I Will Sing of the Mercies of the LORD Forever

This psalm is in great contrasts to the previous one - both were written by Ezrahites supposedly. The previous one was short and the writer was in distressed. This one is long and the writer is full of praise.

He describes God's mercy and faithfulness and the covenant with David. He describes also the incomparable wonder of God. God is praised for many of His attributes like mighty, righteousness, justice.

A large middle portion of the psalm is devoted to David and God's covenant with him. It describes from the part he was chosen by God through the prophet to the everlasting covenant. God does warn that of punishment if the descendants stray away from the covenant. But the more important thing is that God reminded them that they can be restored to the covenant and that it cannot be permanently broken.

Psalm 89
A Contemplation[a] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

 1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever;
         With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
 2 For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
         Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.”
       
 3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen,
         I have sworn to My servant David:
          4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever,
         And build up your throne to all generations.’”  Selah
       
 5 And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD;
         Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.
 6 For who in the heavens 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 held in reverence by all those around Him.
 8 O LORD God of hosts,
         Who is mighty like You, O LORD?
         Your faithfulness also surrounds You.
 9 You rule the raging of the sea;
         When its waves rise, You still them.
 10 You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one who is slain;
         You have scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
       
 11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
         The world and all its fullness, You have founded them.
 12 The north and the south, You have created them;
         Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.
 13 You have a mighty arm;
         Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand.
 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
         Mercy and truth go before Your face.
 15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
         They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.
 16 In Your name they rejoice all day long,
         And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
 17 For You are the glory of their strength,
         And in Your favor our horn is exalted.
 18 For our shield belongs to the LORD,
         And our king to the Holy One of Israel.
       
 19 Then You spoke in a vision to Your holy one,[b]
         And said: “I have given help to one who is mighty;
         I have exalted one chosen from the people.
 20 I have found My servant David;
         With My holy oil I have anointed him,
 21 With whom My hand shall be established;
         Also My arm shall strengthen him.
 22 The enemy shall not outwit him,
         Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
 23 I will beat down his foes before his face,
         And plague those who hate him.
       
 24 “But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him,
         And in My name his horn shall be exalted.
 25 Also I will set his hand over the sea,
         And his right hand over the rivers.
 26 He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father,
         My God, and the rock of my salvation.’
 27 Also I will make him My firstborn,
         The highest of the kings of the earth.
 28 My mercy I will keep for him forever,
         And My covenant shall stand firm with him.
 29 His seed also I will make to endure forever,
         And his throne as the days of heaven.
       
 30 “If his sons forsake My law
         And do not walk in My judgments,
 31 If they break My statutes
         And do not keep My commandments,
 32 Then I will punish their transgression with the rod,
         And their iniquity with stripes.
 33 Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him,
         Nor allow My faithfulness to fail.
 34 My covenant I will not break,
         Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
 35 Once I have sworn by My holiness;
         I will not lie to David:
 36 His seed shall endure forever,
         And his throne as the sun before Me;
 37 It shall be established forever like the moon,
         Even like the faithful witness in the sky.”  Selah
       
 38 But You have cast off and abhorred,
         You have been furious with Your anointed.
 39 You have renounced the covenant of Your servant;
         You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
 40 You have broken down all his hedges;
         You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
 41 All who pass by the way plunder him;
         He is a reproach to his neighbors.
 42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
         You have made all his enemies rejoice.
 43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,
         And have not sustained him in the battle.
 44 You have made his glory cease,
         And cast his throne down to the ground.
 45 The days of his youth You have shortened;
         You have covered him with shame.  Selah
       
 46 How long, LORD?
         Will You hide Yourself forever?
         Will Your wrath burn like fire?
 47 Remember how short my time is;
         For what futility have You created all the children of men?
 48 What man can live and not see death?
         Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?  Selah
       
 49 Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses,
         Which You swore to David in Your truth?
 50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants—
         How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples,
 51 With which Your enemies have reproached, O LORD,
         With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.
       
 52 Blessed be the LORD forevermore!
         Amen and Amen.

For My Soul is Full of Troubles

The psalmist appears to have gone through a long journey and is still facing much troubles. He knows God is his salvation and continues to cries out yet he is facing constant difficulties. He calls on the LORD daily and stretches out his hands and also sarcastically asks if God's lovingkindness could only be experienced after death. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, it does seem that the psalmist still have a hope in God which perhaps he does not understand - that is the hope which keeps him calling onto God and praying every morning.



Psalm 88


A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath Leannoth.” A Contemplation[a] of Heman the Ezrahite.

 1 O LORD, God of my salvation,
         I have cried out day and night before You.
 2 Let my prayer come before You;
         Incline Your ear to my cry.
       
 3 For my soul is full of troubles,
         And my life draws near to the grave.
 4 I am counted with those who go down to the pit;
         I am like a man who has no strength,
 5 Adrift among the dead,
         Like the slain who lie in the grave,
         Whom You remember no more,
         And who are cut off from Your hand.
       
 6 You have laid me in the lowest pit,
         In darkness, in the depths.
 7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
         And You have afflicted me with all Your waves.  Selah
 8 You have put away my acquaintances far from me;
         You have made me an abomination to them;
         I am shut up, and I cannot get out;
 9 My eye wastes away because of affliction.
       
         LORD, I have called daily upon You;
         I have stretched out my hands to You.
 10 Will You work wonders for the dead?
         Shall the dead arise and praise You?  Selah
 11 Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave?
         Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?
 12 Shall Your wonders be known in the dark?
         And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
       
 13 But to You I have cried out, O LORD,
         And in the morning my prayer comes before You.
 14 LORD, why do You cast off my soul?
         Why do You hide Your face from me?
 15 I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth;
         I suffer Your terrors;
         I am distraught.
 16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me;
         Your terrors have cut me off.
 17 They came around me all day long like water;
         They engulfed me altogether.
 18 Loved one and friend You have put far from me,
         And my acquaintances into darkness.

His Foundation is in the Holy Mountains

This seems to be a rather short and cryptic psalm. References are made to Zion and the holy mountains. These are special places of God and are mentioned in various parts of the Word. Rahab and Babylon are also mentioned, both were whores but the former had faith in the God of Israel and assisted God's people while the latter is mentioned in the Final Judgement. Another reference made here is about the fact that someone important will be born in Zion and that birth will be recorded. Perhaps this may refer to the birth of our LORD Jesus.


Psalm 87
A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song.

 1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
 2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion
         More than all the dwellings of Jacob.
 3 Glorious things are spoken of you,
         O city of God!  Selah 
        
 4 “I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to those who know Me;
         Behold, O Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia:
         ‘This one was born there.’ ”
        
 5 And of Zion it will be said,
         “This one and that one were born in her;
         And the Most High Himself shall establish her.”
 6 The LORD will record,
         When He registers the peoples:
         “This one was born there.”  Selah 
        
 7 Both the singers and the players on instruments say,
         “All my springs are in you.”

Because You, LORD, Have Helped Me and Comforted Me

The psalmist calls on the LORD to hear him, preserve him, be merciful to him, knowing that God is good and forgiving. He praises God that there is none like Him, and all nations would one day come and worship and glorify Him. The psalmist shows his genuine desire for God by requesting God to teach him God's ways so that he can walk in Truth.

The psalmist describes his challenges including people wishing to harm him. But he continues to call on God, depending on God's character of compassion, gracious, longsuffering, mercy and truth. He trusts that God will strengthen him and comfort him.


Psalm 86
A Prayer of David.

 1 Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me;
         For I am poor and needy.
 2 Preserve my life, for I am holy;
         You are my God;
         Save Your servant who trusts in You!
 3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
         For I cry to You all day long.
 4 Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
         For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
 5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
         And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
        
 6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
         And attend to the voice of my supplications.
 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
         For You will answer me.
        
 8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
         Nor are there any works like Your works.
 9 All nations whom You have made
         Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
         And shall glorify Your name.
 10 For You are great, and do wondrous things;
         You alone are God.
        
 11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;
         I will walk in Your truth;
         Unite my heart to fear Your name.
 12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
         And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
 13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
         And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
        
 14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
         And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
         And have not set You before them.
 15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
         Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
        
 16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
         Give Your strength to Your servant,
         And save the son of Your maidservant.
 17 Show me a sign for good,
         That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
         Because You, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

LORD, You Have Been Favorable to Your Land

This psalm looks at a time when God has brought His people back to His Promised Land. In doing so, God has forgiven His people and covered their sins. The psalm continues to call on God for salvation and restoration. The prayer is for the people to continue on the right path and not turn to foolish rebellion again. "Salvation is near to those who fear Him", goes the reminder. It seems that all is coming together when the LORD restores them, including mercy, truth, righteousness, peace and the land will increase.



Psalm 85
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
 1 LORD, You have been favorable to Your land;
         You have brought back the captivity of Jacob.
 2 You have forgiven the iniquity of Your people;
         You have covered all their sin.  Selah 
 3 You have taken away all Your wrath;
         You have turned from the fierceness of Your anger.
        
 4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,
         And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
 5 Will You be angry with us forever?
         Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
 6 Will You not revive us again,
         That Your people may rejoice in You?
 7 Show us Your mercy, LORD,
         And grant us Your salvation.
        
 8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
         For He will speak peace
         To His people and to His saints;
         But let them not turn back to folly.
 9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
         That glory may dwell in our land.
        
 10 Mercy and truth have met together;
         Righteousness and peace have kissed.
 11 Truth shall spring out of the earth,
         And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
 12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good;
         And our land will yield its increase.
 13 Righteousness will go before Him,
         And shall make His footsteps our pathway.

For A Day In Your Courts Is Better Than A Thousand

This psalm describes how wonderful it is to be in God's presence. This is illustrated as being in His tabernacle, in His courts and even at the post of the doorkeeper. The psalmist clearly yearns for the presence of God with all his soul. The psalmist recognises that those who are blessed are the ones who dwell in God's house, the one whose strength is in God, and the ones who trusts in God.


Psalm 84
To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

 1 How lovely is Your tabernacle,
         O LORD of hosts!
 2 My soul longs, yes, even faints
         For the courts of the LORD;
         My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
        
 3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
         And the swallow a nest for herself,
         Where she may lay her young—
         Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
         My King and my God.
 4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
         They will still be praising You.  Selah 
        
 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
         Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.
 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
         They make it a spring;
         The rain also covers it with pools.
 7 They go from strength to strength;
         Each one appears before God in Zion.[b]
        
 8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;
         Give ear, O God of Jacob!  Selah 
 9 O God, behold our shield,
         And look upon the face of Your anointed.
        
 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
         I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
         Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
         The LORD will give grace and glory;
         No good thing will He withhold
         From those who walk uprightly.
        
 12 O LORD of hosts,
         Blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Do Not Hold Your Peace

This psalm may be written in a time of despair and oppression for Israel. There is a call to God to act on behalf of His people. The enemies are scheming to not only defeat Israel but to annihilate them completely - something which has exact parallel even today.

The enemies listed here include the Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moab, Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, Assyria. So the psalmist calls upon God and gives description of how the enemies should be treated. And finally, the goal would be to show their enemies "That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth."


Psalm 83
A Song. A Psalm of Asaph

 1 Do not keep silent, O God!
         Do not hold Your peace,
         And do not be still, O God!
 2 For behold, Your enemies make a tumult;
         And those who hate You have lifted up their head.
 3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
         And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
 4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
         That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”
        
 5 For they have consulted together with one consent;
         They form a confederacy against You:
 6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
         Moab and the Hagrites;
 7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
         Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
 8 Assyria also has joined with them;
         They have helped the children of Lot.  Selah 
        
 9 Deal with them as with Midian,
         As with Sisera,
         As with Jabin at the Brook Kishon,
 10 Who perished at En Dor,
         Who became as refuse on the earth.
 11 Make their nobles like Oreb and like Zeeb,
         Yes, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
 12 Who said, “Let us take for ourselves
         The pastures of God for a possession.”
        
 13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust,
         Like the chaff before the wind!
 14 As the fire burns the woods,
         And as the flame sets the mountains on fire,
 15 So pursue them with Your tempest,
         And frighten them with Your storm.
 16 Fill their faces with shame,
         That they may seek Your name, O LORD.
 17 Let them be confounded and dismayed forever;
         Yes, let them be put to shame and perish,
 18 That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD,
         Are the Most High over all the earth.