psalm 89:6 Or sons of gods
- Psalm 89:8 Heb Yah
- Psalm 89:10 I.e. Egypt
- Psalm 89:10 Lit the arm of Your might
- Psalm 89:11 Lit its fullness
- Psalm 89:13 Lit an arm with strength
- Psalm 89:14 Or faithfulness
- Psalm 89:15 Or blast of the trumpet, shout of joy
- Psalm 89:17 Another reading is You exalt our horn
- Psalm 89:18 Or Even to the Holy One of Israel our King
- Psalm 89:19 Or At that time
- Psalm 89:19 Some mss read one
- Psalm 89:19 Lit placed help upon
- Psalm 89:22 Or exact usury from him
- Psalm 89:22 Or wicked man
- Psalm 89:29 Lit seed
- Psalm 89:31 Lit profane
- Psalm 89:34 Lit profane
- Psalm 89:34 Lit that which goes forth
- Psalm 89:35 Or One thing
- Psalm 89:36 Lit seed
- Psalm 89:37 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude
- Psalm 89:38 Lit with
- Psalm 89:39 Lit to the ground
- Psalm 89:44 Lit clearness, luster
- Psalm 89:47 Lit of what duration I am
- Psalm 89:47 Or have You...men?
- Psalm 89:48 Lit hand
- Psalm 89:48 I.e. the nether world
- Psalm 89:50 Lit My bearing in my bosom
Psalm 89
King James Version
89 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
18 For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; 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: mine arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
31 If they break 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 lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that 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 as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.
38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
44 Thou hast made his glory 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, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
49 Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
52 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
Psalm 89
English Standard Version
I Will Sing of the Steadfast Love of the Lord
A Maskil[a] of (A)Ethan the Ezrahite.
89 (B)I will sing of (C)the steadfast love of the Lord forever;
    with my mouth I will make known your (D)faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, (E)“Steadfast love will be built up forever;
    in the heavens (F)you will establish your (G)faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made (H)a covenant with my (I)chosen one;
    I have (J)sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your (K)offspring forever,
    and build your (L)throne for all generations.’” Selah
5 Let (M)the heavens praise your (N)wonders, O Lord,
    your faithfulness in the assembly of (O)the holy ones!
6 For (P)who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
    (Q)Who among the heavenly beings[b] is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly (R)to be feared in the council of (S)the holy ones,
    and awesome above all (T)who are around him?
8 O Lord God of hosts,
    (U)who is mighty as you are, O (V)Lord,
    with your faithfulness all around you?
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
    when its waves rise, you (W)still them.
10 You (X)crushed (Y)Rahab like a carcass;
    you (Z)scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 (AA)The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
    (AB)the world and all that is in it, you have (AC)founded them.
12 (AD)The north and the south, you have created them;
    (AE)Tabor and (AF)Hermon (AG)joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
    strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14 (AH)Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
    (AI)steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know (AJ)the festal shout,
    who walk, O Lord, in (AK)the light of your face,
16 who exult in your (AL)name all the day
    and in your righteousness are (AM)exalted.
17 For you are (AN)the glory of their strength;
    by your favor our (AO)horn is exalted.
18 For our (AP)shield belongs to the Lord,
    our king to (AQ)the Holy One of Israel.
19 (AR)Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one,[c] and said:
    “I have (AS)granted help to one who is (AT)mighty;
    I have exalted one (AU)chosen from the people.
20 (AV)I have found David, my servant;
    with my holy oil I have (AW)anointed him,
21 so that my (AX)hand shall be established with him;
    my arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not outwit him;
    (AY)the wicked shall not humble him.
23 I will (AZ)crush his foes before him
    and strike down those who hate him.
24 My (BA)faithfulness and my (BB)steadfast love shall be with him,
    and in my name shall his (BC)horn be exalted.
25 I will set his hand on (BD)the sea
    and his right hand on (BE)the rivers.
26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my (BF)Father,
    my God, and (BG)the Rock of my salvation.’
27 And I will make him the (BH)firstborn,
    (BI)the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,
    and my (BJ)covenant will stand firm[d] for him.
29 I will establish his (BK)offspring forever
    and his (BL)throne as (BM)the days of the heavens.
30 (BN)If his children forsake my law
    and do not walk according to my rules,[e]
31 if they violate my statutes
    and do not keep my commandments,
32 then I will punish their transgression with (BO)the rod
    and their iniquity with stripes,
33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love
    or be false to my faithfulness.
34 I will not violate my (BP)covenant
    or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
35 Once for all I have sworn (BQ)by my holiness;
    I will not (BR)lie to David.
36 His (BS)offspring shall endure forever,
    (BT)his (BU)throne as long as (BV)the sun before me.
37 Like (BW)the moon it shall be established forever,
    (BX)a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah
38 But now you have (BY)cast off and rejected;
    you are full of wrath against your (BZ)anointed.
39 You have (CA)renounced (CB)the covenant with your servant;
    you have (CC)defiled his (CD)crown in the dust.
40 You have (CE)breached all his walls;
    you have laid his strongholds in ruins.
41 (CF)All who pass by plunder him;
    he has become (CG)the scorn of his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
    you have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
    and you have not made him stand in battle.
44 You have made his splendor to cease
    and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short (CH)the days of his youth;
    you have (CI)covered him with shame. Selah
46 (CJ)How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your wrath (CK)burn like fire?
47 (CL)Remember (CM)how short my (CN)time is!
    For what vanity you have created all the children of man!
48 (CO)What man can live and never (CP)see death?
    Who can deliver his soul from the power of (CQ)Sheol? Selah
49 Lord, where is your (CR)steadfast love of old,
    which by your (CS)faithfulness you swore to David?
50 (CT)Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,
    and how I bear in my (CU)heart the insults[f] of all the many nations,
51 with which your enemies mock, O Lord,
    with which they mock (CV)the footsteps of your (CW)anointed.
52 (CX)Blessed be the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.
Footnotes
- Psalm 89:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
- Psalm 89:6 Hebrew the sons of God, or the sons of might
- Psalm 89:19 Some Hebrew manuscripts godly ones
- Psalm 89:28 Or will remain faithful
- Psalm 89:30 Or my just decrees
- Psalm 89:50 Hebrew lacks the insults
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.

