Shīpiān 89

1 ( Yǐ sī lā rén yǐ tàn de xùn huì shī ) wǒ yào gē chàng Yēhéhuá de cíaì , zhídào yǒngyuǎn . wǒ yào yòng kǒu jiāng nǐde xìnshí chuán yǔ wàn daì .

2 Yīn wǒ céng shuō , nǐde cíbēi , bì jiànlì dào yǒngyuǎn . nǐde xìnshí , bìjiān lì zaì tiān shang .

3 Wǒ yǔ wǒ suǒ jiǎnxuǎn de rén lì le yuē , xiàng wǒde púrén Dàwèi qǐ le shì .

4 Wǒ yào jiànlì nǐde hòuyì , zhídào yǒngyuǎn , yào jiànlì nǐde bǎozuò , zhídào wàn daì .

5 Yēhéhuá a , zhū tiān yào chēngzàn nǐde qí shì . zaì shèng zhĕ de huì zhōng , yào chēngzàn nǐde xìnshí .

6 Zaì tiānkōng shuí néng bǐ Yēhéhuá ne . shén de zhòng zǐ zhōng , shuí néng xiàng Yēhéhuá ne .

7 Tā zaì shèng zhĕ de huì zhōng , shì dà yǒu wēiyán de shén , bǐ yīqiè zaì tā sìwéi de gèng kĕ wèijù .

8 Yēhéhuá wàn jūn zhī shén a , nà yī gĕ dà néng zhĕ xiàng nǐ Yēhéhuá . nǐde xìnshí , shì zaì nǐde sìwéi .

9 Nǐ guǎnxiá hǎi de kuángào . bō làng fānteng , nǐ jiù shǐ tā píngjìng le .

10 Nǐ dǎ suì le lā hǎ bó sìhu shì yǐ shā de rén . nǐ yòng yǒu néng de bǎngbì dǎ sàn le nǐde chóudí .

11 Tiān shǔ nǐ , dì yĕ shǔ nǐ . shìjiè hé qízhōng suǒ chōngmǎn de , dōu wèi nǐ suǒ jiànlì .

12 Nánbĕi wèi nǐ suǒ chuàngzào . tā pō hé Hēimén dōu yīn nǐde míng huānhū .

13 Nǐ yǒu dà néng de bǎngbì . nǐde shǒu yǒulì , nǐde yòushǒu yĕ gāo jǔ .

14 Gōngyì hé gōngping , shì nǐ bǎozuò de gēnjī . cíaì hé chéngshí , xíng zaì nǐ qiánmian .

15 Zhīdào xiàng nǐ huānhū de , nà mín shì yǒu fú de . Yēhéhuá a , tāmen zaì nǐ liǎn shang de guāng lǐ xíng zǒu .

16 Tāmen yīn nǐde míng zhōng rì huānlè , yīn nǐde gōngyì déyǐ gāo jǔ .

17 Nǐ shì tāmen lìliang de róngyào . yīnwei nǐ xǐyuè wǒmen , wǒmen de jiǎo bì beì gāo jǔ .

18 Wǒmen de dùnpái shǔ Yēhéhuá . wǒmen de wáng shǔ Yǐsèliè de shèng zhĕ .

19 Dāngshí nǐ zaì yìxiàng zhōng xiǎoyù nǐde shèng mín , shuō , wǒ yǐ bǎ jiù zhù zhī lì , jiā zaì yǒu néng zhĕ de shēnshang . wǒ gāo jǔ nà cóng mín zhōng suǒ jiǎnxuǎn de

20 Wǒ xún dé wǒde púrén Dàwèi , yòng wǒde shèng gāo gào tā .

21 Wǒde shǒu bì shǐ tā shù lì . wǒde bǎngbì yĕ bìjiāngù tā .

22 Chóudí bì bù lèsuǒ tā , xiōngè zhī zǐ , yĕ bù kǔhaì tā .

23 Wǒ yào zaì tā miànqián dǎ suì tāde dírén , jī shā nà hèn tāde rén .

24 Zhǐshì wǒde xìnshí , hé wǒde cíaì , yào yǔ tā tóng zaì . yīn wǒde míng , tāde jiǎo bì beì gāo jǔ .

25 Wǒ yào shǐ tāde zuǒshǒu shēn dào hǎi shang , yòushǒu shēn dào hé shang .

26 Tā yào chēnghu wǒ shuō , nǐ shì wǒde fù shì wǒde shén , shì zhĕngjiù wǒde pánshí .

27 Wǒ yĕ yào lì tā wèi zhǎngzǐ , wéi shìshang zuì gāo de jūnwáng .

28 Wǒ yào wèi tā cún liú wǒde cíaì , zhídào yǒngyuǎn . wǒ yǔ tā lì de yuē , bìyào jiāndéng .

29 Wǒ yĕ yào shǐ tāde hòuyì , cún dào yǒngyuǎn , shǐ tāde bǎozuò , rú tiān zhī jiǔ .

30 Tǎngruò tāde zǐsūn lí qì wǒde lǜfǎ , bù zhào wǒde diǎnzhāng xíng .

31 Beìqì wǒde lǜ lì , bù zūnshǒu wǒde jièmìng .

32 Wǒ jiù yào yòng zhàng zé fá tāmende guo fàn , yòng biān zé fá tāmende zuìniè .

33 Zhǐshì wǒ bì bù jiāng wǒde cíaì , quán rán shōu huí , yĕ bì bù jiào wǒde xìnshí feìqì .

34 Wǒ bì bù beìqì wǒde yuē , yĕ bù gǎibiàn wǒ kǒu zhōng suǒ chū de .

35 Wǒ yī cì zhǐ zhe zìjǐ de shèngjié qǐshì . wǒ jué bú xiàng Dàwèi shuōhuǎng .

36 Tāde hòuyì yào cún dào yǒngyuǎn , tāde bǎozuò zaì wǒ miànqián , rú rì zhī héng yìbān .

37 Yòu rú yuèliang yǒngyuǎn jiān lì , rú tiān shang quèshí de jiànzhèng . ( xì lā)

38 Dàn nǐ nǎonù nǐde shòu gāo zhĕ , jiù diūdiào qìjué tā .

39 Nǐ yànwù le yǔ púrén suǒ lì de yuē , jiāng tāde guānmiǎn jiàntà yú dì .

40 Nǐ chāihuǐ le tā yīqiè de líba . shǐ tāde bǎo zhàng , biàn wèi huāng chǎng .

41 Fán guo lù de rén , dōu qiǎngduó tā . tā chéngwéi lín bāng de xiūrǔ .

42 Nǐ gāo jǔ le tā dírén de yòushǒu . nǐ jiào tā yīqiè de chóudí huānxǐ .

43 Nǐ jiào tāde dāo jiàn juǎn rèn , jiào tā zaì zhēng zhàn zhī zhōng zhàn lì bù zhù .

44 Nǐ shǐ tāde guāng huī zhǐxī , jiāng tāde bǎozuò tuī dǎo yú dì .

45 Nǐ jiǎnshǎo tā qīngnián de rìzi . yòu shǐ tā méng xiū . ( xì lā )

46 Yēhéhuá a , zhè yào dào jǐshí ne . nǐ yào jiāng zìjǐ yǐncáng dào yǒngyuǎn ma . nǐde fèn nù rú huǒ fùnshāo , yào dào jǐshí ne .

47 Qiú nǐ xiǎngniàn wǒde shíhou shì hédĕng de duǎn shǎo . nǐ chuàngzào shìrén , yào shǐ tāmen guī hédĕng de xū kòng ne . ( xì lā )

48 Shuí néng cháng huó miǎn sǐ , jiù tāde línghún tuōlí yīnjiān de quánbǐng ne . ( xì lā )

49 Zhǔ a , nǐ cóng qián píng nǐde xìnshí xiàng Dàwèi lì shì , yào shīxíng de cíaì zaì nàli ne .

50 Zhǔ a , qiú nǐ jìniàn púrén men suǒ shòu de xiūrǔ , jìniàn wǒ zĕnyàng jiāng yīqiè qiángshèng mín de xiūrǔ cún zaì wǒ huái lǐ .

51 Yēhéhuá a , nǐde chóudí , yòng zhè xiūrǔ , xiūrǔ le nǐde púrén , xiūrǔ le nǐ shòu gāo zhĕ de jiǎo zōng .

52 Yēhéhuá shì yīngdāng chēngsòng de , zhídào yǒngyuǎn . āmén , āmén .

Shīpiān 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.