Zabur 89

A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite.

¹I will sing of the loving kindness of Allah forever.

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

²I indeed declare, "Love stands firm forever.

You established the heavens.

Your faithfulness is in them."

³"I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to Dawud, my servant,

⁴'I will establish your seed forever,

And build up your throne to all generations.'"

Selah.

⁵The heavens will praise your wonders, Allah;

Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

⁶For who in the skies can be compared to Allah?

Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Allah,

⁷A very awesome God in the council of the holy ones,

To be feared above all those who are around him?

⁸Allah, Lord God of the universe, who is a mighty one, like you?

Allah, your faithfulness is around you.

⁹You rule the pride of the sea.

When its waves rise up, you calm them.

¹⁰You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain.

You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

¹¹The heavens are yours.

The earth also is yours;

The world and its fullness.

You have founded them.

¹²The north and the south, you have created them.

Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

¹³You have a mighty arm.

Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.

¹⁴Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.

Loving kindness and truth go before your face.

¹⁵Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you.

They walk in the light of your presence, Allah.

¹⁶In your name they rejoice all day.

In your righteousness, they are exalted.

¹⁷For you are the glory of their strength.

In your favour, our horn will be exalted.

¹⁸For our shield belongs to Allah;

Our king to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹Then you spoke in vision to your saints,

And said, "I have bestowed strength on the warrior.

I have exalted a young man from the people.

²⁰I have found Dawud, my servant.

I have anointed him with my holy oil,

²¹With whom my hand shall be established.

My arm will also strengthen him.

²²No enemy will tax him.

No wicked man will oppress him.

²³I will beat down his adversaries before him,

And strike those who hate him.

²⁴But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him.

In my name, his horn will be exalted.

²⁵I will set his hand also on the sea,

And his right hand on the rivers.

²⁶He will call to me, 'You are my Father,

My God, and the rock of my salvation!'

²⁷I will also appoint him my firstborn,

The highest of the kings of the earth.

²⁸I will keep my loving kindness for him forevermore.

My covenant will stand firm with him.

²⁹I will also make his seed endure forever,

And his throne as the days of heaven.

³⁰If his children forsake my Taurat,

And do not walk in my ordinances;

³¹If they break my statutes,

And do not keep my commandments;

³²Then I will punish their sin with the rod,

And their iniquity with stripes.

³³But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him,

Nor allow my faithfulness to fail.

³⁴I will not break my covenant,

Nor alter what my lips have uttered.

³⁵Once have I sworn by my holiness,

I will not lie to Dawud.

³⁶His seed will endure forever,

His throne like the sun before me.

³⁷It will be established forever like the moon,

The faithful witness in the sky."

Selah.

³⁸But you have rejected and spurned.

You have been angry with your anointed.

³⁹You have renounced the covenant of your servant.

You have defiled his crown in the dust.

⁴⁰You have broken down all his hedges.

You have brought his strongholds to ruin.

⁴¹All who pass by the way rob him.

He has become a reproach to his neighbours.

⁴²You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries.

You have made all of his enemies rejoice.

⁴³Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword,

And haven't supported him in battle.

⁴⁴You have ended his splendor,

And thrown his throne down to the ground.

⁴⁵You have shortened the days of his youth.

You have covered him with shame.

Selah.

⁴⁶How long, Allah?

Will you hide yourself forever?

Will your wrath burn like fire?

⁴⁷Remember how short my time is!

For what vanity have you created all the children of men!

⁴⁸What man is he who shall live and not see death,

Who shall deliver his soul from the power of the grave?

Selah.

⁴⁹Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses,

Which you swore to Dawud in your faithfulness?

⁵⁰Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants,

How I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,

⁵¹With which your enemies have mocked, Allah,

With which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

⁵²Praise be to Allah forevermore.

Amen, and Amen.