God's Covenant with David

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD,89.1 Gk: Heb the steadfast love of the LORD for ever;

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

2I declare that your steadfast love is established for ever;

your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

3You said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to my servant David:

4“I will establish your descendants for ever,

and build your throne for all generations.” ’ Selah

5Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,

your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.

6For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?

Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,

7a God feared in the council of the holy ones,

great and awesome89.7 Gk Syr: Heb greatly awesome above all that are around him?

8O LORD God of hosts,

who is as mighty as you, O LORD?

Your faithfulness surrounds you.

9You rule the raging of the sea;

when its waves rise, you still them.

10You crushed Rahab like a carcass;

you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

11The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;

the world and all that is in it—you have founded them.

12The north and the south89.12 Or Zaphon and Yamin—you created them;

Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.

13You have a mighty arm;

strong is your hand, high your right hand.

14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

15Happy are the people who know the festal shout,

who walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance;

16they exult in your name all day long,

and extol89.16 Cn: Heb are exalted in your righteousness.

17For you are the glory of their strength;

by your favour our horn is exalted.

18For our shield belongs to the LORD,

our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:

‘I have set the crown89.19 Cn: Heb help on one who is mighty,

I have exalted one chosen from the people.

20I have found my servant David;

with my holy oil I have anointed him;

21my hand shall always remain with him;

my arm also shall strengthen him.

22The enemy shall not outwit him,

the wicked shall not humble him.

23I will crush his foes before him

and strike down those who hate him.

24My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;

and in my name his horn shall be exalted.

25I will set his hand on the sea

and his right hand on the rivers.

26He shall cry to me, “You are my Father,

my God, and the Rock of my salvation!”

27I will make him the firstborn,

the highest of the kings of the earth.

28For ever I will keep my steadfast love for him,

and my covenant with him will stand firm.

29I will establish his line for ever,

and his throne as long as the heavens endure.

30If his children forsake my law

and do not walk according to my ordinances,

31if they violate my statutes

and do not keep my commandments,

32then I will punish their transgression with the rod

and their iniquity with scourges;

33but I will not remove from him my steadfast love,

or be false to my faithfulness.

34I will not violate my covenant,

or alter the word that went forth from my lips.

35Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness;

I will not lie to David.

36His line shall continue for ever,

and his throne endure before me like the sun.

37It shall be established for ever like the moon,

an enduring witness in the skies.’ Selah

38But now you have spurned and rejected him;

you are full of wrath against your anointed.

39You have renounced the covenant with your servant;

you have defiled his crown in the dust.

40You have broken through all his walls;

you have laid his strongholds in ruins.

41All who pass by plunder him;

he has become the scorn of his neighbours.

42You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

you have made all his enemies rejoice.

43Moreover, you have turned back the edge of his sword,

and you have not supported him in battle.

44You have removed the sceptre from his hand,89.44 Cn: Heb removed his cleanness

and hurled his throne to the ground.

45You have cut short the days of his youth;

you have covered him with shame. Selah

46How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself for ever?

How long will your wrath burn like fire?

47Remember how short my time is—89.47 Meaning of Heb uncertain

for what vanity you have created all mortals!

48Who can live and never see death?

Who can escape the power of Sheol? Selah

49Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,

which by your faithfulness you swore to David?

50Remember, O Lord, how your servant is taunted;

how I bear in my bosom the insults of the peoples,89.50 Cn: Heb bosom all of many peoples

51with which your enemies taunt, O LORD,

with which they taunted the footsteps of your anointed.

52Blessed be the LORD for ever.

Amen and Amen.