A Poem of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
2For I have said, Mercy shall be built up forever; You shall establish Your faithfulness in the heavens.
3I have cut a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant,
4Your seed will I establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations. Selah.
5And the heavens shall praise Your wonders, O LORD, Your faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
6For who in the sky or can be ranked with the LORD? Who among the mighty is like the LORD?
7God is greatly to be feared in the congregation of the saints, and to be adored by all around Him.
8O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like You? And Your faithfulness is round about You?
9You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves arise, You still them.
10You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; You have scattered Your enemies with Your strong arm.
11The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; You have founded the world and its fullness.
12The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Your name.
13You have a mighty arm; Your hand is strong, and Your right hand is high.
14Justice and judgment are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth shall go before Your face.
15Blessed is the people that knows the joyful sound; they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of Your face.
16In Your name they shall rejoice all the day; and in Your righteousness they shall be lifted up.
17For You are the glory of their strength; and in Your favor our horn shall be lifted up.
18For the LORD is our shield; yea, our king is the Holy One of Israel.
19Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one, and You said, I have laid help on a mighty one; I have lifted up a chosen one out of the people.
20I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him.
21My hand shall be always with him; My arm also shall make him strong.
22The enemy shall not use force on him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those who hate him.
24But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him; and in My name his horn shall be lifted up.
25I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
26He shall cry to Me, My Father, You are my God, and the rock of my salvation.
27And I will make him My first-born, higher than the kings of the earth.
28I will keep My mercy for him forever, and My covenant shall stand fast with him.
29Also I have set his seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens.
30If his children forsake My law, and do not walk in My judgments;
31if they profane My statutes, and do not keep My commandments;
32then I will visit their wickedness with the rod, and their sin with stripes.
33But I will not completely take My loving-kindness from him, and I will not be false in My faithfulness.
34I will not break My covenant, nor change the thing that has gone out of My lips.
35Once I have sworn by My holiness that I will not lie to David.
36His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me.
37It shall be established forever like the moon, and like a faithful witness in the heavens. Selah.
38But You have cast off and rejected us; You have been angry with Your anointed.
39You have turned away from the covenant of Your servant; You have defiled his crown to the ground.
40You have broken down all his hedges; You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
41All who pass by the way plunder him; he is a curse to his neighbors.
42You have set up the right hand of his enemies; You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43You also have turned back the edge of his sword and have not made him stand in the battle.
44You have made his glory to cease, and have thrown his throne down to the ground.
45The days of his youth You have shortened; You have covered him with shame. Selah.
46How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever? Shall Your wrath burn like fire?
47Remember, I pray, how short my time is; why have You made all men in vain?
48What man lives and never sees death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
49O Lord, where are Your former loving-kindnesses which You swore to David in Your truth?
50Remember, Lord, the scorn of Your servants; how I bear in my bosom the insult of all the mighty people,
51with which Your enemies have cursed, O LORD; with which they have cursed the footsteps of Your anointed.
52Blessed is the LORD forevermore. Amen and Amen.