UNROLL
A small wooden lyre lying on a tumbled block of a broken stone wall in gray, even evening light, under a wide empty sky.

Royal psalm · Ethan

Psalm 89

He sings God’s promise to David for 37 verses. Then he looks at what happened.

52 verses≈ 6 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

  1. 1–41Book IDavid's prayers: 'The LORD is my shepherd'
  2. 42–72Book II'As the deer pants'; the throne under pressure
  3. 73–89Book IIIAsaph and Korah: the kingdom fallsPsalm 89
  4. 90–106Book IVBack to Moses: the LORD reigns
  5. 107–150Book VSongs of ascents, and the last Hallelujah

I Will Sing of His Love Forever

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever;

with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.

For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever;

in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 89:1

God
God

You said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen one,

I have sworn to David My servant:

‘I will establish your offspring forever

and build up your throne for all generations.’”

Selah

The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD—

Your faithfulness as well—

in the assembly of the holy ones.

For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?

Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?

In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared,

and awesome above all who surround Him.

Mighty is Your arm; strong is Your hand.

Your right hand is exalted.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;

loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.

Blessed are those who know the joyful sound,

who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence.

They rejoice in Your name all day long,

and in Your righteousness they exult.

For You are the glory of their strength,

and by Your favor our horn is exalted.

Surely our shield belongs to the LORD,

and our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Reflect

The easy song

Which promise of God do you sing most easily? Write it down. You may want it later in this psalm.

God
Evening: old Samuel tips a ram's horn and pours a stream of golden olive oil over the bowed head of the youth David, the oil running into his reddish-brown hair, while his seven older brothers stand watching.

You once spoke in a vision;

to Your godly ones You said,

“I have bestowed help on a warrior;

I have exalted one chosen from the people.

I have found My servant David;

with My sacred oil I have anointed him.

My hand will sustain him;

surely My arm will strengthen him.

0:19

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

God
God

I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn,

the highest of the kings of the earth.

I will forever preserve My loving devotion for him,

and My covenant with him will stand fast.

I will establish his line forever,

his throne as long as the heavens endure.

God

If his sons forsake My law

and do not walk in My judgments,

if they violate My statutes

and fail to keep My commandments,

I will attend to their transgression with the rod,

and to their iniquity with stripes.

Question

Quick question

God has just said what happens if David’s sons go wrong. Before you read on, what do you expect?

What will God do to the covenant if David’s sons forsake His law?

God
First light over dark western hills, a full moon still sinking on one side and the eastern sky going gold on the other, a low stone hill town between them.

But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him,

nor ever betray My faithfulness.

I will not violate My covenant

or alter the utterance of My lips.

Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness—

I will not lie to David—

his offspring shall endure forever,

and his throne before Me like the sun,

like the moon, established forever,

a faithful witness in the sky.”

Selah

Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him; You are enraged by Your anointed one.

Sworn, and then this

God swore3–4His word stands28–29Sun and moonwitness36–37“Now, however”38Throne on theground44Where is it?49

Whiteboard

He sets the promise beside the wreck and refuses to let go of either.

You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

You have made all his enemies rejoice.

You have bent the edge of his sword

and have not sustained him in battle.

You have ended his splendor

and cast his throne to the ground.

You have cut short the days of his youth;

You have covered him with shame.

Selah

How long, O LORD?

Will You hide Yourself forever?

Will Your wrath keep burning like fire?

Remember the briefness of my lifespan!

For what futility You have created all men!

What man can live and never see death?

Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?

Selah

Where, O Lord, is Your loving devotion of old,

which You faithfully swore to David?

Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants,

which I bear in my heart from so many people—

how Your enemies have taunted, O LORD,

and have mocked every step of Your anointed one!

Where, O Lord, is Your loving devotion of old, which You faithfully swore to David?

Psalm 89:49

Blessed be the LORD forever!

Amen and amen.

Pray

Say both

Bring God one of His promises and the place where it hasn’t come true. Say both to Him, as Ethan does.

You’ve experienced

Psalm 89

0 of 150 psalms read

A verse to carry with you

I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 89:1

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