Psalms

A collection of songs and prayers expressing a wide range of emotions and thoughts on faith.

Chapter 89

1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

*I will always sing about God's kindness. I will tell everyone about His constant loyalty through my mouth, for all time.

2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

*Because I've said that kindness will always grow, you should show your loyalty even in the sky.

3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,

*I've made a promise to my special people, and I've promised David, my loyal helper.

4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

*I will always keep your descendants safe, and create a lasting kingdom for you that will exist forever. This is a moment of pause and reflection. Selah.

5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

*The sky will celebrate your amazing acts, Lord: your loyalty is also praised by the group of holy people.

6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?

*Who in heaven is like the LORD? No one can be compared to him, and among powerful beings, who is similar to the LORD?

7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

*God should be deeply respected by holy people when they gather together, and everyone near Him should show great respect too.

8 O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

*O LORD, God of many powers, who else is as mighty as you? Or how can your loyalty be matched, all around you?

9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

*You control the powerful sea waves: when they rise, you calm them down.

10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.

*You have shattered Rahab into pieces, like someone defeated; you have scattered your enemies with your great strength.

11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.

*The sky and Earth belong to you; you created the world and everything in it.

12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.

*You made the north and south areas; Tabor and Hermon will be happy because of your name.

13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

*You have a powerful arm: your hand is strong, and your right hand is very high.

14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

*Justice and fairness live at your royal seat; kindness and honesty will come before you.

15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

*Blessed are those who understand happy music. They will walk, God, in the brightness of your presence.

16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

*In your name, people will be happy all day, and they will be lifted up by your fairness.

17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

*Because you are the source of their power, and through your support, our strength will be increased.

18 For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

*The LORD protects us, and the Holy One rules over Israel as our king.

19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

*Then you spoke in a vision to your holy one, saying, "I have provided help for someone very strong; I have raised up a chosen person from among the people."

20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

*I have discovered David, who is my servant; I have personally blessed him using sacred oil.

21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.

*With whom I am strong: my arm will help him too.

22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.

*The enemy won't harm him, nor will the bad person cause him trouble.

23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.

*I will defeat his enemies in front of him and punish those who dislike him.

24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

*But my loyalty and kindness will be with him, and his strength will be honored under my name.

25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.

*I will make his hand touch the sea and his right hand the rivers.

26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

*He will call to me, "You are my Father, my God, and my salvation's rock."

27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

*I will also make him my special child, above all other kings on Earth.

28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

*I will always show kindness to him, and my agreement will be strong with him forever.

29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

*I will make his descendants last forever, and his throne will be like the endless days of the sky.

30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

*If his kids disobey my rules and don't follow my teachings;

31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;

*If they disobey my rules and don't follow my orders;

32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

*Then I will punish their wrongdoing with a beating, and their wickedness with whippings.

33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

*However, I won't completely remove my kindness from him or let my loyalty fail.

34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

*I won't change my promise or go back on what I said.

35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

*I promised once, using my holy power, that I won't lie to David.

36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

*His descendants will last forever, and his ruling place will be as bright as the sun always is in front of me.

37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

*It will always exist like the moon, and be a reliable witness in heaven. (A pause or break is indicated by "Selah.")

38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.

*But you have rejected and hated, you have been angry with your chosen one.

39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

*You have broken your promise to your servant, and you have disgraced their crown by throwing it to the ground.

40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.

*You have destroyed all his barriers; you have ruined his fortresses.

41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.

*People who walk by make fun of him; he brings shame to those nearby.

42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

*You have empowered his opponents' right hand; you have made all his foes celebrate.

43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.

*You have also weakened his sword's edge and did not let him stand firm in the fight.

44 Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.

*You have taken away his greatness and knocked his royal seat over onto the ground.

45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.

*You made his young years shorter; you have brought shame upon him. (Selah)

46 How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

*How long, Lord? will you hide forever? Will your anger burn like fire?

47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

*Remember that my life is brief; so why did you create everyone if they're pointless?

48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

*Who is the person who lives but doesn't experience death? Can they save their soul from the grasp of death? Consider it carefully.

49 Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?

*Lord, where is your past kindness to David, that you promised him in your honesty?

50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;

*Remember, Lord, the disgrace of your followers; how I carry in my heart the shame of all the powerful people.

51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.

*With which your enemies mocked you, Lord; with which they mocked the steps of your chosen one.

52 Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.

*Praised be God forever and ever. Yes, yes.

read summary

Back to Chapters

Back to Books

* work in progress, there will be mistakes