Psalm 87

A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.

1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.s2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.6 The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

Psalm 88

A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1 O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:ss2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength:5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.s6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: Lord, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah.11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?13 But unto thee have I cried, O Lord; and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.14 Lord, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me about together.s18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness.

Psalm 89

Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.ss2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.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?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.8 O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.ss11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.s12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.s14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.s

15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.18 For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.s

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.20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;s32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.ss34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.s36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.44 Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.s45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.46 How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.49 Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.52 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.