1 “A psalm 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! 2 For I know that thy mercy endureth for ever; Thou hast established thy truth like the heavens. 3 “I have made a covenant with my chosen; I have sworn to David, my servant: 4 Thy family I will establish for ever, And build up thy throne to all generations.” [[Pause.]] 5 The heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD! And the assembly of the holy ones thy truth! 6 Who in the heavens can be compared to Jehovah? Who is like Jehovah among the sons of God? 7 A God greatly to be feared in the assembly of the holy ones, And to be had in reverence above all who are around him? 8 O Jehovah, God of hosts! Who is mighty like thee, O Jehovah? And thy faithfulness is round about thee. 9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea; When the waves thereof rise, thou stillest them! 10 Thou didst break Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; Thou didst scatter thine enemies with thy mighty arm. 11 The heavens are thine; thine also is the earth; The world and all that is therein, thou didst found them. 12 The North and the South were created by thee; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in thy name. 13 Thine is a mighty arm; Strong is thy hand, and high thy right hand. 14 Justice and equity are the foundation of thy throne; Mercy and truth go before thy face. 15 Happy the people that know the trumpet's sound! They walk, O LORD! in the light of thy countenance; 16 In thy name they daily rejoice, And in thy righteousness they glory! 17 For thou art the glory of their strength; Yea, through thy favor our horn exalteth itself! 18 For from Jehovah is our shield, And from the Holy One of Israel is our king. 19 Once thou spakest in a vision to thy holy one, And saidst,—”I have laid help on one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people; 20 I have found David, my servant; With my holy oil have I anointed him. 21 With him shall my hand be established, And my arm shall strengthen him. 22 The enemy shall not have power over him, Nor shall the unrighteous man oppress him. 23 For I will beat down his foes before him, And overthrow them that hate him. 24 My faithfulness and mercy shall be with him, And through my name shall his horn be exalted. 25 I will extend his hand to the sea, And his right hand to the rivers. 26 He shall say to me, 'Thou art my father, My God, and the rock of my salvation!' 27 I will also make him my first-born, Highest of the kings of the earth. 28 My mercy I will continue to him for ever; My covenant with him shall be steadfast. 29 I will make his family to endure for ever; And his throne shall be as lasting as the heavens. 30 Should his children forsake my law, And walk not in my statutes, 31 Should they break my commandments, And observe not my precepts, 32 I will punish their transgressions with a rod, And their iniquity with stripes. 33 But my kindness will I not withdraw from him, Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. 34 I will not break my covenant, Nor alter what hath gone from my lips. 35 Once have I sworn in my holiness, That I will not be false unto David. 36 His family shall endure for ever, And his throne as the sun before me. 37 It shall be established for ever like the moon; Like the faithful witness in the sky.” 38 But now thou forsakest and abhorrest, And art angry with, thine anointed. 39 Thou hast made void the covenant with thy servant; Thou hast cast his crown to the ground. 40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; Thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin. 41 All who pass by plunder him; He is a reproach to his neighbors. 42 Thou hast lifted up the right hand of his enemies; Thou hast made all his adversaries to rejoice. 43 Yea, thou hast turned the edge of his sword, And made him unable to stand in battle. 44 Thou hast brought his glory to an end, And hast cast down his throne to the ground. 45 Thou hast shortened the days of his youth; Thou hast covered him with shame. 46 How long, O LORD! wilt thou hide thyself for ever? How long shall thine anger burn like fire? 47 Remember how short is my life, To what frailty thou hast created all men! 48 What man liveth, and seeth not death? Who can deliver himself from the underworld? 49 Where, Lord, is thy former loving-kindness Which thou didst swear to David in thy truth? 50 Remember, O Lord! the reproach of thy servants, How I bear in my bosom the taunts of all the many nations, 51 With which thine enemies have reproached me, O LORD! With which they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed! 52 [Praised be Jehovah for ever! Amen, yea, amen!]