Psalm 89

Psalm 89

A psalm of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of the LORD’s unfailing love forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.2 Your unfailing love will last forever.
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.3 The LORD said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.
I have sworn this oath to him:4 ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’”
Interlude5 All heaven will praise your great wonders, LORD;
myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.6 For who in all of heaven can compare with the LORD?
What mightiest angel is anything like the LORD?7 The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.8 O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies!
Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O LORD?
You are entirely faithful.9 You rule the oceans.
You subdue their storm-tossed waves.10 You crushed the great sea monster.t
You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
everything in the world is yours—you created it all.12 You created north and south.
Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.13 Powerful is your arm!
Strong is your hand!
Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.15 Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
for they will walk in the light of your presence, LORD.16 They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
They exult in your righteousness.17 You are their glorious strength.
It pleases you to make us strong.18 Yes, our protection comes from the LORD,
and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.19 Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people.
You said, “I have raised up a warrior.
I have selected him from the common people to be king.20 I have found my servant David.
I have anointed him with my holy oil.21 I will steady him with my hand;
with my powerful arm I will make him strong.22 His enemies will not defeat him,
nor will the wicked overpower him.23 I will beat down his adversaries before him
and destroy those who hate him.24 My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him,
and by my authority he will grow in power.25 I will extend his rule over the sea,
his dominion over the rivers.26 And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’27 I will make him my firstborn son,
the mightiest king on earth.28 I will love him and be kind to him forever;
my covenant with him will never end.29 I will preserve an heir for him;
his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.30 But if his descendants forsake my instructions
and fail to obey my regulations,31 if they do not obey my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,32 then I will punish their sin with the rod,
and their disobedience with beating.33 But I will never stop loving him
nor fail to keep my promise to him.34 No, I will not break my covenant;
I will not take back a single word I said.35 I have sworn an oath to David,
and in my holiness I cannot lie:36 His dynasty will go on forever;
his kingdom will endure as the sun.37 It will be as eternal as the moon,
my faithful witness in the sky!”
Interlude38 But now you have rejected him and cast him off.
You are angry with your anointed king.39 You have renounced your covenant with him;
you have thrown his crown in the dust.40 You have broken down the walls protecting him
and ruined every fort defending him.41 Everyone who comes along has robbed him,
and he has become a joke to his neighbors.42 You have strengthened his enemies
and made them all rejoice.43 You have made his sword useless
and refused to help him in battle.44 You have ended his splendor
and overturned his throne.45 You have made him old before his time
and publicly disgraced him.
Interlude46 O LORD, how long will this go on?
Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your anger burn like fire?47 Remember how short my life is,
how empty and futile this human existence!48 No one can live forever; all will die.
No one can escape the power of the grave.t
Interlude49 Lord, where is your unfailing love?
You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.50 Consider, Lord, how your servants are disgraced!
I carry in my heart the insults of so many people.51 Your enemies have mocked me, O LORD;
they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.52 Praise the LORD forever!
Amen and amen!

Psalm 90

BOOK FOUR (Psalms 90–106)Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

1 Lord, through all the generations
you have been our home!2 Before the mountains were born,
before you gave birth to the earth and the world,
from beginning to end, you are God.3 You turn people back to dust, saying,
“Return to dust, you mortals!”4 For you, a thousand years are as a passing day,
as brief as a few night hours.5 You sweep people away like dreams that disappear.
They are like grass that springs up in the morning.6 In the morning it blooms and flourishes,
but by evening it is dry and withered.7 We wither beneath your anger;
we are overwhelmed by your fury.8 You spread out our sins before you—
our secret sins—and you see them all.9 We live our lives beneath your wrath,
ending our years with a groan.10 Seventy years are given to us!
Some even live to eighty.
But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble;
soon they disappear, and we fly away.11 Who can comprehend the power of your anger?
Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve.12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life,
so that we may grow in wisdom.13 O LORD, come back to us!
How long will you delay?
Take pity on your servants!14 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
Replace the evil years with good.16 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
let our children see your glory.17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful!

Psalm 91

Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.2 This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.9 If you make the LORD your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!14 The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”