Psalms 88
1A Psalm of instruction for Ethan the Israelite. 1
2I will sing of thy mercies, O Lord, forever: 1 I will declare thy truth with my mouth to all generations. 1
3For thou hast said, Mercy shall be built up forever: 1 Thy truth shall be established in the heavens. 1
4I made a covenant with my chosen ones, 1 I swore unto David my servant. 1
5I will establish thy seed forever, 1 And build up thy throne to all generations. Pause. 1
6The heavens shall declare thy wonders, O Lord; 1 And thy truth in the assembly of the saints. 1
7For who in the heavens shall be compared to the Lord? 1 And who shall be likened to the Lord among the sons of God? 1
8God is glorified in the council of the saints; 1 Great and terrible toward all that are round about him. 1
9O Lord God of hosts, who is like to thee? 1 Thou art mighty, O Lord, and thy truth is round about thee. 1
10Thou rulest the power of the sea; 1 And thou calmest the tumult of its waves. 1
11Thou hast brought down the proud as one that is slain; 1 And with the arm of thy power thou hast scattered thine enemies. 1
12The heavens are thine, and the earth is thine: 1 Thou hast founded the world, and the fullness of it. 1
13Thou hast created the north and the west: 1 Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. 1
14Thine is the mighty arm: 1 Let thy hand be strengthened, let thy right hand be exalted. 1
15Justice and judgment are the establishment of thy throne: 1 Mercy and truth shall go before thy face. 1
16Blessed is the people that knows the joyful sound: 1 They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. 1
17And in thy name shall they rejoice all the day: 1 And in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. 1
18For thou art the boast of their strength; 1 And in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted, 1
19For our help is of the Lord; 1 And of the Holy One of Israel, our king. 1
20Then thou spokest in vision to thy children, 1 And saidst, I have laid help on a mighty one; 1 I have exalted one chosen out of my people. 1
21I have found David my servant; 1 I have anointed him by my holy mercy. 1
22For my hand shall support him; 1 And mine arm shall strengthen him. 1
23The enemy shall have no advantage against him; 1 And the son of transgression shall not hurt him again. 1
24And I will hew down his foes before him, 1 And put to flight those that hate him. 1
25But my truth and my mercy shall be with him; 1 And in my name shall his horn be exalted. 1
26And I will set his hand in the sea, 1 And his right hand in the rivers. 1
27He shall call upon me, saying, Thou art my Father, 1 My God, and the helper of my salvation. 1
28And I will make him my firstborn, 1 Higher than the kings of the earth. 1
29I will keep my mercy for him forever, 1 And my covenant shall be firm with him. 1
30And I will establish his seed forever and ever, 1 And his throne as the days of heaven. 1
31If his children should forsake my law, 1 And walk not in my judgments; 1
32If they should profane my ordinances, 1 And not keep my commandments; 1
33I will visit their transgressions with a rod, 1 And their sins with scourges. 1
34But my mercy I will not utterly remove from him, 1 Nor wrong my truth. 1
35Neither will I by any means profane my covenant; 1 And I will not make void the things that proceed out of my lips. 1
36Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie to David. 1
37His seed shall endure forever, 1 And his throne as the sun before me; 1
38And as the moon that is established forever, 1 And as the faithful witness in heaven. Pause. 1
39But thou hast cast off and set at nought, 1 Thou hast rejected thine anointed. 1
40Thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant; 1 Thou hast profaned his sanctuary, casting it to the ground. 1
41Thou hast broken down all his hedges; 1 Thou hast made his strongholds a terror. 1
42All that go by the way have spoiled him: 1 He is become a reproach to his neighbors. 1
43Thou hast exalted the right hand of his enemies; 1 Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. 1
44Thou hast turned back the help of his sword, 1 And hast not helped him in the battle. 1
45Thou hast deprived him of glory: 1 Thou hast broken down his throne to the ground. 1
46Thou hast shortened the days of his throne: 1 Thou hast poured shame upon him. Pause. 1
47How long, O Lord, wilt thou turn away, forever? 1 Shall thine anger flame out as fire? 1
48Remember what my being is: 1 For hast thou created all the sons of men in vain? 1
49What man is there who shall live, and not see death? 1 Shall anyone deliver his soul from the hand of Hades? Pause. 1
50Where are thine ancient mercies, O Lord, 1 Which thou sworest to David in thy truth? 1
51Remember, O Lord, the reproach of thy servants, 1 Which I have borne in my bosom, even the reproach of many nations; 1
52Wherewith thine enemies have reviled, O Lord: 1 Wherewith they have reviled the recompense of thine anointed. 1
53Blessed be the Lord forever. 1 So be it, so be it.