Psalm 89

THE mercies of the Lord will I
for ever sing, and will
With my mouth shew thy faithfulnesse
unto all ages still.
For I have said, that mercy shall
for ever settled be,
Thy faithfulnesse established
in Heav'n it self by thee.

A Cov'nant with my chosen I
have made firm to abide,
Which unto David by an oath
I surely ratifi'd;
That I thy seed establish will
for ever to endure,
And unto generations all
will build thy Throne most sure.

The Heav'ns shall shew with joy and mirth
thy wondrous works, O Lord,
Thy Saints shall in thy Church on earth
thy faithfulnesse record.
For in the Heavens to the Lord,
who may himself compare?
Amongst the sons of mighty ones,
who with him equall are?

The Saints in their assemblies ought
the Lord greatly to fear,
He must be rev'renced of all
that come about him near.
O God, the Lord of hosts, who can
like thee a strong Lord be?
Thy truth and faithfulnesse do as
a girdle compasse thee.

The sea though raging furiously,
thou rulest at thy will,
The waves though mounting up on high,
thou makest calm and still.
Thou Egypt strongly didst beat down,
as one that wounded is,
And with thy mighty arm thou hast
dispers'd thine enemies.

The Second Part.

The heaven is thine, the earth is thine,
and by thy pow'r and will,
The great wide world thou founded hast
and all that doth it fill.
The North and South from thee alone,
their first beginning had,
Both Tabor West, Hermon East,
In thy name shall be glad.

Thou hast, O God, an arm of strength
that worketh mightily,
Strong is thy hand, and thy right hand
in pow'r exceeding high.
In justice, and in judgement, doth
thy thrones foundation lie,
Mercy and truth shall go before
thy face continually.

O those that know the joyful sound,
a blessed people be,
In the light of thy countenance,
Lord, they shall walk with thee.
All the day long shall they rejoice,
because thy name is nigh,
And in thy righteousnesse and truth
shall be exalted high.

For of their strength thou only art
the glory and the praise,
And in thy favour shall our horn
exalted be always.
For God the Lord is our defence,
who doth us safety bring,
The holy One of Israel
is our almighty King.

Then to thy holy One thou spak'st
and saidst in vision,
A mighty one I have advanc'd,
and have laid help upon.
Whom I out of the people chose,
David I did anoint
With holy oil, my servant whom
I found, and did appoint.

The Third Part.

With whom my hand and pow'r shall be
confirm'd and stablished,
And by my mighty arm shall he
always be strengthned.
The enemy on him shall not
any exaction lay,
Nor shall the son of wickednesse
afflict him any way.

I will beat down before his face
all his malicious foes,
And will them greatly plague that doe
in hatred him oppose.
With him my mercy and my truth
shall be continually,
And in my name his horn shall be
exalted graciously.

The power of his hand will I
unto the seas extend,
Of the rule of thy right hand shall
the rivers be the end,
Thou are my father, he shall cry,
thou art my God alone,
Thou only art the strength and rock
of my salvation.

I likewise will him make, and call
my first-born, my delight,
He shall the Kings of th' earth excel
in glory and in might.
For him my mercy promised,
for ever keep I will,
And my unchanged Covenant shall
with him stand stedfast still.

Yea, his seed also will I make
for ever to endure,
And as the days of heav'n his throne
shall stable be and sure.
If his children forsake my law,
walk not in my judgements,
But break my statutes, and do not
keep my Commandements,

The Fourth Part.

Then their transgression with the rod
visit on them will I,
And sharply chastise them with stripes
for their iniquity.
My loving kindnesse ne'rthelesse
I will not utterly
Take from him, nor my faithfulnesse
suffer to him to lie.

My Covenant shall continue still,
that will I never break,
Nor ever alter will that thing
which once my lips did speak.
Once sware I by my holinesse,
and that perform will I,
With David I will promise keep,
to him I will not lie.

His seed and his posterity
for ever shall endure,
And his throne as the Sun shall be
before me settled sure.
Or as the Moon which in the skie
for ever standest fast,
A faithful witnesse of my truth,
so shall his kingdome last.

But now thou wholly hast cast off,
and abhorr'd utterly,
And hast with thine anointed one
been wroth exceedingly.
The Covenant with thy servant made,
thou wholly broken hast,
And hast profan'd his glorious Crown,
and to the ground it cast.

Yea, farther thou hast broken down
in wrath his hedges all,
Thou his strong holds hast overthrown,
that they to ruine fall.
To all that by the way do passe,
a spoil and prey is he,
And a reproach he is to those
that neer him dwelling be.

The Fifth Part.

The right hand of his opposites
thou hast set up on high,
Thou hast made all his enemies
rejoice exceedingly.
The edge thou also of his sword
hast turned in his hand,
And hast nor strengthned him, that he
might in the battel stand.

The brightnesse of his glory thou
hast made to cease and waste,
And thou his throne of Majesty
unto the ground hast cast.
Thou of the flower of his youth
the days hast shortned,
And thou as with a garment, him
with shame hast covered.

How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thy selfe
shall thy wrath ever last?
And shall thine anger evermore
like fire consume and waste?
Remember now how short a time
I shall on earth remain,
If life be spent in miseries,
thou hast made man in vain.

What man is he that lives on earth,
and death shall never see,
And from the power of the grave,
what man his soul can free?
Thy former loving kindnesses,
O Lord, where are they now?
Those which in truth and faithfulnesse
to David sworn hast thou?

Remember, Lord, the soul reproach
of all thy servants dear,
How I the scorns of mighty ones
do in my bosome bear.
Wherewith thine enemies, O Lord,
reproaches laid upon?
Reproaches, on the footsteps of
thine own anointed one.

Now let the holy Lord our God
for us be blest for aye,
Amen, amen, with heart and voice,
let all the people say.