Remembering the Covenant with David, and Sorrow for Lost Blessings
A Contemplation of
#
Ethan the Ezrahite.
1 I will sing of the mercies of theLordforever;
With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
# Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”
3 “Ihave made a covenant with My chosen,
# I havesworn to My servant David:
4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever,
# And build up your throneto all generations.’ ”
Selah
5 Andthe heavens will praise Your wonders, OLord;
Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
6 For who in the heavens can be compared to theLord?
Whoamong the sons of the mighty can be likened to theLord?
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,
And to be held in reverence by allthosearound Him.
8 OLordGod of hosts,
Whoismighty like You, OLord?
Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
When its waves rise, You still them.
10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain;
You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
11 The heavensareYours, the earth alsoisYours;
The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.
12 The north and the south, You have created them;
# Tabor andHermon rejoice in Your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
Strong is Your hand,andhigh is Your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justicearethe foundation of Your throne;
Mercy and truth go before Your face.
15 Blessedarethe people who know thejoyful sound!
They walk, OLord, in the light of Your countenance.
16 In Your name they rejoice all day long,
And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For Youarethe glory of their strength,
# And in Your favor our horn isexalted.
18 For our shieldbelongsto theLord,
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 toonewhoismighty;
# I have exalted onechosen from the people.
20 I have found My servant David;
With My holy oil I have anointed him,
21 With 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 mercyshallbewith him,
And in My name his horn shall be exalted.
25 Also I willset his hand over the sea,
And his right hand over the rivers.
26 He shall cry to Me, ‘Youaremy Father,
# My God, andthe rock of my salvation.’
27 Also I will make himMyfirstborn,
# The highest of the kings of the earth.
28 My mercy I will keep for him forever,
And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
29 His seed also I will maketoendureforever,
# And his throneas the days of heaven.
30 “Ifhis sonsforsake 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 Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him,
Nor allow My faithfulness to fail.
34 My covenant I will not break,
# Noralter the word that has gone out of My lips.
35 Once I have swornby My holiness;
I will not lie to David:
36 His seed shall endure forever,
# And his throneas the sun before Me;
37 It shall be established forever like the moon,
Evenlikethe faithful witness in the sky.”
Selah
38 But You havecast off andabhorred,
You have been furious with Your anointed.
39 You have renounced the covenant of Your servant;
# You have profaned his crownbycastingitto the ground.
40 You have broken down all his hedges;
You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41 All who pass by the wayplunder 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 timeis;
# For whatfutility have You created all the children of men?
48 What man can live and not seedeath?
Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?
Selah
49 Lord, whereareYour former lovingkindnesses,
# WhichYouswore to Davidin Your truth?
50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
# HowI bear in my bosomthereproachofall the many peoples,
51 With which Your enemies have reproached, OLord,
With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.
52 BlessedbetheLordforevermore!
Amen and Amen.