1 A contemplation by 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 I will sing of the LORD's steadfast love forever; I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations with my mouth.

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

3 For I have said, 'Your steadfast love is established forever; in the heavens, you will make your faithfulness firm.'

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

4 I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David, my servant:

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

5 'I will establish your offspring forever and build your throne for all generations.' Selah

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

6 The heavens praise your wonders, LORD, and also your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.

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

7 For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?

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

8 God is greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, more awesome than all who surround him.

O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

9 LORD God of Hosts, who is mighty like you, LORD? Your faithfulness surrounds you.

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

10 You rule over the swelling sea; when its waves rise, you still them.

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

11 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm, you scattered your enemies.

The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.

12 The heavens are yours, and also the earth; the world and everything in it, you established them.

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

13 The north and the south, you created them; Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon sing for joy at your name.

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

14 Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand is exalted.

Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.

15 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before your face.

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

16 Blessed are the people who know the joyful shout; LORD, they walk in the light of your presence.

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

17 In your name, they rejoice all day long, and in your righteousness, they are exalted.

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

18 For you are the glory of their strength, and by your favor, our horn is exalted.

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

19 Indeed, the LORD is our shield, and the Holy One of Israel is our King.

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

20 You spoke in a vision to your faithful ones and said, 'I have granted help to a mighty one; I have exalted a chosen one from among the people.'

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

21 I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil, I have anointed him.

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

22 My hand will establish him, and my arm will strengthen him.

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

23 No enemy will deceive him, and no wicked person will oppress him.

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

24 I will crush his adversaries before him and strike down those who hate him.

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

25 My faithfulness and steadfast love will be with him, and in my name, his horn will be exalted.

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

26 I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers.

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

27 He will call to me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.'

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

28 I will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

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

29 I will keep my steadfast love for him forever, and my covenant with him will remain faithful.

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

30 I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens.

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

31 If his sons forsake my law and do not walk according to my judgments,

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

32 if they profane my statutes and do not keep my commandments,

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

33 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes.

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

34 But I will not remove my steadfast love from him, nor will I betray my faithfulness.

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

35 I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that has gone out of my lips.

Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

36 Once I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David:

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

37 His offspring will endure forever, and his throne will be like the sun before me.

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

38 Like the moon, it will be established forever, a faithful witness in the sky. Selah

But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.

39 But you have rejected and spurned; you have been furious with your anointed one.

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

40 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown to the ground.

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

41 You have broken through all his walls; you have reduced his strongholds to ruins.

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

42 All who pass by plunder him; he has become a reproach to his neighbors.

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

43 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries; you have made all his enemies rejoice.

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

44 You have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle.

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

45 You have brought his splendor to an end and cast his throne to the ground.

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

46 You have shortened the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame. Selah

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

47 How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath keep burning like fire?

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

48 Remember how fleeting my life is; for what futility have you created all humanity!

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

49 Who can live and not see death? Who can escape the power of the grave? Selah

Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?

50 Where is your steadfast love of old, LORD, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?

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

51 Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants, how I bear in my heart the insults of many peoples.

Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.

52 The insults with which your enemies, LORD, have mocked, with which they mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

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

53 Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.