88
(89) A Psalm of instruction for Aetham the Israelite.
1 I will sing of your mercies, O Lord, for ever: I will declare your truth with my mouth to all generations.
2 For you have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: your truth shall be established in the heavens.
3 I made a covenant with my chosen ones, I swore to David my servant.
4 I will * establish your seed for ever, and build up your throne to all generations. Pause.
5 The heavens shall declare your wonders, O Lord; and your truth in the assembly of the saints.
6 For who in the † heavens shall be compared to the Lord? and who shall be likened to the Lord amongst the sons of God?
7 God is glorified in the council of the saints; great and terrible towards all that are round about him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is like to you? you are mighty, O Lord, and your truth is round about you.
9 You rule the power of the sea; and you calm the tumult of its waves.
10 You have brought down the proud as one that is slain; and with the arm of your power you have scattered your enemies.
11 The heavens are your, and the earth is your: you have founded the world, and the fullness of it.
12 You have created the north and the ‡ west: Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in your name.
13 Your is the mighty arm: let your hand be strengthened, let your right hand be exalted.
14 Justice and judgement are the establishment of your throne: mercy and truth shall go before your face.
15 Blessed is the people that knows the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance.
16 And in your name shall they rejoice all the day: and in your righteousness shall they be exalted.
17 For you are the boast of their strength; and in your good pleasure shall our horn be exalted,
18 for our help is of the Lord; and of the Holy One of Israel, our king.
19 Then you spoke in vision to your children, and said, I have laid help on a mighty one; I have exalted one chosen out of my people.
20 ✡ I have found David my servant; I have anointed him by my holy § mercy.
21 For my hand shall support him; and my arm shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall have no advantage against him; and the son of transgression shall not hurt him again.
23 And I will hew down his foes before him, and put to flight those that hate him.
24 But my truth and my mercy shall be with him; and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
25 And I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
26 He shall call upon me, saying, You are my Father, my God, and the helper of my salvation.
27 And I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
28 I will keep my mercy for him for ever, and my covenant shall be firm with him.
29 And I will establish his seed for ever and ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
30 If his children should forsake my law, and walk not in my judgements;
31 if they should profane my ordinances, and not keep my commandments;
32 I will visit their transgressions with a rod, and their sins with scourges.
33 But my mercy I will not utterly remove from him, nor wrong my truth.
34 Neither will I by any means profane my covenant; and I will not make void the things that proceed out of my lips.
35 Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie to David.
36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me;
37 and as the moon that is established for ever, and as the faithful witness in heaven. Pause.
38 But you have cast off and set at nothing, you have rejected your anointed.
39 You have overthrown the covenant of your servant; you have profaned his sanctuary, casting it to the ground.
40 You have broken down all his hedges; you have made his strong holds a terror.
41 All that go by the way have spoiled him: he is become a reproach to his neighbours.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his enemies; you have made all his enemies to rejoice.
43 You have turned back the help of his sword, and have not helped him in the battle.
44 You have deprived him of ** glory: you have broken down his throne to the ground.
45 You have shortened the days of his †† throne: you have poured shame upon him. Pause.
46 How long, O Lord, will you turn away, for ever? shall your anger flame out as fire?
47 Remember what my being is: for have you created all the sons of men in vain?
48 What man is there who shall live, and not see death? shall any one deliver his soul from the hand of Hades? Pause.
49 Where are your ancient mercies, O Lord, which you swore to David in your truth?
50 Remember, O Lord, the reproach of your servants, which I have borne in my bosom, even the reproach of many nations;
51 wherewith your enemies have reviled, O Lord: wherewith they have reviled the recompense of your anointed.
52 Blessed be the Lord for ever. So be it, so be it.
* 88:4 Gr. prepare. † 88:6 Gr. clouds. ‡ 88:12 Gr. sea. ✡ 88:20 Acts 13:22 § 88:20 Heb. and Alex. oil, see Ps. 91. (92) 10. ** 88:44 Gr. purification. †† 88:45 Alex. time.