Psalm 89:1 kjv
I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 89:1 nkjv
A Contemplation of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 89:1 niv
A maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
Psalm 89:1 esv
I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 89:1 nlt
I will sing of the LORD's unfailing love forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
Psalm 89 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 34:6-7 | "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands..." | God's self-revelation emphasizing His mercy. |
| Deut 7:9 | "Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy..." | Highlights God as faithful covenant-keeper. |
| Psa 36:5 | "Your mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds." | Parallels mercy and faithfulness to the heavens. |
| Psa 57:10 | "For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens, And Your truth unto the clouds." | Similar expression of vast mercy and truth. |
| Psa 100:5 | "For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations." | God's enduring mercy and truth for generations. |
| Psa 103:8 | "The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy." | Description of God's compassionate character. |
| Psa 107:1 | "Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." | Recurring call to praise God's eternal mercy. |
| Psa 145:4 | "One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts." | Passing on God's truth to successive generations. |
| Lam 3:22-23 | "Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." | God's unfailing compassion and great faithfulness. |
| Mal 3:6 | "For I am the LORD, I do not change..." | God's unchanging nature. |
| Jn 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory... full of grace and truth." | Christ as the embodiment of grace and truth. |
| 1 Cor 1:9 | "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." | God's faithfulness enabling salvation. |
| 1 Thes 5:24 | "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." | God's faithfulness in completing His work. |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." | God's faithfulness even in human unfaithfulness. |
| Heb 10:23 | "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." | Encouragement based on God's faithfulness. |
| Rev 19:11 | "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True..." | Christ is described as Faithful and True. |
| Psa 9:1-2 | "I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in You..." | A similar vow of joyful praise. |
| Psa 71:15 | "My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day..." | A resolve to proclaim God's righteousness. |
| Psa 119:90 | "Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides." | God's faithfulness tied to creation and sustenance. |
| Luke 1:50 | "And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation." | God's enduring mercy on those who fear Him. |
| Deut 4:9 | "Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen... but teach them to your children and their grandchildren." | Passing on God's acts to future generations. |
| Psa 89:2 | "For I have said, 'Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.'" | Reinforces God's eternal mercy and faithfulness. |
| 2 Sam 7:15-16 | "But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul... And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever..." | God's covenant mercy promised to David. |
Psalm 89 verses
Psalm 89 1 Meaning
Psalm 89:1 is a heartfelt declaration of personal and generational praise for the unwavering attributes of God. It expresses a resolute commitment to continually proclaim the Lord's covenantal love and absolute reliability for all time and to future generations.
Psalm 89 1 Context
Psalm 89 is a "Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite," a didactic or meditative psalm. It begins with fervent praise (verses 1-4) for God's steadfast love and faithfulness, specifically emphasizing the Davidic covenant. This initial section acts as a strong declaration of trust in God's character and promises. However, the majority of the psalm shifts dramatically into a profound lament (verses 38-51), expressing confusion and questioning God's apparent abandonment of the Davidic line in the face of national defeat and suffering. The juxtaposition of verse 1's confident praise with the later lament highlights the tension between God's unchanging character and the painful reality of a distressed people, yet the psalmist begins with an anchor in the known attributes of God.
Psalm 89 1 Word analysis
- "I will sing": This signifies a deeply personal, active, and public commitment to worship. It is a vow (future tense) to consistently praise.
- "of the mercies": Hebrew: khasadim (חֲסָדִים), plural of khesed (חֶסֶד). This is far more than mere pity or kindness; it denotes covenant loyalty, steadfast love, unfailing goodness, and faithful devotion. It describes God's active commitment to His promises and people, a love that is rooted in fidelity and demonstrated through His actions.
- "of the LORD": Hebrew: YHWH (יְהוָה). This is the covenant name of God, revealing Him as the self-existent, faithful God who keeps His promises, particularly His covenant with Israel.
- "forever": Hebrew: olam (עוֹלָם). Denotes eternity, perpetual duration, unending time. The psalmist intends to sing God's khesed endlessly.
- "With my mouth": Emphasizes that this is not a silent or internal reflection, but a vocal, public declaration and testimony. It underscores the active nature of the praise.
- "will I make known": Hebrew: odi'a (אוֹדִ֣יעַ), meaning to declare, make known, proclaim, teach. It's a purposeful communication of truth about God.
- "Your faithfulness": Hebrew: emunah (אֱמוּנָה). This attribute means steadfastness, reliability, constancy, truth, and trustworthiness. It refers to God's unswerving adherence to His word and character, meaning He is dependable and will fulfill what He promises.
- "to all generations": Hebrew: dor va-dor (דֹּר וָדוֹר), literally "generation and generation." This phrase highlights the trans-generational aspect of this proclamation. The truth about God's character is to be preserved and passed down, influencing future descendants and ensuring a lasting legacy of faith.
Words-group analysis
- "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness": This phrase highlights a beautiful parallelism and synergy. The personal act of "singing" is linked to "mercies," while the more public act of "making known" is tied to "faithfulness." Both verbs convey a deep, active worship, showing that worship involves both adoration and testimony. It emphasizes that God's khesed and emunah are His foundational attributes worthy of eternal proclamation.
- "the mercies of the LORD... Your faithfulness": These two divine attributes, khesed and emunah, are often paired in Scripture as the pillars of God's covenantal character. Khesed speaks of His loving commitment, while emunah speaks of His absolute reliability to act according to that commitment. Together, they form a powerful testimony to God's nature as both loving and true. The use of "LORD" (YHWH) further reinforces the covenantal aspect of these attributes.
- "forever; With my mouth... to all generations": This pairing illustrates the eternal and generational scope of the psalmist's commitment to praise God. "Forever" pertains to the unending nature of the praise itself, while "to all generations" emphasizes the enduring impact and transmission of God's truth throughout human history. This is a resolve for sustained and inherited witness.
Psalm 89 1 Bonus section
The structure of Psalm 89:1 serves as a pattern for believers to declare God's immutable attributes even amidst perplexing trials. The declaration precedes and frames the difficult questions asked later in the psalm. The Hebrew poetic parallelism of "sing...mercies...forever" with "make known...faithfulness...to all generations" underscores the completeness of the commitment and the intertwined nature of God's steadfast love and faithfulness. This verse embodies a prophetic stance, proclaiming God's attributes not merely as present facts, but as truths that must be heard and passed down, providing a theological framework for those yet to come. It affirms that the very character of God (His khesed and emunah) is the only solid foundation upon which human hope can stand, particularly when facing the tension between divine promises and temporal experiences.
Psalm 89 1 Commentary
Psalm 89:1 is a foundational declaration that sets the tone for an intensely theological psalm. It is a psalmist's personal commitment, born of deep understanding and conviction, to endlessly celebrate two core aspects of God's character: His khesed (steadfast, covenantal love) and His emunah (unwavering faithfulness). This opening vow is particularly profound because the rest of the psalm struggles with the apparent contradiction between these very attributes and the crushing national experience of defeat and broken promises (especially concerning the Davidic covenant). Yet, the psalmist chooses to begin not with lament, but with a confident, deliberate resolve to vocalize God's truth. This act of praise, sung and declared publicly and perpetuated for future generations, is an anchor in chaos—a statement of faith that transcends current circumstances and holds fast to the unchanging nature of God. It acknowledges that God's character is eternal and reliable, forming the very ground upon which the psalmist can then honestly voice his plea and despair. It is a powerful example of grounding one's hope in the absolute nature of God, regardless of temporal difficulties.