Psalm 89

1 Eine Unterweisung Ethans, des Esrahiten. Ich will singen von der Gnade des HERRN ewiglich und seine Wahrheit verkündigen mit meinem Munde für und für

2 und sage also: Daß eine ewige Gnade wird aufgehen, und du wirst deine Wahrheit treulich halten im Himmel.

3 "Ich habe einen Bund gemacht mit meinem Auserwählten; ich habe David, meinem Knechte, geschworen:

4 Ich will deinen Samen bestätigen ewiglich und deinen Stuhl bauen für und für." (Sela.)

5 Und die Himmel werden, HERR, deine Wunder preisen und deine Wahrheit in der Gemeinde der Heiligen.

6 Denn wer mag in den Wolken dem HERRN gleich gelten, und gleich sein unter den Kindern Gottes dem HERRN?

7 Gott ist sehr mächtig in der Versammlung der Heiligen und wunderbar über alle, die um ihn sind.

8 HERR, Gott Zebaoth, wer ist wie du ein mächtiger Gott? Und deine Wahrheit ist um dich her.

9 Du herrschest über das ungestüme Meer; du stillest seine Wellen, wenn sie sich erheben.

10 Du schlägst Rahab zu Tod; du zerstreust deine Feinde mit deinem starken Arm.

11 Himmel und Erde ist dein; du hast gegründet den Erdboden und was darinnen ist.

12 Mitternacht und Mittag hast du geschaffen; Thabor und Hermon jauchzen in deinem Namen.

13 Du hast einen gewaltigen Arm; stark ist deine Hand, und hoch ist deine Rechte.

14 Gerechtigkeit und Gericht ist deines Stuhles Festung; Gnade und Wahrheit sind vor deinem Angesicht.

15 Wohl dem Volk, das jauchzen kann! HERR, sie werden im Licht deines Antlitzes wandeln;

16 sie werden über deinen Namen täglich fröhlich sein und in deiner Gerechtigkeit herrlich sein.

17 Denn du bist der Ruhm ihrer Stärke, und durch dein Gnade wirst du unser Horn erhöhen.

18 Denn des HERRN ist unser Schild, und des Heiligen in Israel ist unser König.

19 Dazumal redetest du im Gesicht zu deinem Heiligen und sprachst: "Ich habe einen Helden erweckt, der helfen soll; ich habe erhöht einen Auserwählten aus dem Volk.

20 Ich habe gefunden meinen Knecht David; ich habe ihn gesalbt mit meinem heiligen Öl.

21 Meine Hand soll ihn erhalten und mein Arm soll ihn stärken.

22 Die Feinde sollen ihn nicht überwältigen, und die Ungerechten sollen ihn nicht dämpfen;

23 sondern ich will seine Widersacher schlagen vor ihm her, und die ihn hassen, will ich plagen;

24 aber meine Wahrheit und Gnade soll bei ihm sein, und sein Horn soll in meinem Namen erhoben werden.

25 Ich will seine Hand über das Meer stellen und seine Rechte über die Wasser.

26 Er wird mich nennen also: Du bist mein Vater, mein Gott und Hort, der mir hilft.

27 Und ich will ihn zum ersten Sohn machen, allerhöchst unter den Königen auf Erden.

28 Ich will ihm ewiglich bewahren meine Gnade, und mein Bund soll ihm fest bleiben.

29 Ich will ihm ewiglich Samen geben und seinen Stuhl, solange der Himmel währt, erhalten.

30 Wo aber seine Kinder mein Gesetz verlassen und in meinen Rechten nicht wandeln,

31 so sie meine Ordnungen entheiligen und meine Gebote nicht halten,

32 so will ich ihre Sünde mit der Rute heimsuchen und ihre Missetat mit Plagen;

33 aber meine Gnade will ich nicht von ihm wenden und meine Wahrheit nicht lassen trügen.

34 Ich will meinen Bund nicht entheiligen, und nicht ändern, was aus meinem Munde gegangen ist.

35 Ich habe einmal geschworen bei meiner Heiligkeit, ich will David nicht lügen:

36 Sein Same soll ewig sein und sein Stuhl vor mir wie die Sonne;

37 wie der Mond soll er ewiglich erhalten sein, und gleich wie der Zeuge in den Wolken gewiß sein." (Sela.)

38 Aber nun verstößest du und verwirfst und zürnest mit deinem Gesalbten.

39 Du zerstörst den Bund deines Knechtes und trittst sein Krone zu Boden.

40 Du zerreißest alle seine Mauern und lässest seine Festen zerbrechen.

41 Es berauben ihn alle, die vorübergehen; er ist seinen Nachbarn ein Spott geworden.

42 Du erhöhest die Rechte seiner Widersacher und erfreuest alle seine Feinde.

43 Auch hast du die Kraft seines Schwertes weggenommen und lässest ihn nicht siegen im Streit.

44 Du zerstörst seine Reinigkeit und wirfst seinen Stuhl zu Boden.

45 Du verkürzest die Zeit seiner Jugend und bedeckest ihn mit Hohn. (Sela.)

46 HERR, wie lange willst du dich so gar verbergen und deinen Grimm wie Feuer brennen lassen?

47 Gedenke, wie kurz mein Leben ist. Warum willst du alle Menschen umsonst geschaffen haben?

48 Wo ist jemand, der da lebt und den Tod nicht sähe? der seine Seele errette aus des Todes Hand? (Sela.)

49 HERR, wo ist deine vorige Gnade, die du David geschworen hast in deiner Wahrheit?

50 Gedenke, HERR, an die Schmach deiner Knechte, die ich trage in meinem Schoß von so vielen Völkern allen,

51 mit der, HERR, deine Feinde schmähen, mit der sie schmähen die Fußtapfen deines Gesalbten.

52 Gelobt sei der HERR ewiglich! Amen, amen.

Psalm 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.