Salmos 89

1 Cantarei para sempre as benignidades do Senhor; com a minha boca proclamarei a todas as gerações a tua fidelidade.

2 Digo, pois: A tua benignidade será renovada para sempre; tu confirmarás a tua fidelidade até nos céus, dizendo:

3 Fiz um pacto com o meu escolhido; jurei ao meu servo Davi:

4 Estabelecerei para sempre a tua descendência, e firmarei o teu trono por todas as gerações.

5 Os céus louvarão as tuas maravilhas, ó Senhor, e a tua fidelidade na assembléia dos santos.

6 Pois quem no firmamento se pode igualar ao Senhor? Quem entre os filhos de Deus é semelhante ao Senhor,

7 um Deus sobremodo tremendo na assembléia dos santos, e temível mais do que todos os que estão ao seu redor?

8 Ó Senhor, Deus dos exércitos, quem é poderoso como tu, Senhor, com a tua fidelidade ao redor de ti?

9 Tu dominas o ímpio do mar; quando as suas ondas se levantam tu as fazes aquietar.

10 Tu abateste a Raabe como se fora ferida de morte; com o teu braço poderoso espalhaste os teus inimigos.

11 São teus os céus, e tua é a terra; o mundo e a sua plenitude, tu os fundaste.

12 O norte e o sul, tu os criaste; o Tabor e o Hermom regozijam-se em teu nome.

13 Tu tens um braço poderoso; forte é a tua mão, e elevado a tua destra.

14 Justiça e juízo são a base do teu trono; benignidade e verdade vão adiante de ti.

15 Bem-aventurado o povo que conhece o som festivo, que anda, ó Senhor, na luz da tua face,

16 que se regozija em teu nome todo o dia, e na tua justiça é exaltado.

17 Pois tu és a glória da sua força; e pelo teu favor será exaltado o nosso poder.

18 Porque o Senhor é o nosso escudo, e o Santo de Israel é o nosso Rei.

19 Naquele tempo falaste em visão ao teu santo, e disseste: Coloquei a coroa num homem poderoso; exaltei um escolhido dentre o povo.

20 Achei Davi, meu servo; com o meu santo óleo o ungi.

21 A minha mão será sempre com ele, e o meu braço o fortalecerá.

22 O inimigo não o surpreenderá, nem o filho da perversidade o afligirá.

23 Eu esmagarei diante dele os seus adversários, e aos que o odeiam abaterei.

24 A minha fidelidade, porém, e a minha benignidade estarão com ele, e em meu nome será exaltado o seu poder.

25 Porei a sua mão sobre o mar, e a sua destra sobre os rios.

26 Ele me invocará, dizendo: Tu és meu pai, meu Deus, e a rocha da minha salvação.

27 Também lhe darei o lugar de primogênito; fá-lo-ei o mais excelso dos reis da terra.

28 Conservar-lhe-ei para sempre a minha benignidade, e o meu pacto com ele ficará firme.

29 Farei que subsista para sempre a sua descendência, e o seu trono como os dias dos céus.

30 Se os seus filhos deixarem a minha lei, e não andarem nas minhas ordenanças,

31 se profanarem os meus preceitos, e não guardarem os meus mandamentos,

32 então visitarei com vara a sua transgressão, e com açoites a sua iniqüidade.

33 Mas não lhe retirarei totalmente a minha benignidade, nem faltarei com a minha fidelidade.

34 Não violarei o meu pacto, nem alterarei o que saiu dos meus lábios.

35 Uma vez para sempre jurei por minha santidade; não mentirei a Davi.

36 A sua descendência subsistirá para sempre, e o seu trono será como o sol diante de mim;

37 será estabelecido para sempre como a lua, e ficará firme enquanto o céu durar.

38 Mas tu o repudiaste e rejeitaste, tu estás indignado contra o teu ungido.

39 Desprezaste o pacto feito com teu servo; profanaste a sua coroa, arrojando-a por terra.

40 Derribaste todos os seus muros; arruinaste as suas fortificações.

41 Todos os que passam pelo caminho o despojam; tornou-se objeto de opróbrio para os seus vizinhos.

42 Exaltaste a destra dos seus adversários; fizeste com que todos os seus inimigos se regozijassem.

43 Embotaste o fio da sua espada, e não o sustentaste na peleja;

44 fizeste cessar o seu esplendor, e arrojaste por terra o seu trono;

45 abreviaste os dias da sua mocidade; cobriste-o de vergonha.

46 Até quando, Senhor? Esconder-te-ás para sempre? Até quando arderá a tua ira como fogo?

47 Lembra-te de quão breves são os meus dias; de quão efêmeros criaste todos os filhos dos homens!

48 Que homem há que viva e não veja a morte? ou que se livre do poder do Seol?

49 Senhor, onde estão as tuas antigas benignidades, que juraste a Davi na tua fidelidade?

50 Lembre-te, Senhor, do opróbrio dos teus servos; e de como trago no meu peito os insultos de todos os povos poderosos,

51 com que os teus inimigos, ó Senhor, têm difamado, com que têm difamado os passos do teu ungido.

52 Bendito seja o Senhor para sempre. Amém e amém.

Salmos 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.