Chapter 89

  Maschil. Of Ethan the Ezrahite.
My song will be of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make his faith clear to all generations.  

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  For you have said, Mercy will be made strong for ever; my faith will be unchanging in the heavens.  

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  I have made an agreement with the man of my selection, I have made an oath to David my servant;  

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  I will make your seed go on for ever, your kingdom will be strong through all generations. (Selah.)  

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  In heaven let them give praise for your wonders, O Lord; and your unchanging faith among the saints.  

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  For who is there in the heavens in comparison with the Lord? who is like the Lord among the sons of the gods?  

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  God is greatly to be feared among the saints, and to be honoured over all those who are about him.  

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  O Lord God of armies, who is strong like you, O Jah? and your unchanging faith is round about you.  

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  You have rule over the sea in storm; when its waves are troubled, you make them calm.  

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  Rahab was crushed by you like one wounded to death; with your strong arm you put to flight all your haters.  

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  Yours are the heavens, and the earth is yours; you have made the world, and everything which is in it.  

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  You have made the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon are sounding with joy at your name.  

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  Yours is an arm of power; strong is your hand and high your right hand.  

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  The seat of your kingdom is resting on righteousness and right judging: mercy and good faith come before your face.  

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  Happy are the people who have knowledge of the holy cry: the light of your face, O Lord, will be shining on their way.  

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  In your name will they have joy all the day: in your righteousness will they be lifted up.  

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  For you are the glory of their strength; in your pleasure will our horn be lifted up.  

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  For our breastplate is the Lord; and our king is the Holy One of Israel's.  

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  Then your voice came to your holy one in a vision, saying, I have put the crown on a strong one, lifting up one taken from among the people.  

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  I have made discovery of David my servant; I have put my holy oil on his head.  

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  My hand will be his support; my arm will give him strength.  

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  The deceit of those who are against him will not overcome him; he will not be troubled by the sons of evil.  

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  I will have those who are against him broken before his face, and his haters will be crushed under my blows.  

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  But my faith and my mercy will be with him; and in my name will his horn be lifted up.  

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  I will put his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.  

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  He will say to me, You are my father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.  

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  And I will make him the first of my sons, most high over the kings of the earth.  

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  I will keep my mercy for him for ever; my agreement with him will not be changed.  

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  His seed will keep their place for ever; his kingdom will be eternal, like the heavens.  

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  If his children give up my law, and are not ruled by my decisions;  

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  If my rules are broken, and my orders are not kept;  

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  Then I will send punishment on them for their sin; my rod will be the reward of their evil-doing.  

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  But I will not take away my mercy from him, and will not be false to my faith.  

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  I will be true to my agreement; the things which have gone out of my lips will not be changed.  

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  I have made an oath once by my holy name, that I will not be false to David.  

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  His seed will not come to an end for ever; the seat of his kingdom will be like the sun before me.  

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  It will be fixed for ever like the moon; and the witness in heaven is true. (Selah.)  

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  But you have put him away in disgust; you have been angry with the king of your selection.  

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  You have made your agreement with your servant of no effect: you have had no respect for his crown, it has come down even to the earth.  

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  All his walls are broken down; you have given his strong towers to destruction.  

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  All those who come by take away his goods; he is laughed at by his neighbours.  

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  You have given power to the right hand of his haters; you have made glad all those who are against him.  

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  His sword is turned back; you have not been his support in the fight.  

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  You have put an end to his glory: the seat of his kingdom has been levelled to the earth.  

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  You have made him old before his time; he is covered with shame. (Selah.)  

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  How long, O Lord, will you Keep yourself for ever from our eyes? how long will your wrath be burning like fire?  

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  See how short my time is; why have you made all men for no purpose?  

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  What man now living will not see death? will he be able to keep back his soul from the underworld? (Selah.)  

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  Lord, where are your earlier mercies? where is the oath which you made to David in unchanging faith?  

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  Keep in mind, O Lord, the shame of your servants, and how the bitter words of all the people have come into my heart;  

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  The bitter words of your haters, O Lord, shaming the footsteps of your king.  

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  Let the Lord be praised for ever. So be it, So be it.  

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