Bible Commentaries
Psalms 89

Verses 1-4

Psa 89:1-4

THE END OF THE DAVIDIC DYNASTY WAS NOT UNDERSTOOD BY ISRAEL

The occasion for this psalm was the conquest of Jerusalem, the capture of king Jehoiachin, his deportation to Babylon along with Daniel and many other able Hebrews, and the enthronement of the puppet king Zedekiah, a vassal of Nebuchadnezzar. A number of able scholars agree on this.

The statement in Psalms 89:45 that God had shortened the days of the youth of the king and covered him with shame may refer to Jehoiachin who was only 18 years old when carried away captive, - The whole tone of the psalm suggests that it was written when the kingdom was toppling to ruin, or perhaps even after its fall. - The days of ... Zedekiah, just before the fall of Jerusalem seem to fit the situation. - The humiliation Of a king was probably that of Jehoiachin. - The occasion is the defeat and deposition of a Judean king ... many think Jehoiachin, probably in the early sixth century B.C.

The psalm starts off like a song of praise to God (Psalms 89:1-18), after which there follows a rehearsal of God’s marvelous promises to David regarding the kingdom to be established "forever" (Psalms 89:19-37); but quite abruptly in Psalms 89:38 the psalm changes into a lament, in terminology that borders on the nature of a reproach against God and a charge that he has failed to keep his promises to Israel. That attitude of vigorous complaint prevails throughout Psalms 89:38-45. Then there comes an urgent plea for God to intervene and restore to Israel the glories to which they believed themselves entitled by the ancient promises of God.

Psalms 89:52 is no part of this psalm but forms the doxology concluding Book III of the Psalter.

By far, the most important verse in the whole psalm is Psalms 89:37 which indicates that the everlasting "throne of David" is not an earthly throne at all. The promises to the Davidic dynasty upon which Israel had so enthusiastically rested their expectations were never to be fulfilled in the literal earthly dynasty of David, the whole institution of the Davidic kingdom being merely typical in a very feeble way of the glorious kingdom of the Messiah, even Jesus Christ, who today is sitting upon the "spiritual throne of David" in heaven itself. See full discussion of all this under Psalms 89:37.

Psalms 89:1-4

INTRODUCTION

"I will sing of the lovingkindness of Jehovah forever:

With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

For I have said, Mercy shall be built up forever;

Thy faithfulness wilt thou establish in the very heavens.

I have made a covenant with my chosen,

I have sworn unto David my servant:

Thy seed will I establish forever,

And build up thy throne to all generations."

The first two verses here are the pledge of the psalmist to sing the praises of God forever; and Psalms 89:2-4 are a summary of 2 Samuel 7, the key passage of the Scriptures in which God through the prophet Nathan made the glorying promises presented here. The entire psalm is related to God’s promise of an everlasting kingdom, through the posterity of David.

Apparently, the thought never entered either the mind of David himself, or that of any other Israelite, that the kingdom God promised was not a kingdom of this world, but a SPIRITUAL kingdom. The entire conception of an earthly kingdom of Israel was sinful in its inception, absolutely contrary to God’s will, and constituting, through Israel’s demand that they should have such a kingdom, Israel’s rejection of God Himself (1 Samuel 8:7).

In this light it appears to us as wholly the fault of Israel that they should have believed that "the everlasting kingdom" which God promised them would be any kind of a literal earthly monarchy. God told them at the very beginning of that earthly kingdom they so much desired just exactly what such a kingdom would be like. See 1 Samuel 8:10-18.

The tragic blindness of the chosen people to this one great epic truth is one of the most incredible mistakes any people ever made. Their refusal to believe God’s Word about this was the root cause of their rejection of the true Messiah when he finally appeared.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 89:1. The wording of many of the psalms of David was based on his condition of mind. The condition of his mind was caused largely by whatever experiences he was having or considering. The preceding chapter was based on his experiences of distress. The present one is devoted to the pleasant experiences of the Psalmist, and to consideration of the goodness and greatness of God.

Psalms 89:2. Faithfulness when applied to God means he is true to his promises. Established . . . heavens means the Lord carries out his word to the highest extent.

Psalms 89:3. David speaks for the Lord by using the first personal pronoun I. He had chosen David for a special purpose and had made him a sworn covenant.

Psalms 89:4. This verse promised a fleshly favor that would have been fulfilled had the seed of David been faithful. The throne in Jerusalem would have been maintained until the end of the Jewish age, since "age-lasting" is the meaning of for ever. It was fulfilled spiritually because Christ was the seed of David and his kingdom is to be everlasting according to the prophecy in Daniel 2:44.

Verses 5-18

Psa 89:5-18

Psalms 89:5-18

GOD’S GRACIOUS MERCIES EXTOLLED

"And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Jehovah;

Thy faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

For who in the skies can be compared unto Jehovah?

Who among the sons of the mighty is like unto Jehovah,

A God very terrible in the council of the holy ones,

And to be feared above all them that are round about him?

O Jehovah God of hosts,

Who is a mighty one, like unto thee, O Jehovah?

And thy faithfulness is round about thee.

Thou rulest the pride of the sea:

When the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain;

Thou has scattered thine enemies with the arm of thy strength.

The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine:

The world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.

The north and the south, thou hast created them:

Tabor and Herman rejoice in thy name.

Thou hast a mighty arm;

Strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand.

Righteousness and justice are the foundations of thy throne:

Lovingkindness and truth go before thy face.

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:

They walk, O Jehovah, in the light of thy countenance.

In thy name do they rejoice all the day;

And in thy righteousness are they exalted.

For thou art the glory of their strength;

And in thy favor our horn shall be exalted.

For our shield belongeth unto Jehovah;

And our king to the Holy One of Israel."

The poetry here is highly imaginative, having a single design, namely, that of extolling the Majesty and Power of God.

"The assembly of the holy ones" (Psalms 89:5). "This is a frequent term in the Old Testament as a reference to Israel as God’s Old Testament church.”

"Among the sons of the mighty" (Psalms 89:6). This refers to the mighty men of earth, its kings, rulers and dictators. "The mighty" in this passage cannot refer to angels, because angels do not reproduce themselves and therefore have no `sons.’

"The council of the holy ones" (Psalms 89:7). This imagery here is that of a great legislative body, such as a congress, but the figure of speech cannot be pressed beyond the picture of God’s being surrounded in heaven by the "living creatures" before the throne and the countless hosts of mighty angels. In no sense whatever, is there any kind of "council" with whom God has any need either to discuss or consult regarding his plans, or from whom he has any need to seek approval of his holy purposes.

"Thou rulest the pride of the sea" (Psalms 89:9). Some scholars find references here to mythological stories of ancient times; but there is no need to import anything like that into this text. The miracle of the Red Sea Crossing, continually in the mind of every Israelite, would have been instantly remembered upon the reading of a verse like this.

"Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces" (Psalms 89:10). "Rahab here is a well-known scriptural reference to Egypt, as in Psalms 87:4.” Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne (Psalms 89:14). Hebrews 1:8-9, while not a direct quotation, certainly has the same message as this.

"Our shield belongeth unto Jehovah" (Psalms 89:18). This was a popular conceit of Israel. Their true and only shield was "God"; and their wicked monarchy, at the time of writing this psalm, was in the act of demonstrating to all Israel that it was not the "perfect system" they had imagined when they demanded that God allow it. The Holy Spirit overruled the psalmist’s words here, so that they are indeed true. Not merely Israel’s king but everything in heaven and upon earth belongs to God; however the psalmist might have been thinking that their earthly monarchy itself was some kind of "shield" for Israel. That myth would perish in the person of Zedekiah.

AN ELABORATION OF GOD’S PROMISE TO DAVID

The next nineteen verses are given over to a rehearsal of God’s promises to David through Nathan in 2 Samuel 7. With true poetic license the psalmist also embellished and extended them.

"The first ten verses of this section pertain particularly to David; and the last nine are applicable to the Davidic dynasty.”

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 89:5. David now writes of God in the second person. The heavens shall praise the Lord in the same sense as was said in Psalms 19:1. Thy faithfulness refers to God’s promises which he has always kept and always will.

Psalms 89:6. There is only one word in the Old Testament for heaven, whether the 1st, 2nd or 3rd one is meant. However, no man anywhere can be compared to God, hence the word here can be applied to the three heavens. This verse is the basis of part of a familiar church hymn which says: "Whom have I on earth beside Thee? Whom in heaven but Thee?" The implied answer to the questions is in this passage.

Psalms 89:7. Feared is from ARATS which Strong defines by, "to awe or dread." Reverenced is from the noted YAM which Strong defines by, "to fear; morally to revere." Since both words are used in the same sentence, the distinction between them should be observed. The first means that men should be afraid to do wrong and thus bring down upon them the wrath of God. The second means that God should be respected for his great goodness to the children of men.

Psalms 89:8. Hosts means an army or other group of strong men. See the comments at Psalms 86:12 for the distinctive meaning of Lord God. Verse 9. God’s power over the sea was demonstrated when he brought the children of Israel safely through it. See cases in Exodus 14 and Jonah 1.

Psalms 89:10. Rahab is a poetical name of Egypt. The verse refers to the victory which God gave the Israelites over Egypt in the time of Moses and Aaron.

Psalms 89:11. The heavens are the 1st and 2nd heavens in the material universe. God created them and can justly claim them as his own. World is from TEBEL and defined as follows: "the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by extension the globe; by implication its inhabitants." --Strong. The verse as a whole embraces the same Idea as expressed in Genesis 1:1, referring to the various parts of the universe.

Psalms 89:12. Coming to consideration of the material earth, David specifies its divisions north and south, also some of its mountains; Tabor and Hermon. Shall rejoice means that rejoicing will be caused by the blessings brought through these creations.

Psalms 89:13. Arm figuratively means strength, and hand means the art of using that strength. High is thy right hand means that things done by the hand of God are right and also that they are high in their classification. Psalms 89:14. Justice is defined in the lexicon as "the right," and judgment is defined as "a verdict." Habitation is from an original that is defined "a fixture, i.e. a basis." The whole clause, therefore, means that the throne of God is a fixed place where right verdicts are rendered. Mercy AND truth is a phrase that is very significant. God never extends mercy to a person unless it can be in accordance with truth.

Psalms 89:15. Blessed or happy are they who know or who accept the joyful sound. It means the sound coming from the source described in the preceding verse. To walk . . . the light means about the same as the teaching in 1 John 1:7.

Psalms 89:16. To rejoice in the name of the Lord means to have joy because of what that name brings to one who may wear it. True exaltation comes through a righteous life. It was in view of that principle that Jesus said what he did in Matthew 23:12.

Psalms 89:17. This means that righteous people glory in the strength that comes from the Lord. Paul said he gloried in the cross of Christ. (Galatians 6:14.) When horn is used figuratively it means power or influence. All true power must come from God.

Psalms 89:18. There is perfect safety in the Lord. This is because he is our king and hence can reign for the benefit of the subjects of the kingdom.

Verses 19-28

Psa 89:19-28

Psalms 89:19-28

REGARDING DAVID

"Then thou spakest in vision to thy saints,

And saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty;

I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

I have found David my servant;

With my holy oil have I anointed him:

With whom my hand shall be established;

Mine arm also shall strengthen him.

The enemy shall not exact from him,

Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.

And I will beat down his adversaries before him,

And smite them that hate him.

But my faithfulness and my lovingkindness shall be with him;

And in my name shall his horn be exalted

I will set his hand also on the sea,

And his right hand on the rivers.

He shall cry unto me,

Thou art my Father,

My God, and the rock of my salvation.

I also will make him my first-born,

And the highest of the kings of the earth.

My lovingkindness will I keep for him forevermore;

And my covenant shall stand fast with him."

"I have laid help upon one that is mighty" (Psalms 89:19). This rather strange expression is rendered as follows in the RSV. "I have set the crown upon one who is mighty."

"I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers" (Psalms 89:25). This is probably a reference to the ideal boundaries of the Davidic kingdom, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates. "Rivers" here is either an honorific plural for the Euphrates, or perhaps, a reference "to the land between the rivers," namely, Mesopotamia.

"I will make him my first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth" (Psalms 89:27). The Spirit of God here passes from what was written of the literal king David to that which is true of no other who ever lived, except the Son of God, that Greater David, called "The Son of David" (Matthew 1:1).

Christ is the "first-born of all creation, the first-born from the dead," the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, indeed the "highest of the kings of the earth."

"Such ideals were only partially fulfilled in David and his earthly successors; it is the Christ who perfectly fulfills them all in his spiritual kingdom." But, of course, Israel never had the slightest understanding of the true meaning of all this.

CONCERNING THE DYNASTY

"In this section (Psalms 89:28-37), the psalmist extended the application of 2 Samuel 7 to David’s line of successors. The words here are principally a poetical paraphrase of 2 Samuel 7:14.”

The application of the prophecy in 2 Samuel 7 was elaborated in these verses.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 89:19. The following verse will show that holy one in this verse is David. Spakest in vision means the Lord revealed something to David, which also means that he was inspired to write a part of the Bible. Mighty refers to the power and courage that David showed after he was chosen from among the people to be a king over them.

Psalms 89:20. All men taking an office as ruler were anointed with olive oil. However, the Lord anointed David figuratively by bestowing on him the divine blessing.

Psalms 89:21. The first clause of the verse means that David would be established or made secure with the hand of the Lord. The second clause means practically the same as the first, only that the Lord’s arm instead of his hand is used as the support.

Psalms 89:22. This verse was an assurance that David’s enemies would not be suffered to exact or take toll from him.

Psalms 89:23. The foes of David would be considered as the foes of God. Because of this they were to be overthrown in the presence of David.

Psalms 89:24. The faithfulness of God means his actions of keeping his promises. Horn means power of influence. Through the name of the Lord this power would be exalted for David and he would become great among the nations.

Psalms 89:25. Set his hand denotes that David’s power was to be assured; that it would extend to the (Mediterranean) sea and the (Euphrates) river. This was practically the same promise that was made to Abram (Genesis 15:18), and which was actually fulfilled in David’s son (1 Kings 4:21).

Psalms 89:26. He refers to David who was to receive the promise of power mentioned in the preceding verse. Cry is not a call of distress or disturbed state of mind as it often means. It is from an original that means to accost or address someone by name. In the present verse it means that David will be encouraged to address the Lord by the endearing name father and the respectful name God, recognizing him as the rock or basis of his salvation.

Psalms 89:27. Firstborn is used in a complimentary sense, meaning that God would place David in the highest rank of importance. That would be in accordance with the estimate he had of him before he was made king. (1 Samuel 13:14.)

Psalms 89:28. Saul had done so wickedly when he was king that the mercy of God was denied him finally. David was a righteous king and was rewarded fog it with God’s mercy and the loving favor of the Lord followed him through his reign.

Verses 29-37

Psa 89:29-37

Psalms 89:29-37

"His seed also will I make to endure forever,

And his throne as the days of heaven.

If his children forsake my law,

And walk not in mine ordinances;

If they break my statutes,

And keep not my commandments;

Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod,

And their iniquity with stripes.

But my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him,

Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

My covenant will I not break,

Nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips.

Once have I sworn by my holiness:

I will not lie unto David:

His seed shall endure forever,

And his throne as the sun before me.

It shall be established forever as the moon,

And as the faithful witness in the sky."

Leupold summarized this paragraph. God’s promises to David applied to his descendants also (Psalms 89:29); if they disobey God, God will punish them (Psalms 89:32-33); but God will not cut them off or break his covenant (Psalms 89:33-35); God’s covenant is an eternal covenant and will last as long as the created world lasts (Psalms 89:36-37).^[11]

SPECIAL WORDS REGARDING THE THRONE OF DAVID

"His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever as the moon, and as the faithful witness in the sky" (Psalms 89:36-37).

The teaching here is that the throne of David is eternal; it will last forever. It (the throne) shall be established forever "as God’s faithful witness" in the sky, in heaven.

The KJV is more accurately translated, although our version does not change the meaning.

"His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven" (Psalms 89:36-37 KJV).

Men have diligently tried to get David’s throne out of these verses; but it is impossible to do it. Dummelow did his best; "The meaning is uncertain; the faithful witness may be the moon"! Such a view cannot be accepted, because the moon never witnessed anything to mankind. Moreover, Briggs pointed out that the it in Psalms 89:37 here refers to the word `throne.’

"As the sun ... as the moon" (Psalms 89:36-37). These words forever forbid the notion that the "ultimate" throne of David was to be on earth, because neither the sun nor the moon is "on earth." Call their location "heaven" as in KJV, or "sky" as in KJV, the meaning is the same either way; it means "Not on earth."

There is a complete discussion of this based upon the apostle Peter’s Pentecostal sermon in Acts 2 chapter, in which Peter flatly declared that the raising up of one of David’s posterity to sit upon David’s throne was a prophetic reference to "The resurrection of Jesus Christ." See our New Testament Commentary under Acts 2:32.

The psalmist, no doubt feeling that such promises as he had cited absolutely bound God to do something at once for Israel. However, God would make it clear enough to all Israel in the terrible seventy years lying just ahead of them that the earthly succession to David’s throne was terminated, that God was absolutely through with it; and that their earthly kingdom in its totality was dying, never to live again.

THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION WITH REGARD TO DAVID’S EARTHLY DYNASTY

There is no need to elaborate this, the psalmist himself did it in these verses.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 89:29. His seed had reference to Christ who was often called the seed of David. (2 Samuel 7:12; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6.) The throne or kingdom of that seed was to be an everlasting one. (Daniel 2:44.)

Psalms 89:30-32. The favors of God are promised on conditions. The children or descendants of David, whether fleshly or spiritual, must follow in the righteous steps of their noted ancestor to enjoy the blessings of God. If they do not, they are to feel the rod of correction from the same God whom David served.

Psalms 89:33. Will not utterly take implies that some degree of severity would be felt by David, but the lovingkindness of the Lord would not all be taken from him. Faithfulness means the keeping of one’s promise.

Psalms 89:34. A covenant is a contract or agreement between two or more parties. But if one party to a covenant break his word it breaks the covenant. God will never fail to make his word good, but man often breaks his word and that releases God from his agreement. But as for God, he will never fail in his part nor change his word.

Psalms 89:35. An oath is an agreement or other statement that is backed up by the dignity and authority of some being greater than the one making the oath. There is no greater Being than God, therefore he must back up his oath by the greatness of his own personality. That quality is his holiness and it means that the promises of God are as sure as is the fact of his holiness.

Psalms 89:36. This verse is the same in meaning as Psalms 89:29.

Psalms 89:37. Moon and heaven are referred to for the same purpose as in ch. 19:1. See the comments at Psalms 3:2 for the meaning of Selah.

Verses 38-51

Psa 89:38-51

Psalms 89:38-51

"Thou has cut off and rejected

Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.

Thou hast abhorred the covenant of thy servant:

Thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

Thou hast broken down all his hedges;

Thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin.

All that pass by the way rob him:

He has become a reproach to his neighbors.

Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries;

Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

Yea, thou turnest back the edge of his sword,

And thou hast not made him to stand in the battle.

Thou hast made his brightness to cease,

And cast his throne down to the ground.

The days of his youth hast thou shortened:

Thou hast covered him with shame.

(Selah)

How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou hide thyself forever?

How long shall thy wrath burn like fire?

Oh remember how short my time is:

For what vanity has thou created all the children of men!

What man is he that shall live and not see death,

That shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?

(Selah)

Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses,

Which thou swarest unto David in thy faithfulness?

Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants;

How I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty peoples,

Wherewith thine enemies have reproached,

O Jehovah,

Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed."

The appeal to God in these verses comes about as near as any mortal could have dared to come toward charging God with unfaithfulness to his covenant with David and lodging an accusation that God had failed to keep his promises. All of this was due to one thing, "The Jews simply could not get the "earthly kingdom" out of their minds. All of the terrible things mentioned here did not merely "seem" to have happened; they had actually occurred. David’s earthly dynasty was being liquidated. All of the prayers for God to intervene were of no avail. "God said, I have given them a king in mine anger, and have taken him away in my wrath" (Hosea 13:11). Despite the misunderstanding of all Israel, God never intended David’s earthly successors to his throne to be an eternal institution. Historically, with very few exceptions, David’s descendants who inherited his throne were as evil a group of monarchs as the world ever saw.

Yates has given us a summary of the extensive complaint in this section.

"What a contrast between the promises of God and that current situation! The covenant had been made void; the city walls were broken down; the land was spoiled; the battle was lost; the throne was cast down; the king’s youth was shortened when Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon at age 18; and many had been carried away captive at the same time.”

"Remember how short my time is" (Psalms 89:48). The thought here is that the psalmist prays that God will rescue Israel and restore the old order of things while he is yet alive.

"Remember the reproach of thy servants" (Psalms 89:50). This was to call God to notice the terrible reproaches being heaped upon Israel, and upon their kings, and upon God’s name by all of the enemies.

Leupold commented, concerning one extensive section of this psalm that, "Few comments are needed." And, in a sense, this applies to the whole psalm, the great element of which, is the pitiful disappointment of Israel; and yet, there is no way to avoid the conclusion that Israel itself was largely responsible of their tragic mistake.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 89:38. In a partial degree this verse had been fulfilled when David wrote it. But as a prophecy it was to be fulfilled by the national captivity recorded in 2 Kings 17, 25. God was wroth with his people because of their idolatry.

Psalms 89:39. This is to be understood practically in the same sense as the preceding verse. Made void means that God declared that his covenant was void or of no effect. The cause of it was the failure of the servant to keep his part of it. See the comments at Psalms 89:34 on this point of the subject of keeping a covenant.

Psalms 89:40. Hedges refers to the fortifications by which Jerusalem was protected. Because of the sins of the nation God was to suffer the enemy to break through the fortifications and take the city that was the capital of the nation.

Psalms 89:41. Spoil him means the wealth of the nation was to be taken by the enemy. See the fulfillment of this in 2 Kings 24:13.

Psalms 89:42. It was right to bring the hand of Israel’s enemies against him because of his sins. This is the meaning of right hand as used here.

Psalms 89:43. The unfavorable experiences described in this and several other verses were brought upon the Israelites because of their disobedience. God granted the enemy to have success against the arms of His nation.

Psalms 89:44. The throne of the king in Jerusalem was to be overturned. The prediction was fulfilled in 2 Kings 25.

Psalms 89:45. The days of man’s youth should be his most vigorous ones. But the people of God’s nation were met with reverses and felt the hand of divine correction.

Psalms 89:46. David now changed his subject and began his appeal for mercy. He does not complain that his people had been unduly chastised, but pleads for a lessening of it.

Psalms 89:47. David realized the frailty of human life and cited that as a basis for his prayer to God. The same thought is given us in James 4:14.

Psalms 89:48. Not only is the life of man short at best, but no man can escape death when the time comes. Such a thought should cause us to pause and reflect, hence David used the term Selah which is explained at Psalms 3:2.

Psalms 89:49. David never did seriously question the constant goodness of God. This verse is merely a plaintive appeal for the divine help in the times of distress. In thy truth indicates that he did not doubt the genuineness of God’s promises, for if they were made in truth they would not fail.

Psalms 89:50. Reproach of thy servants means that the enemies aimed their reproaches at the servants or people of God. And those darts of reproach were especially directed against the bosom of David because of his position of prominence.

Psalms 89:51. Wherewith means that by the mentioned reproaches the enemy’s darts had affected the kingdom, seeing that David had been anointed king over it.

Verse 52

Psa 89:52

Psalms 89:52

DOXOLOGY

"Blessed be Jehovah forevermore.

Amen, and Amen."

This, of course, is no part of the psalm; it is the doxology marking the end of Book III of the Psalter. The feature of these impressive doxologies is their double Amen, and Amen.

E.M. Zerr:

Psalms 89:52. Blessed be the .Lord means that he was to be adored and praised. This adoration was due Him for all of his goodness. Amen and amen is a phrase with no added meaning to what the word would have if used only once. It was repeated for the sake of emphasis and denoted a firm approval of what had been said. The definition of the word in both the original and in the English is, "so be it."