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Psalm 89 Bible study: I have sworn to David
Psalm 89 says loving kindness and faithfulness seven times each in Hebrew. The LORD swears, "I will not break my covenant" (89:34); then, with the same Hebrew verb, the psalm tells him, "You have defiled his crown in the dust" (89:39). Its last question hands him back his oath: "Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?" (89:49).
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“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Loving kindness and truth go before your face.”
Try it · Did you catch it?
“Psalm 89 asks the Lord where his former loving kindnesses are, which he swore to David.”
Is that in Psalm 89, or not? Make your call.
What's really going on
Loving kindness and faithfulness, seven times each
The title reads, "A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite." (89:1). The chapter on Psalm 32 looks at the word contemplation, maskil (tap contemplation). Then the psalm's first words name its two themes: "I will sing of the loving kindness of the LORD forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations" (89:1) (tap loving kindness, faithfulness). Here is what almost everyone misses: in Hebrew each of the two words comes seven times in this psalm. Loving kindness, chesed, is in 89:1, 2, 14, 24, 28, 33 and 49; in 89:2 the WEB gives it as Love: "Love stands firm forever" (89:2). Faithfulness, emunah, is in 89:1, 2, 5, 8, 24, 33 and 49. Five verses have both (89:1, 2, 24, 33, 49). The Psalms have emunah 22 times in Hebrew, and seven of them are here. (The chapter on Psalm 88 sets 89:1 and 89:5 beside that psalm's questions, which have the same words.) The last verse that has both is a question: "Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?" (89:49).
Honest questions
Questions people ask about Psalm 89
- The title says "A contemplation by Ethan, the Ezrahite" (89:1). Who was Ethan, and when was the psalm written?
- The LORD says, "I will not break my covenant" (89:34), and the psalm says, "You have renounced the covenant of your servant" (89:39). Did God break his promise?
- Who are "the holy ones" and "the sons of the heavenly beings" in 89:5-7?
That was a taste
The rest of Psalm 89 is waiting in Favor
- A covenant and an oath
- "But you"
- The sea, Rahab, Tabor and Hermon
- Cast off and abhorred
- Firstborn, kings of the earth, faithful witness
- Amen, and Amen: the third part closes
- 15 questions as you read
- 14 more Hebrew words
- A short check at the end
- Your notes, saved as you go
Favor reads the Bible in order, so you'll reach Psalm 89 with everything before it in view. First week free, then $10 a month per person.
The Hebrew word behind it
אֱמוּנָהemunahsay e-moo-NAH
Brown-Driver-Briggs: "firmness, steadfastness, fidelity". Strong's: "literally firmness; figuratively security; morally fidelity". The psalm has it seven times, and the WEB gives it as faithfulness each time (89:1, 2, 5, 8, 24, 33, 49). The Psalms have it 22 times in Hebrew, and seven of them are here. In the psalm's praise it is in the heavens and around the LORD: "Your faithfulness is in them" (89:2), "LORD, your faithfulness is around you" (89:8). In 89:24 and 89:33 the LORD calls it his own, promised to David: "But I will not completely take my loving kindness from him, nor allow my faithfulness to fail" (89:33). And in 89:49 it is asked about. The chapter on Psalm 36 looks at the same pair in "Your loving kindness, LORD, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies" (Psalm 36:5).
For your group
Psalm 89 Bible study questions
- 1"With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations" (89:1). Where have you seen God's faithfulness in a way you could tell someone younger than you?
- 2The psalm says hard things to God, to his face: "You have renounced the covenant of your servant" (89:39). What makes it hard or easy for you to bring your honest questions to God rather than keep them from him?
- 3"Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses?" (89:49), and then, "Blessed be the LORD forever more" (89:52). When something God has promised seems far away, what helps you keep speaking to him?
Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Psalm 89 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.
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Questions
What is Favor?
Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.
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Favor takes the Bible as one story, in order, so you'll reach Psalm 89 with everything that leads up to it in view. Start from Genesis, or meet Jesus first in the Gospels. You can read the text of any chapter in Favor's Look up whenever you like.
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No. Many people read on their own. If you'd like to read with others, start a Bible study and share one link. Everyone's answers stay private until you meet.
I've never really read the Bible. Is this for me?
Yes. Favor starts where you are and explains as it goes. The questions along the way aren't marked right or wrong: you answer, then see what the text shows.
Which Bible does Favor use?
The World English Bible, a modern, readable translation in the public domain. God's name appears as "the LORD", as in most English Bibles.
Is Favor tied to a church?
No. Favor is non-denominational. Where Christians read a passage differently, it shows the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home