1 A n instruction, by Ethan the Ezrahite. Of the kind acts of Jehovah, to the age I sing, To all generations I make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth,

I will sing of the lovingkindness of Jehovah for ever: With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

2 F or I said, `To the age is kindness built, The heavens! Thou dost establish Thy faithfulness in them.'

For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever; Thy faithfulness wilt thou establish in the very heavens.

3 I have made a covenant for My chosen, I have sworn to David My servant:

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

4 ` Even to the age do I establish thy seed, And have built to generation and generation thy throne. Selah.

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

5 a nd the heavens confess Thy wonders, O Jehovah, Thy faithfulness also in an assembly of holy ones.

And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Jehovah; Thy faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.

6 F or who in the sky, Compareth himself to Jehovah? Is like to Jehovah among sons of the mighty?

For who in the skies can be compared unto Jehovah? Who among the sons of the mighty is like unto Jehovah,

7 G od is very terrible, In the secret counsel of His holy ones, And fearful over all surrounding Him.

A God very terrible in the council of the holy ones, And to be feared above all them that are round about him?

8 O Jehovah, God of Hosts, Who like Thee -- a strong Jah? And Thy faithfulness round about Thee.

O Jehovah God of hosts, Who is a mighty one, like unto thee, O Jehovah? And thy faithfulness is round about thee.

9 T hou ruler over the pride of the sea, In the lifting up of its billows Thou dost restrain them.

Thou rulest the pride of the sea: When the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

10 T hou hast bruised Rahab, as one wounded. With the arm of Thy strength Thou hast scattered Thine enemies.

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

11 T hine the heavens -- the earth also Thine, The habitable world and its fulness, Thou hast founded them.

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

12 N orth and south Thou hast appointed them, Tabor and Hermon in Thy name do sing.

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

13 T hou hast an arm with might, Strong is Thy hand -- high Thy right hand.

Thou hast a mighty arm; Strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.

14 R ighteousness and judgment the fixed place of Thy throne, Kindness and truth go before Thy face.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy throne: Lovingkindness and truth go before thy face.

15 O the happiness of the people knowing the shout, O Jehovah, in the light of Thy face they walk habitually.

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: They walk, O Jehovah, in the light of thy countenance.

16 I n Thy name they rejoice all the day, And in Thy righteousness they are exalted,

In thy name do they rejoice all the day; And in thy righteousness are they exalted.

17 F or the beauty of their strength Thou, And in Thy good will is our horn exalted,

For thou art the glory of their strength; And in thy favor our horn shall be exalted.

18 F or of Jehovah our shield, And of the Holy One of Israel our king.

For our shield belongeth unto Jehovah; And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

19 T hen Thou hast spoken in vision, To Thy saint, yea, Thou sayest, I have placed help upon a mighty one, Exalted a chosen one out of the people,

Then thou spakest in vision to thy saints, And saidst, 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 I have anointed him.

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

21 W ith whom My hand is established, My arm also doth strengthen him.

With whom my hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him.

22 A n enemy exacteth not upon him, And a son of perverseness afflicteth him not.

The enemy shall not exact from him, Nor the son of wickedness afflict him.

23 A nd I have beaten down before him his adversaries, And those hating him I plague,

And I will beat down his adversaries before him, And smite them that hate him.

24 A nd My faithfulness and kindness with him, And in My name is his horn exalted.

But my faithfulness and my lovingkindness shall be with him; And in my name shall his horn be exalted.

25 A nd I have set on the sea his hand, And on the rivers his right hand.

I will set his hand also on the sea, And his right hand on the rivers.

26 H e proclaimeth me: `Thou my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.'

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

27 I also first-born do appoint him, Highest of the kings of the earth.

I also will make him my first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth.

28 T o the age I keep for him My kindness, And My covenant stedfast with him.

My lovingkindness will I keep for him for evermore; And my covenant shall stand fast with him.

29 A nd I have set his seed for ever, And his throne as the days of the heavens.

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

30 I f his sons forsake My law, And in My judgments do not walk;

If his children forsake my law, And walk not in mine ordinances;

31 I f My statutes they pollute, And My commands do not keep,

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

32 I have looked after with a rod their transgression, And with strokes their iniquity,

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

33 A nd My kindness I break not from him, Nor do I deal falsely in My faithfulness.

But my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

34 I profane not My covenant, And that which is going forth from My lips I change not.

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

35 O nce I have sworn by My holiness, I lie not to David,

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

36 H is seed is to the age, And his throne as the sun before Me,

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

37 A s the moon it is established -- to the age, And the witness in the sky is stedfast. Selah.

It shall be established for ever as the moon, And as the faithful witness in the sky. Selah

38 A nd Thou, Thou hast cast off, and dost reject, Thou hast shown Thyself wroth With Thine anointed,

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

39 H ast rejected the covenant of Thy servant, Thou hast polluted to the earth his crown,

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

40 T hou hast broken down all his hedges, Thou hast made his fenced places a ruin.

Thou hast broken down all his hedges; Thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin.

41 S poiled him have all passing by the way, He hath been a reproach to his neighbours,

All that pass by the way rob him: He is become a reproach to his neighbors.

42 T hou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries, Thou hast caused all his enemies to rejoice.

Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries; Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

43 A lso -- Thou turnest back the sharpness of his sword, And hast not established him in battle,

Yea, thou turnest back the edge of his sword, And hast not made him to stand in the battle.

44 H ast caused to cease from his brightness, And his throne to the earth hast cast down.

Thou hast made his brightness to cease, And cast his throne down to the ground.

45 T hou hast shortened the days of his youth, Hast covered him over shame. Selah.

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

46 T ill when, O Jehovah, art Thou hidden? For ever doth Thy fury burn as fire?

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

47 R emember, I pray Thee, what life-time? Wherefore in vain hast Thou created All the sons of men?

Oh remember how short my time is: For what vanity hast thou created all the children of men!

48 W ho the man that liveth, and doth not see death? He delivereth his soul from the hand of Sheol. Selah.

What man is he that shall live and not see death, That shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

49 W here Thy former kindnesses, O Lord. Thou hast sworn to David in Thy faithfulness,

Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, Which thou swarest unto David in thy faithfulness?

50 R emember, O Lord, the reproach of Thy servants, I have borne in my bosom all the strivings of the peoples,

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

51 W herewith Thine enemies reproached, O Jehovah, Wherewith they have reproached The steps of Thine anointed.

Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Jehovah, Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.

52 B lessed Jehovah to the age. Amen, and amen!

Blessed be Jehovah for evermore. Amen, and Amen.