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¹ (88-1) <Of understanding, for Ethan the Ezrahite.> (88-2) The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.² (88-3) For thou hast said: Mercy shall be built up for ever in the heavens: thy truth shall be prepared in them.³ (88-4) I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant:⁴ (88-5) Thy seed will I settle for ever. And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation.

⁵ (88-6) The heavens shall confess thy wonders, O Lord: and thy truth in the church of the saints.⁶ (88-7) For who in the clouds can be compared to the Lord: or who among the sons of God shall be like to God?⁷ (88-8) God, who is glorified in the assembly of the saints: great and terrible above all them that are about him.⁸ (88-9) O Lord God of hosts, who is like to thee? thou art mighty, O Lord, and thy truth is round about thee.⁹ (88-10) Thou rulest the power of the sea: and appeasest the motion of the waves thereof.¹⁰ (88-11) Thou hast humbled the proud one, as one that is slain: with the arm of thy strength thou hast scattered thy enemies.¹¹ (88-12) Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth: the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded:¹² (88-13) The north and the sea thou hast created. Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name:¹³ (88-14) Thy arm is with might. Let thy hand be strengthened, and thy right hand exalted:¹⁴ (88-15) Justice and judgment are the preparation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face:

¹⁵ (88-16) Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance:¹⁶ (88-17) And in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy justice they shall be exalted.¹⁷ (88-18) For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted.¹⁸ (88-19) For our protection is of the Lord, and of our king the holy one of Israel.

¹⁹ (88-20) Then thou spokest in a vision to thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of my people.²⁰ (88-21) I have found David my servant: with my holy oil I have anointed him.²¹ (88-22) For my hand shall help him: and my arm shall strengthen him.²² (88-23) The enemy shall have no advantage over him: nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt him.²³ (88-24) And I will cut down his enemies before his face; and them that hate him I will put to flight.²⁴ (88-25) And my truth and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.²⁵ (88-26) And I will set his hand in the sea; and his right hand in the rivers.²⁶ (88-27) He shall cry out to me: Thou art my father: my God, and the support of my salvation.²⁷ (88-28) And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth.²⁸ (88-29) I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him.²⁹ (88-30) And I will make his seed to endure for evermore: and his throne as the days of heaven.³⁰ (88-31) And if his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments:³¹ (88-32) If they profane my justices: and keep not my commandments:³² (88-33) I will visit their iniquities with a rod and their sins with stripes.³³ (88-34) But my mercy I will not take away from him: nor will I suffer my truth to fail.³⁴ (88-35) Neither will I profane my covenant: and the words that proceed from my mouth I will not make void.³⁵ (88-36) Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David:³⁶ (88-37) His seed shall endure for ever.³⁷ (88-38) And his throne as the sun before me: and as the moon perfect for ever, and a faithful witness in heaven.

³⁸ (88-39) But thou hast rejected and despised: thou hast been angry with my anointed.³⁹ (88-40) Thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his sanctuary on the earth.⁴⁰ (88-41) Thou hast broken down all his hedges: thou hast made his strength fear.⁴¹ (88-42) All that pass by the way have robbed him: he is become a reproach to his neighbours.⁴² (88-43) Thou hast set up the right hand of them that oppress him: thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.⁴³ (88-44) Thou hast turned away the help of his sword; and hast not assisted him in battle.⁴⁴ (88-45) Thou hast made his purification to cease: and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground.⁴⁵ (88-46) Thou hast shortened the days of his time: thou hast covered him with confusion.⁴⁶ (88-47) How long, O Lord, turnest thou away unto the end? shall thy anger burn like fire?⁴⁷ (88-48) Remember what my substance is: for hast thou made all the children of men in vain?⁴⁸ (88-49) Who is the man that shall live, and not see death: that shall deliver his soul from the hand of hell?⁴⁹ (88-50) Lord, where are thy ancient mercies, according to what thou didst swear to David in thy truth?⁵⁰ (88-51) Be mindful, O Lord, of the reproach of thy servants (which I have held in my bosom) of many nations:⁵¹ (88-52) Wherewith thy enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the change of thy anointed.⁵² (88-53) Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it.