Psalm 89 3

Psalm 89:3 kjv

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

Psalm 89:3 nkjv

"I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David:

Psalm 89:3 niv

You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant,

Psalm 89:3 esv

You have said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:

Psalm 89:3 nlt

The LORD said, "I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.
I have sworn this oath to him:

Psalm 89 verses

Psalm 89 3 Meaning

Psalm 89:3 declares God's steadfast declaration concerning the covenant He established with David, His chosen servant. It underscores the profound, immutable nature of this agreement, stating that God Himself swore an oath to confirm its promises, highlighting His divine faithfulness and commitment to His word and to David's lineage. This verse lays the groundwork for the psalm's central theme of the Davidic covenant and the subsequent contemplation of God's covenantal faithfulness.

Psalm 89 3 Context

Psalm 89 is a maskil, an instructional psalm, attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite. It stands as a significant prophetic and didactic work, centralizing the theme of the Davidic Covenant. The psalm opens with praise for God's enduring love and faithfulness (vv. 1-18). Verse 3 marks the beginning of a divine oracle, where God Himself speaks, affirming the solemnity and certainty of His covenant with David. This divine declaration (vv. 3-4) directly quotes or closely paraphrases God's original promises to David found in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 and 1 Chronicles 17:11-14. The psalm then elaborates on God's omnipotence and majesty (vv. 5-18). The remainder of the psalm (vv. 19-51) describes God’s faithfulness to this covenant by highlighting specific elements of the promise given to David, but dramatically shifts to a lament regarding the apparent collapse of the Davidic dynasty and God's apparent failure to uphold His promises due to the present distress of Israel. Therefore, verse 3 provides the bedrock on which the psalm's profound theological tension is built – God's eternal promise vs. temporal reality.

Psalm 89 3 Word analysis

• I have made a covenant: This phrase emphasizes the divine initiative and authority in establishing this relationship. The Hebrew term is בְּרִית ( berit ), signifying a formal, binding agreement between two parties, here between God and David. Unlike human treaties that can be broken, God's covenant is characterized by His enduring faithfulness and sovereignty. This covenant, specifically the Davidic Covenant, is presented as an unconditional grant by God, although some aspects relating to the continued blessedness of David's descendants are conditional on their obedience.

• with my chosen one: The Hebrew for "chosen one" is בְּחִירִי ( bechiri ), meaning one who has been specially selected, picked out, or designated for a specific purpose by God. This highlights David's unique status not based on his merit but on God's sovereign election and divine favor. The concept of God choosing someone is prevalent throughout the Bible (e.g., Abraham, Israel, Jacob, Levi), denoting a special relationship and divine plan. This term also carries significant messianic overtones, often applied to the coming Messiah, God's ultimate chosen Servant (e.g., Is 42:1, Matt 12:18).

• I have sworn: The Hebrew is נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי ( nishba'ti ), derived from the root שׁבע (shava), which means "to swear" or "to take an oath." This denotes the highest level of assurance and commitment possible for God. When God swears by Himself, as He does here and elsewhere (e.g., Gen 22:16), it signifies that the promise is utterly certain and immutable, leaving no room for doubt about its fulfillment. An oath brings divine integrity into play, making the promise unbreakable (Heb 6:13-18).

• to David: Refers to David, the son of Jesse, the second king of Israel. He is the specific human recipient of this divine covenant and oath. This grounds the theological promise in a historical, identifiable figure. God's covenant with David secures not only David's dynasty but also the promise of a coming everlasting kingdom and King.

• my servant: The Hebrew is עַבְדִּי ( avdi ), meaning "my servant." While "servant" can imply humility and obedience, in this divine context, it often denotes a special relationship of trust, intimacy, and commissioning. Many significant figures in the Bible are called "God's servant" (e.g., Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Job, the prophets), signifying one who is devoted to God and entrusted with God's purposes. For David, this title highlights his role as God's anointed leader and the one through whom God's redemptive plan would advance towards the ultimate "Servant" Messiah.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "I have made a covenant with my chosen one": This grouping highlights the proactive and sovereign nature of God's act. God initiated the covenant, and He chose whom it would be with. This removes any sense of human achievement or deservingness from the covenant's establishment, making it solely a work of divine grace and election.
  • "I have sworn to David my servant": This grouping reiterates and strengthens the previous statement with the added force of a divine oath. It grounds the universal truth of God's faithfulness into a specific historical promise given to a specific individual whom God has singularly used for His purposes. The combination of "sworn" and "my servant" emphasizes the unbreakable nature of the bond and the deep commitment God has to His chosen instruments.

Psalm 89 3 Bonus section

The format of this verse, being a direct declaration from God, adds immense weight and authority. It shifts from the Psalmist's praise to God's own voice, emphasizing that the content is divine truth. This technique of an embedded divine oracle is common in Psalms and prophetic literature to establish undeniable truth. The verse implicitly addresses any doubt regarding the covenant's certainty by framing it as God's solemn, sworn statement. This divine oracle serves to magnify God’s unfailing hesed (steadfast love, mercy) and emunah (faithfulness), which are the opening themes of Psalm 89.

Psalm 89 3 Commentary

Psalm 89:3 encapsulates the absolute certainty and divine origin of the Davidic covenant. This verse is not merely a recounting of historical events but a foundational declaration of God's character as a covenant-keeping God. The terms "made a covenant," "chosen one," "sworn," and "my servant" combine to paint a picture of God's sovereign initiative, unwavering faithfulness, and profound commitment. God did not simply promise; He made a binding covenant. He did not simply choose, but chose His designated servant David. Crucially, He "swore" this covenant, providing an inviolable guarantee of its permanence. This emphasis on the oath underscores the unchangeable nature of God's purpose and promise, a theme crucial throughout Scripture, especially when dealing with God's plans for redemption through Christ. The psalm's initial celebration of God's steadfast love and faithfulness leads directly into this statement, which then sets the stage for the dramatic tension: how can such a sure oath appear to fail amidst the current national distress? The ultimate answer, as revealed in the New Testament, is found in the perfect and eternal fulfillment of this covenant in Jesus Christ, the ultimate chosen One and Davidic Servant King, through whom God's kingdom is established forever.