¹ 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.¹²

1. Maschil...: or, A Psalm for Ethan the Ezrahite, to give instruction
2. to all...: Heb. to generation and generation

² For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

³ I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant,

⁴ Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

⁵ And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

⁶ For who in the heaven can be compared to the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD?

⁷ God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence by all them that are about him.

⁸ O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like thee? or to thy faithfulness around thee?

⁹ Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when its waves arise, thou stillest them.

¹⁰ Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thy enemies with thy strong arm.¹²

1. Rahab: or, Egypt
2. thy...: Heb. the arm of thy strength

¹¹ The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and all it containeth, thou hast founded them.¹

1. the fulness...: or, all it containeth

¹² The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.

¹³ Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.¹

1. a...: Heb. an arm with might

¹⁴ Righteousness and justice are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.¹

1. habitation: or, establishment

¹⁵ Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

¹⁶ In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.

¹⁷ For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

¹⁸ For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.¹

1. the LORD...: or, our shield is of the LORD, and our king is of the Holy One of Israel

¹⁹ Then thou didst speak in vision to thy holy one, and didst say, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

²⁰ I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

²¹ With whom my hand shall be established: my arm also shall strengthen him.

²² The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.

²³ And I will beat down his foes before his face, and afflict them that hate him.

²⁴ But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

²⁵ I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.

²⁶ He shall cry to me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

²⁷ Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

²⁸ My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.

²⁹ His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

³⁰ If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

³¹ If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;¹

1. break: Heb. profane

³² Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

³³ Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.¹²

1. will...: Heb. I will not make void from him
2. to fall: Heb. to lie

³⁴ My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that hath gone out of my lips.

³⁵ Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie to David.¹

1. that...: Heb. if I lie

³⁶ His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

³⁷ It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

³⁸ But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been full of wrath with thy anointed.

³⁹ Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

⁴⁰ Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.

⁴¹ All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.

⁴² Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

⁴³ Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.

⁴⁴ Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.¹

1. glory: Heb. brightness

⁴⁵ The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.

⁴⁶ How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

⁴⁷ Remember how short my time is: why hast thou made all men in vain?

⁴⁸ What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

⁴⁹ Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou didst swear to David in thy truth?

⁵⁰ Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;

⁵¹ With which thy enemies have reproached, O LORD; with which they have reproached the footsteps of thy anointed.

⁵² Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.