A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite. I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them.”
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant,
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah.
Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
The heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh, your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
For who in the skies can be compared to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,
For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?
a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around him?
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you? Yah, your faithfulness is around you.
O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
You rule the pride of the sea. When its waves rise up, you calm them.
Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours, the world and its fullness. You have founded them.
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
You have created the north and the south. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.
The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
You have a mighty arm. Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.
Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.
Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
In your name they rejoice all day. In your righteousness, they are exalted.
In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
For you are the glory of their strength. In your favor, our horn will be exalted.
For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
For our shield belongs to Yahweh, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
Then you spoke in vision to your saints, and said, “I have given strength to the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people.
Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, 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. I have anointed him with my holy oil,
I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
with whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him.
With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.
No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.
The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.
And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will be exalted.
But my faithfulness and my mercy 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.
I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!’
He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
I will also appoint him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.
Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him.
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
I will also make his offspring endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
If his children forsake my law, and don’t walk in my ordinances;
If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
if they break my statutes, and don’t keep my commandments;
If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.
Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
I will not break my covenant, nor alter what my lips have uttered.
My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Once I have sworn by my holiness, I will not lie to David.
Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
His offspring will endure forever, his throne like the sun before me.
His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
It will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah.
It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.
But you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed.
But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have defiled his crown in the dust.
Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
You have broken down all his hedges. You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
All who pass by the way rob him. He has become a reproach to his neighbors.
All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries. You have made all of his enemies rejoice.
Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword, and haven’t supported him in battle.
Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
You have ended his splendor, and thrown his throne down to the ground.
Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
You have shortened the days of his youth. You have covered him with shame. Selah.
The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
How long, Yahweh? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire?
How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
Remember how short my time is, for what vanity you have created all the children of men!
Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
What man is he who shall live and not see death, who shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah.
What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?
Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,
Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh, with which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.
Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
Blessed be Yahweh forever more. Amen, and Amen.
Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.