Psalm 88 – Misericordias Domini

The perpetuity of the church of Christ, in consequence of the promise of God: which, notwithstanding, God permits her to suffer sometimes most grievous afflictions.

1 Of understanding, for Ethan the Ezrahite. 2 The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation. 3 For thou hast said: Mercy shall be built up for ever in the heavens: thy truth shall be prepared in them. 4 I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant: 5 Thy seed will I settle for ever. And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation.

6 The heavens shall confess thy wonders, O Lord: and thy truth in the church of the saints. 7 For who in the clouds can be compared to the Lord: or who among the sons of God shall be like to God? 8 God, who is glorified in the assembly of the saints: great and terrible above all them that are about him. 9 O Lord God of hosts, who is like to thee? thou art mighty, O Lord, and thy truth is round about thee. 10 Thou rulest the power of the sea: and appeasest the motion of the waves thereof.

11 Thou hast humbled the proud one, as one that is slain: with the arm of thy strength thou hast scattered thy enemies. 12 Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth: the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded: 13 The north and the sea thou hast created. Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name: 14 Thy arm is with might. Let thy hand be strengthened, and thy right hand exalted: 15 Justice and judgment are the preparation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face:

16 Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance: 17 And in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy justice they shall be exalted. 18 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted. 19 For our protection is of the Lord, and of our king the holy one of Israel. 20 Then thou spokest in a vision to thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of my people.

21 I have found David my servant: with my holy oil I have anointed him. 22 For my hand shall help him: and my arm shall strengthen him. 23 The enemy shall have no advantage over him: nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt him. 24 And I will cut down his enemies before his face; and them that hate him I will put to flight. 25 And my truth and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

26 And I will set his hand in the sea; and his right hand in the rivers. 27 He shall cry out to me: Thou art my father: my God, and the support of my salvation. 28 And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth. 29 I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him. 30 And I will make his seed to endure for evermore: and his throne as the days of heaven.

31 And if his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments: 32 If they profane my justices: and keep not my commandments: 33 I will visit their iniquities with a rod: and their sins with stripes. 34 But my mercy I will not take away from him: nor will I suffer my truth to fail. 35 Neither will I profane my covenant: and the words that proceed from my mouth I will not make void.

36 Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David: 37 His seed shall endure for ever. 38 And his throne as the sun before me: and as the moon perfect for ever, and a faithful witness in heaven. 39 But thou hast rejected and despised: thou hast been angry with thy anointed. 40 Thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his sanctuary on the earth.

41 Thou hast broken down all his hedges: thou hast made his strength fear. 42 All that pass by the way have robbed him: he is become a reproach to his neighbours. 43 Thou hast set up the right hand of them that oppress him: thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. 44 Thou hast turned away the help of his sword; and hast not assisted him in battle. 45 Thou hast made his purification to cease: and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground.

46 Thou hast shortened the days of his time: thou hast covered him with confusion. 47 How long, O Lord, turnest thou away unto the end? shall thy anger burn like fire? 48 Remember what my substance is for hast thou made all the children of men in vain? 49 Who is the man that shall live, and not see death: that shall deliver his soul from the hand of hell? 50 Lord, where are thy ancient mercies, according to what thou didst swear to David in thy truth?

51 Be mindful, O Lord, of the reproach of thy servants (which I have held in my bosom) of many nations: 52 Wherewith thy enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the change of thy anointed. 53 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it.

Commentary

[40] “Overthrown the covenant”: All this seems to relate to the time of the captivity of Babylon, in which, for the sins of the people and their princes, God seemed to have set aside for a while the covenant he made with David.