Study Desk

A maskil^[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

I will sing^(a) of the Lord 's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known^(b) through all generations.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.^(c)

You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant,

‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.'"^[c](d)

The heavens^(e) praise your wonders, Lord , your faithfulness too, in the assembly^(f) of the holy ones.

For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord ? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?^(g)

In the council^(h) of the holy ones⁽ⁱ⁾ God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.^(j)

Who is like you,^(k) Lord God Almighty?^(l) You, Lord , are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.^(m)

You crushed Rahab⁽ⁿ⁾ like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered^(o) your enemies.

The heavens are yours,^(p) and yours also the earth;^(q) you founded the world and all that is in it.^(r)

You created the north and the south; Tabor^(s) and Hermon^(t) sing for joy^(u) at your name.

Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.^(v)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;^(w) love and faithfulness go before you.^(x)

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk^(y) in the light^(z) of your presence, Lord .

They rejoice in your name^(aa) all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.

For you are their glory and strength,^(ab) and by your favor you exalt our horn.^[d](ac)

Indeed, our shield^[e](ad) belongs to the Lord , our king^(ae) to the Holy One of Israel.

Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: "I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have raised up a young man from among the people.

I have found David^(af) my servant;^(ag) with my sacred oil^(ah) I have anointed^(ai) him.

My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.^(aj)

The enemy will not get the better of him;^(ak) the wicked will not oppress^(al) him.

I will crush his foes before him^(am) and strike down his adversaries.^(an)

My faithful love will be with him,^(ao) and through my name his horn^[f] will be exalted.

I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.^(ap)

He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,^(aq) my God, the Rock^(ar) my Savior.'^(as)

And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,^(at) the most exalted^(au) of the kings^(av) of the earth.

I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail.^(aw)

I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.^(ax)

"If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes,

if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands,

I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging;^(ay)

but I will not take my love from him,^(az) nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.

I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.^(ba)

Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness— and I will not lie to David—

that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun;^(bb)

it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky."^(bc)

But you have rejected,^(bd) you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one.

You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust.^(be)

You have broken through all his walls^(bf) and reduced his strongholds^(bg) to ruins.

All who pass by have plundered^(bh) him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors.^(bi)

You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice.^(bj)

Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle.^(bk)

You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground.

You have cut short^(bl) the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame.^(bm)

How long, Lord ? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?^(bn)

Remember how fleeting is my life.^(bo) For what futility you have created all humanity!

Who can live and not see death, or who can escape the power of the grave?^(bp)

Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David?

Remember, Lord, how your servant has^[g] been mocked,^(bq) how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,

the taunts with which your enemies, Lord , have mocked, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.^(br)

Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.^(bs)