1A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. 2I will sing of thy steadfast love, O LORD, for ever; with my mouth I will proclaim thy faithfulness to all generations. 3For thy steadfast love was established for ever, thy faithfulness is firm as the heavens. 4Thou hast said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: 5`your descendants for ever, and build your throne for all generations.'" [Selah] 6Let the heavens praise thy wonders, O LORD, thy faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! 7For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, 8a God feared in the council of the holy ones, great and terrible above all that are round about him? 9O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as thou art, O LORD, with thy faithfulness round about thee? 10Thou dost rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, thou stillest them. 11Thou didst crush Rahab like a carcass, thou didst scatter thy enemies with thy mighty arm. 12The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine; the world and all that is in it, thou hast founded them. 13The north and the south, thou hast created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise thy name. 14Thou hast a mighty arm; strong is thy hand, high thy right hand. 15Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before thee. 16Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance, 17who exult in thy name all the day, and extol thy righteousness. 18For thou art the glory of their strength; by thy favor our horn is exalted. 19For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel. 20Of old thou didst speak in a vision to thy faithful one, and say: "I have set the crown upon one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people. 21I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him; 22so that my hand shall ever abide with him, my arm also shall strengthen him. 23The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him. 24I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. 25My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. 26I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. 27He shall cry to me, `ou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.' 28And I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth. 29My steadfast love I will keep for him for ever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. 30I will establish his line for ever and his throne as the days of the heavens. 31If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my ordinances, 32if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 33then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with scourges; 34but I will not remove from him my steadfast love, or be false to my faithfulness. 35I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips. 36Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. 37His line shall endure for ever, his throne as long as the sun before me. 38Like the moon it shall be established for ever; it shall stand firm while the skies endure." [Selah] 39But now thou hast cast off and rejected, thou art full of wrath against thy anointed. 40Thou hast renounced the covenant with thy servant; thou hast defiled his crown in the dust. 41Thou hast breached all his walls; thou hast laid his strongholds in ruins. 42All that pass by despoil him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. 43Thou hast exalted the right hand of his foes; thou hast made all his enemies rejoice. 44Yea, thou hast turned back the edge of his sword, and thou hast not made him stand in battle. 45Thou hast removed the scepter from his hand, and cast his throne to the ground. 46Thou hast cut short the days of his youth; thou hast covered him with shame. [Selah] 47How long, O LORD? Wilt thou hide thyself for ever? How long will thy wrath burn like fire? 48Remember, O Lord, what the measure of life is, for what vanity thou hast created all the sons of men! 49What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? [Selah] 50Lord, where is thy steadfast love of old, which by thy faithfulness thou didst swear to David? 51Remember, O Lord, how thy servant is scorned; how I bear in my bosom the insults of the peoples, 52with which thy enemies taunt, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of thy anointed. [ (Psalms 89:53) Blessed be the LORD for ever! Amen and Amen. ]