Lightfoot (p109): In these times of bitterness and misery, lived the two sons of Zerah, or the Ezrahites, Heman and Ethan (1 Chronicles 2:6), who had the Spirit of the Lord upon them, in the midst of all this affliction; and they penned the eighty-eighth and eighty-ninth Psalms: the former sadly mourning for the present distress; and the latter cheerfully singing the mercies of God, in the midst of this distress, and prophesying of deliverance. more
Psalms 89:1
מַ֝שְׂכִּ֗יל לְאֵיתָ֥ן הָֽאֶזְרָחִֽי׃ חַֽסְדֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה עוֹלָ֣ם אָשִׁ֑ירָה לְדֹ֥ר וָדֹ֓ר׀ אוֹדִ֖יעַ אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ בְּפִֽי׃
Psalms 89:2
כִּֽי־אָמַ֗רְתִּי ע֭וֹלָם חֶ֣סֶד יִבָּנֶ֑ה שָׁמַ֓יִם׀ תָּכִ֖ן אֱמוּנָתְךָ֣ בָהֶֽם׃
Psalms 89:3
כָּרַ֣תִּֽי בְ֭רִית לִבְחִירִ֑י נִ֝שְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי לְדָוִ֥ד עַבְדִּֽי׃
Psalms 89:4
עַד־ע֭וֹלָם אָכִ֣ין זַרְעֶ֑ךָ וּבָנִ֨יתִי לְדֹר־וָד֖וֹר כִּסְאֲךָ֣ סֶֽלָה׃
Psalms 89:5
וְי֘וֹד֤וּ שָׁמַ֣יִם פִּלְאֲךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה אַף־אֱ֝מֽוּנָתְךָ֗ בִּקְהַ֥ל קְדֹשִֽׁים׃
Psalms 89:6
כִּ֤י מִ֣י בַ֭שַּׁחַק יַעֲרֹ֣ךְ לַיהוָ֑ה יִדְמֶ֥ה לַ֝יהוָ֗ה בִּבְנֵ֥י אֵלִים׃
Psalms 89:7
אֵ֣ל נַ֭עֲרָץ בְּסוֹד־קְדֹשִׁ֣ים רַבָּ֑ה וְ֝נוֹרָ֗א עַל־כָּל־סְבִיבָֽיו׃
Psalms 89:8
יְהוָ֤ה׀ אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י צְבָא֗וֹת מִֽי־כָֽמ֖וֹךָ חֲסִ֥ין׀ יָ֑הּ וֶ֝אֱמֽוּנָתְךָ֗ סְבִיבוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
Psalms 89:9
אַתָּ֣ה מ֭וֹשֵׁל בְּגֵא֣וּת הַיָּ֑ם בְּשׂ֥וֹא גַ֝לָּ֗יו אַתָּ֥ה תְשַׁבְּחֵֽם׃
Psalms 89:10
אַתָּ֤ה דִכִּ֣אתָ כֶחָלָ֣ל רָ֑הַב בִּזְר֥וֹעַ עֻ֝זְּךָ֗ פִּזַּ֥רְתָּ אוֹיְבֶֽיךָ׃
Psalms 89:11
לְךָ֣ שָׁ֭מַיִם אַף־לְךָ֥ אָ֑רֶץ תֵּבֵ֥ל וּ֝מְלֹאָ֗הּ אַתָּ֥ה יְסַדְתָּֽם׃
Psalms 89:12
צָפ֣וֹן וְ֭יָמִין אַתָּ֣ה בְרָאתָ֑ם תָּב֥וֹר וְ֝חֶרְמ֗וֹן בְּשִׁמְךָ֥ יְרַנֵּֽנוּ׃
Psalms 89:13
לְךָ֣ זְ֭רוֹעַ עִם־גְּבוּרָ֑ה תָּעֹ֥ז יָ֝דְךָ֗ תָּר֥וּם יְמִינֶֽךָ׃
Psalms 89:14
צֶ֣דֶק וּ֭מִשְׁפָּט מְכ֣וֹן כִּסְאֶ֑ךָ חֶ֥סֶד וֶ֝אֱמֶ֗ת יְֽקַדְּמ֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ׃
Psalms 89:15
אַשְׁרֵ֣י הָ֭עָם יוֹדְעֵ֣י תְרוּעָ֑ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה בְּֽאוֹר־פָּנֶ֥יךָ יְהַלֵּכֽוּן׃
Psalms 89:16
בְּ֭שִׁמְךָ יְגִיל֣וּן כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם וּבְצִדְקָתְךָ֥ יָרֽוּמוּ׃
Psalms 89:17
כִּֽי־תִפְאֶ֣רֶת עֻזָּ֣מוֹ אָ֑תָּה וּ֝בִרְצֹנְךָ֗ תָּרִים קַרְנֵֽנוּ׃
Psalms 89:18
כִּ֣י לַֽ֭יהוָה מָֽגִנֵּ֑נוּ וְלִקְד֖וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מַלְכֵּֽנוּ׃
Psalms 89:19
אָ֤ז דִּבַּ֥רְתָּֽ־בְחָ֡זוֹן לַֽחֲסִידֶ֗יךָ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שִׁוִּ֣יתִי עֵ֭זֶר עַל־גִּבּ֑וֹר הֲרִימ֖וֹתִי בָח֣וּר מֵעָֽם׃
Then you spoke in vision to Your faithful ones and said, “I have set help on a mighty one; I have raised up a chosen one from the people.”
Paraphrase: Now this is our God. This is the One who made a covenant with us. (Psalm 89:3-4) Let us consider this covenant. First, we know that God spoke to us as His people. He told us of the covenant He made with His servant David. “I have found a mighty warrior,” he said, “And I will make him to be your helper. (Judges 13:5) I took him from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. I have been with him wherever he has gone and have cut off all his enemies from before you. (2 Samuel 7:8-9) He is the one I have chosen to be the deliverer of My people.” (2 Samuel 7:10-11)
Comments:
Psalms 89:20
מָ֭צָאתִי דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֑י בְּשֶׁ֖מֶן קָדְשִׁ֣י מְשַׁחְתִּֽיו׃
I have found David, My servant; with oil of My holiness, I have anointed him.
Paraphrase: I took him from his father and brothers, and I anointed him with My holy oil. By this oil, I set him apart for the work of leading and governing My people. He is no longer a shepherd of sheep; now, he is My servant and will do the work to which I call him.
Comments:
I understand the oil of My holiness to be the oil which marks God’s action of setting someone apart or consecrating someone to a specific task.
Psalms 89:21
אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָ֭דִי תִּכּ֣וֹן עִמּ֑וֹ אַף־זְרוֹעִ֥י תְאַמְּצֶֽנּוּ׃
which My Hand established with him; yes, My arm will strengthen him.
Paraphrase: With My own hand I took him and with My own hand, I set him in a place of authority and leadership. With My arm, I will empower and enable him to perform the mission on which I will send him.
Comments:
Psalms 89:22
לֹֽא־יַשִּׁ֣א אוֹיֵ֣ב בּ֑וֹ וּבֶן־עַ֝וְלָ֗ה לֹ֣א יְעַנֶּֽנּוּ׃
The enemy will not deceive him, and the son of injustice will not humiliate him.
Paraphrase: The enemy will no longer be able to successfully deceive him; those who seek to oppress My people will not be able to conquer this warrior; nor will they subject him to all manner of humiliation.
Comments:
Psalms 89:23
וְכַתּוֹתִ֣י מִפָּנָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֥יו אֶגּֽוֹף׃
And I will crush from before him his enemies; and his haters, I will strike.
Paraphrase: I will make all his enemies to crumble and fall before him. All those who seek to do him harm, I will strike down.
Comments:
Psalms 89:24
וֶֽאֶֽמוּנָתִ֣י וְחַסְדִּ֣י עִמּ֑וֹ וּ֝בִשְׁמִ֗י תָּר֥וּם קַרְנֽוֹ׃
And My loyalty and My faithfulness is with him; and in My Name, his horn shall rise up.
Paraphrase: I will never turn My back on Him (Hebrews 13:5); I will never forget the promises I made to him. I will be true to My word. David, My servant, will go forward with a mandate from Me. This will be His real strength; and because of this, he will go from victory to victory. No one will be able to stand against him.
Comments:
Psalms 89:25
וְשַׂמְתִּ֣י בַיָּ֣ם יָד֑וֹ וּֽבַנְּהָר֥וֹת יְמִינֽוֹ׃
And I will place on the sea his hand and on the rivers his right hand.
Paraphrase: Furthermore, I will extend his dominion over all the earth. All the stormy seas will be subject to him; even the raging rivers with their swirling waves and torrents will come under his mighty hand. (Psalm 72:8; 89:9; Matthew 16:18)
Comments:
Psalms 89:26
ה֣וּא יִ֭קְרָאֵנִי אָ֣בִי אָ֑תָּה אֵ֝לִ֗י וְצ֣וּר יְשׁוּעָתִֽי׃
And
Paraphrase:
Comments:
Psalms 89:27
אַף־אָ֭נִי בְּכ֣וֹר אֶתְּנֵ֑הוּ עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן לְמַלְכֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
Psalms 89:28
לְ֭עוֹלָ֗ם אֶשְׁמוֹר ל֣וֹ חַסְדִּ֑י וּ֝בְרִיתִ֗י נֶאֱמֶ֥נֶת לֽוֹ׃
Psalms 89:29
וְשַׂמְתִּ֣י לָעַ֣ד זַרְע֑וֹ וְ֝כִסְא֗וֹ כִּימֵ֥י שָׁמָֽיִם׃
Psalms 89:30
אִם־יַֽעַזְב֣וּ בָ֭נָיו תּוֹרָתִ֑י וּ֝בְמִשְׁפָּטַ֗י לֹ֣א יֵלֵכֽוּן׃
If his sons abandon My instruction and in My statutes do not walk
Paraphrase: Now don’t mistake My meaning here. My covenant with David is sure and steadfast, and I will never fail to keep My side of it. (1 Kings 11:36; 2 Kings 8:19; 2 Chronicles 6:42; Isaiah 37:35) Nevertheless, if David’s children turn their back on My teaching and do not live in a way that is consistent with the laws I’ve given them,
Comments:
The conditionality of the covenant is a difficult knot to untie. In this Psalm, God gives us the way to resolve this. The covenant is unconditional but individual participation in it is not.
Psalms 89:31
אִם־חֻקֹּתַ֥י יְחַלֵּ֑לוּ וּ֝מִצְוֺתַ֗י לֹ֣א יִשְׁמֹֽרוּ׃
If My statutes they violate and My commands they do not observe,
Paraphrase: and if they violate My statutes and do not observe My commands,
Comments:
Psalms 89:32
וּפָקַדְתִּ֣י בְשֵׁ֣בֶט פִּשְׁעָ֑ם וּבִנְגָעִ֥ים עֲוֺנָֽם׃
then I will visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with blows.
Paraphrase: …then they will be punished severely. Indeed, I will visit them in My anger and punish them for these violations with a sound beating. As their Father, I will use the rod of correction on them. (Proverbs 23:13; Hebrews 12:9)
Comments:
This picture here is a Father punishing His sons. (Psalm 89:30)
Psalms 89:33
וְ֭חַסְדִּי לֹֽא־אָפִ֣יר מֵֽעִמּ֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־אֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗ר בֶּאֱמוּנָתִֽי׃
But My lovingkindness, I will not cancel from with him, and I will not deal falsely in My steadfastness.
Paraphrase: But My commitment to the covenant that I made with David will never fail. (2 Samuel 7:15) I will never cancel this covenant; it will surely happen just as I promised. I will never fail to keep My word to My servant.
Comments:
Psalms 89:34
לֹא־אֲחַלֵּ֥ל בְּרִיתִ֑י וּמוֹצָ֥א שְׂ֝פָתַ֗י לֹ֣א אֲשַׁנֶּֽה׃
I will not violate My covenant; and the going forth of My lips, I will not alter.
Paraphrase: No, you can be sure of this; I will never cancel My covenant or fail to keep My word. What I have spoken, I have spoken, and I will not go back on it.
Comments:
Psalms 89:35
אַ֭חַת נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי בְקָדְשִׁ֑י אִֽם־לְדָוִ֥ד אֲכַזֵּֽב׃
Once, I swore in My Holiness; if to David I will lie
Paraphrase: Now this is My solemn oath, and it is guaranteed by My perfect Holiness. I am not a man who lies and constantly fails to keep his word. (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 116:11) When I give a command, it happens just as I said. I cancel the schemes of the nations and frustrate the plans of the peoples. My counsel stands forever; the plans of My heart from generation to generation. (Psalm 33:9-11) This being true, let it be clear to all who hear, I will not lie to David!
Comments:
After an oath, אִם becomes an emphatic negative; see left column, section (2) on p50.
Psalms 89:36
זַ֭רְעוֹ לְעוֹלָ֣ם יִהְיֶ֑ה וְכִסְא֖וֹ כַשֶּׁ֣מֶשׁ נֶגְדִּֽי׃
His seed to eternity will be and his throne as the sun before Me.
Paraphrase: His dynasty will never end. One of his children will be My plenipotentiary sitting on the throne of Israel for as long as the sun shines in the heavens. (2 Samuel 7:13, 16)
Comments:
This verse implies that the discipline which has been described previously (Psalm 89:32) will not result in the children losing their place in the covenant and forfeiting God’s blessing.
Psalms 89:37
כְּ֭יָרֵחַ יִכּ֣וֹן עוֹלָ֑ם וְעֵ֥ד בַּ֝שַּׁ֗חַק נֶאֱמָ֥ן סֶֽלָה׃
As the moon is fixed forever, and a witness in the cloud being confirmed. Selah.
Paraphrase: Look up at the moon. Every night it comes out and testifies to My faithfulness. (Jeremiah 31:35; 33:20-26) There it is peeking through the clouds and testifying that there is a covenant keeping God in heaven. When you see it each evening, you can reflect on the absolute reliability of the promise because you know the Promiser.
Comments:
Psalms 89:38
וְאַתָּ֣ה זָ֭נַחְתָּ וַתִּמְאָ֑ס הִ֝תְעַבַּ֗רְתָּ עִם־מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ׃
Psalms 89:39
נֵ֭אַרְתָּה בְּרִ֣ית עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ חִלַּ֖לְתָּ לָאָ֣רֶץ נִזְרֽוֹ׃
Psalms 89:40
פָּרַ֥צְתָּ כָל־גְּדֵרֹתָ֑יו שַׂ֖מְתָּ מִבְצָרָ֣יו מְחִתָּה׃
Psalms 89:41
שַׁ֭סֻּהוּ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דָ֑רֶךְ הָיָ֥ה חֶ֝רְפָּ֗ה לִשְׁכֵנָֽיו׃
Psalms 89:42
הֲ֭רִימוֹתָ יְמִ֣ין צָרָ֑יו הִ֝שְׂמַ֗חְתָּ כָּל־אוֹיְבָֽיו׃
Psalms 89:43
אַף־תָּ֭שִׁיב צ֣וּר חַרְבּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א הֲ֝קֵימֹת֗וֹ בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
Psalms 89:44
הִשְׁבַּ֥תָּ מִטְּהָר֑וֹ וְ֝כִסְא֗וֹ לָאָ֥רֶץ מִגַּֽרְתָּה׃
Psalms 89:45
הִ֭קְצַרְתָּ יְמֵ֣י עֲלוּמָ֑יו הֶֽעֱטִ֨יתָ עָלָ֖יו בּוּשָׁ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃
Psalms 89:46
עַד־מָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה תִּסָּתֵ֣ר לָנֶ֑צַח תִּבְעַ֖ר כְּמוֹ־אֵ֣שׁ חֲמָתֶֽךָ׃
Psalms 89:47
זְכָר־אֲנִ֥י מֶה־חָ֑לֶד עַל־מַה־שָּׁ֝֗וְא בָּרָ֥אתָ כָל־בְּנֵי־אָדָֽם׃
Psalms 89:48
מִ֤י גֶ֣בֶר יִֽ֭חְיֶה וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֶה־מָּ֑וֶת יְמַלֵּ֨ט נַפְשׁ֖וֹ מִיַּד־שְׁא֣וֹל סֶֽלָה׃
Psalms 89:49
אַיֵּ֤ה׀ חֲסָדֶ֖יךָ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֥ים׀ אֲדֹנָ֑י נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתָּ לְ֝דָוִ֗ד בֶּאֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃
Psalms 89:50
זְכֹ֣ר אֲ֭דֹנָי חֶרְפַּ֣ת עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ שְׂאֵתִ֥י בְ֝חֵיקִ֗י כָּל־רַבִּ֥ים עַמִּֽים׃
Psalms 89:51
אֲשֶׁ֤ר חֵרְפ֖וּ אוֹיְבֶ֥יךָ׀ יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר חֵ֝רְפ֗וּ עִקְּב֥וֹת מְשִׁיחֶֽךָ׃
Psalms 89:52
בָּר֖וּךְ יְהוָ֥ה לְ֝עוֹלָ֗ם אָ֘מֵ֥ן׀ וְאָמֵֽן׃