Remembering the Covenant with David, and Sorrow for Lost Blessings
A Contemplation of aEthan the Ezrahite.
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;
With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
aYour faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”
3 “Ia have made a covenant with My chosen,
I have bsworn to My servant David:
4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever,
And build up your throne ato all generations.’ ”
Selah
5 And athe heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
6 aFor who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord?
7 aGod is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
8 O Lord God of hosts,
Who is mighty like You, O Lord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 aYou rule the raging of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.
10 aYou have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain;
You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
11 aThe heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.
12 The north and the south, You have created them;
aTabor and bHermon rejoice in Your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Mercy and truth go before Your face.
15 Blessed are the people who know the ajoyful sound!
They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
16 In Your name they rejoice all day long,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the glory of their strength,
And in Your favor our horn is aexalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
And our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19 Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one,
And said: “I have given help to one who is mighty;
I have exalted one achosen from the people.
20 aI have found My servant David;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21 aWith whom My hand shall be established;
Also My arm shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not outwit him,
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23 I will beat down his foes before his face,
And plague those who hate him.
24 “But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him,
And in My name his horn shall be exalted.
25 Also I will aset his hand over the sea,
And his right hand over the rivers.
26 He shall cry to Me, ‘You are amy Father,
My God, and bthe rock of my salvation.’
27 Also I will make him aMy firstborn,
bThe highest of the kings of the earth.
28 aMy mercy I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
29 His seed also I will make to endure forever,
aAnd his throne bas the days of heaven.
30 “Ifa his sons bforsake My law
And do not walk in My judgments,
31 If they break My statutes
And do not keep My commandments,
32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod,
And their iniquity with stripes.
33 aNevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him,
Nor allow My faithfulness to fail.
34 My covenant I will not break,
Nor aalter the word that has gone out of My lips.
35 Once I have sworn aby My holiness;
I will not lie to David:
36 aHis seed shall endure forever,
And his throne bas the sun before Me;
37 It shall be established forever like the moon,
Even like the faithful witness in the sky.”
Selah
38 But You have acast off and babhorred,
You have been furious with Your anointed.
39 You have renounced the covenant of Your servant;
aYou have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
40 You have broken down all his hedges;
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 All who pass by the way aplunder him;
He is a reproach to his neighbors.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
And have not sustained him in the battle.
44 You have made his glory cease,
And cast his throne down to the ground.
45 The days of his youth You have shortened;
You have covered him with shame.
Selah
46 How long, Lord?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time ais;
For what bfutility have You created all the children of men?
48 What man can live and not see adeath?
Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?
Selah
49 Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses,
Which You aswore to David bin Your truth?
50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
aHow I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
51 aWith which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.
52 aBlessed be the Lord forevermore!
Amen and Amen.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved.