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 loving kindness of Yahweh forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

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

I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them.”

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

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant,

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

‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah.

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

The heavens will praise your wonders, Yahweh; your 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 to Yahweh? Who among the sons of the heavenly beings is like Yahweh,

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

a very awesome God in the council of the holy ones, to be feared above all those who are around him?

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

Yahweh, God of Armies, who is a mighty one, like you? Yah, your faithfulness is around you.

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

You rule the pride of the sea. When its waves rise up, you calm them.

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

You have broken Rahab in pieces, like one of the slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

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

The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours; the world and its fullness. You have founded them.

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

The north and the south, you have created them. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

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

You have a mighty arm. Your hand is strong, and your right hand is exalted.

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 your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.

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

Blessed are the people who learn to acclaim you. They walk in the light of your presence, Yahweh.

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

In your name they rejoice all day. In your righteousness, they are exalted.

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

For you are the glory of their strength. In your favor, our horn will be exalted.

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

For our shield belongs to Yahweh; 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 you spoke in vision to your saints, and said, “I have given strength to the warrior. I have exalted a young man from the people.

20 I have found David My servant, With My holy oil I have anointed him.

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

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

with whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him.

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

No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.

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

I will beat down his adversaries before him, and strike those who hate him.

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

But my faithfulness and my loving kindness will be with him. In my name, his horn will 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 will call to me, ‘You are 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 will also appoint him my firstborn, 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.

I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him.

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

I will also make his offspring endure forever, 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 don’t walk in my ordinances;

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

if they break my statutes, and don’t keep my commandments;

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

then I will punish their sin 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 I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail.

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

I will not break my covenant, nor alter what my lips have uttered.

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 to David.

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

His offspring will endure forever, his throne like 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 will be established forever like the moon, 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 you have rejected and spurned. You have been angry with your anointed.

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

You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have defiled his crown in the dust.

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

You have broken down all his hedges. You have brought his strongholds to ruin.

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

All who pass by the way rob him. He has 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.

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

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

Yes, you turn back the edge of his sword, and haven’t supported him in battle.

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

You have ended his splendor, and thrown his throne down to the ground.

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

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

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

How long, Yahweh? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire?

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

Remember how short my time is! For what vanity have you 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 who shall live and not see death, who 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 your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your 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 your servants, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the mighty peoples,

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

With which your enemies have mocked, Yahweh, with which they have mocked the footsteps of your anointed one.

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

Blessed be Yahweh forever more. Amen, and Amen.