Psalms 89

1 A maskil of Eitan the Ezrachi: I will sing about ADONAI's acts of grace forever, with my mouth proclaim your faithfulness to all generations;

2 because I said, "Grace is built to last forever; in the heavens themselves you established your faithfulness."

3 You said, "I made a covenant with the one I chose, I swore to my servant David,

4 'I will establish your dynasty forever, build up your throne through all generations.'" (Selah)

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, ADONAI, your faithfulness in the assembly of the angels.

6 For who in the skies can be compared with ADONAI? Which of these gods can rival ADONAI,

7 a God dreaded in the great assembly of the holy ones and feared by all around him?

8 ADONAI Elohei-Tzva'ot! Who is as mighty as you, Yah? Your faithfulness surrounds you.

9 You control the raging of the sea; when its waves rear up, you calm them.

10 You crushed Rahav like a carcass; with your strong arm you scattered your foes.

11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; you founded the world and everything in it.

12 You created north and south; Tavor and Hermon take joy in your name.

13 Your arm is mighty, your hand is strong, your right hand is lifted high.

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; grace and truth attend you.

15 How happy are the people who know the joyful shout! They walk in the light of your presence, ADONAI.

16 They rejoice in your name all day and are lifted up by your righteousness,

17 for you yourself are the strength in which they glory. Our power grows by pleasing you,

18 for our shield comes from ADONAI -our king is from the Holy One of Isra'el.

19 There was a time when you spoke in a vision; you declared to your loyal [prophets], "I have given help to a warrior, I have raised up someone chosen from the people.

20 I have found David my servant and anointed him with my holy oil.

21 My hand will always be with him, and my arm will give him strength.

22 No enemy will outwit him, no wicked man overcome him.

23 I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him.

24 My faithfulness and grace will be with him; through my name his power will grow.

25 I will put his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers.

26 He will call to me, 'You are my father, my God, the Rock of my salvation.'

27 I will give him the position of firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

28 I will keep my grace for him forever, and in my covenant be faithful with him.

29 I will establish his dynasty forever, and his throne as long as the heavens last.

30 "If his descendants abandon my Torah and fail to live by my rulings,

31 if they profane my regulations and don't obey my mitzvot,

32 I will punish their disobedience with the rod and their guilt with lashes.

33 But I won't withdraw my grace from him or be false to my faithfulness.

34 I will not profane my covenant or change what my lips have spoken.

35 I have sworn by my holiness once and for all; I will not lie to David

36 his dynasty will last forever, his throne like the sun before me.

37 It will be established forever, like the moon, which remains a faithful witness in the sky." (Selah)

38 But you spurned your anointed one, rejected and vented your rage on him.

39 You renounced the covenant with your servant and defiled his crown in the dust.

40 You broke through all his defenses and left his strongholds in ruins.

41 All who pass by plunder him; he is an object of scorn to his neighbors.

42 You raised up the right hand of his foes and made all his enemies rejoice.

43 You drive back his drawn sword and fail to support him in battle.

44 You brought an end to his splendor and hurled his throne to the ground.

45 You cut short the days of his youth and covered him with shame. (Selah)

46 How long, ADONAI? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your fury burn like fire?

47 Remember how little time I have! Was it for no purpose that you created all humanity?

48 Who can live and not see death? Who can save himself from the power of the grave? (Selah)

49 Where, Adonai, are the acts of grace you once did, those which, in your faithfulness, you swore to David?

50 Remember, Adonai, the taunts hurled at your servants, which I carry in my heart [from] so many peoples!

51 Your enemies, ADONAI, have flung their taunts, flung them in the footsteps of your anointed one.

52 Blessed be ADONAI forever. Amen. Amen.

Psalms 89 Commentary

Chapter 89

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)

Verses 1-4 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.

Verses 5-14 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.

Verses 15-18 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.

Verses 19-37 The Lord anointed David with the holy oil, not only as an emblem of the graces and gifts he received, but as a type of Christ, the King Priest, and Prophet, anointed with the Holy Ghost without measure. David after his anointing, was persecuted, but none could gain advantage against him. Yet all this was a faint shadow of the Redeemer's sufferings, deliverance, glory, and authority, in whom alone these predictions and promises are fully brought to pass. He is the mighty God. This is the Redeemer appointed for us, who alone is able to complete the work of our salvation. Let us seek an interest in these blessings, by the witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. As the Lord corrected the posterity of David for their transgressions, so his people shall be corrected for their sins. Yet it is but a rod, not a sword; it is to correct, not to destroy. It is a rod in the hand of God, who is wise, and knows what he does; gracious, and will do what is best. It is a rod which they shall never feel, but when there is need. As the sun and moon remain in heaven, whatever changes there seem to be in them, and again appear in due season; so the covenant of grace made in Christ, whatever alteration seems to come to it, should not be questioned.

Verses 38-52 Sometimes it is not easy to reconcile God's providences with his promises, yet we are sure that God's works fulfil his word. When the great Anointed One, Christ himself, was upon the cross, God seemed to have cast him off, yet did not make void his covenant, for that was established for ever. The honour of the house of David was lost. Thrones and crowns are often laid in the dust; but there is a crown of glory reserved for Christ's spiritual seed, which fadeth not away. From all this complaint learn what work sin makes with families, noble families, with families in which religion has appeared. They plead with God for mercy. God's unchangeableness and faithfulness assure us that He will not cast off those whom he has chosen and covenanted with. They were reproached for serving him. The scoffers of the latter days, in like manner, reproach the footsteps of the Messiah when ( 2 Peter. 3:3 2 Peter. 3:4 ) records of the Lord's dealings with the family of David, show us his dealings with his church, and with believers. Their afflictions and distresses may be grievous, but he will not finally cast them off. Self-deceivers abuse this doctrine, and others by a careless walk bring themselves into darkness and distress; yet let the true believer rely on it for encouragement in the path of duty, and in bearing the cross. The psalm ends with praise, even after this sad complaint. Those who give God thanks for what he has done, may give him thanks for what he will do. God will follow those with his mercies, who follow him with praises.

Chapter Summary

Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. Who this Ethan was is not certain. Kimchi takes him to be the same with Ethan the wise man, a grandson of Judah, 1 Kings 4:31. But seeing he lived some hundreds of years before the times of David, it is not likely that he should be the writer of this psalm; for David is made mention of in it, which could not be, unless it can be thought to be by a spirit of prophecy; which indeed is the opinion of Doctor Lightfoot {k}, who takes this Ethan to be the penman of this psalm; and who "from the promise, Genesis 15:1 sings joyfully the deliverance (of Israel); that the raging of the Red sea should be ruled, Psalm 89:9, and Rahab, or Egypt, should be broken in pieces, Psalm 89:10, and that the people should hear the joyful sound of the law, Psalm 89:15, and as for the name of David in it, this, he says, might be done prophetically; as Samuel is thought to be named by Moses, Psalm 99:6, which psalm is held to be made by him; or else might be put into it, in later times, by some divine penman, endued with the same gift of prophecy, who might improve the ground work of this psalm laid by Ethan, and set it to an higher key; namely, that whereas he treated only of bodily deliverance from Egypt, it is wound up so high as to reach the spiritual delivery by Christ; and therefore David is often named, from whence he should come."

There was another Ethan, a singer, in David's time; and it is more probable that he is the person, who might live to the times of Rehoboam, and see the decline of David's family, and the revolt of the ten tribes from it; or perhaps it was one of this name who lived in the times of the Babylonish captivity, and saw the low estate that David's family were come into; to which agrees the latter part of this psalm; and, in order to comfort the people of God, he wrote this psalm, showing that the covenant and promises of God, made with David, nevertheless stood firm, and would be accomplished: the title of the Septuagint version calls him Etham the Israelite; and the Arabic version Nathan the Israelite: the Targum makes him to be Abraham, paraphrasing it "a good understanding, which was said by the hand of Abraham, that came from the east."

But whoever was the penman of this psalm, it is "maschil," an instructive psalm, a psalm causing to understand; it treats concerning the covenant of grace, and the promises of it; and concerning the mercy and faithfulness of God, in making and keeping the same; and concerning the Messiah and his seed, his church and people; and the stability and duration of all these: many passages in it are applied to the Messiah by Jewish writers, ancient and modern; and Psalm 89:20 is manifestly referred to in Acts 13:22.