What does Psalm 89:34 mean?
ESV: I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
NIV: I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.
NASB: I will not violate My covenant, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.
CSB: I will not violate my covenant or change what my lips have said.
NLT: No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said.
KJV: to me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
NKJV: My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
Psalm 89:19–37 mostly speaks from God's perspective. He describes how He chose David to be Israel's king and strengthened him to defeat his foes. The Lord also made a covenant with David: a promise to give David an everlasting dynasty and a throne. These would eventually be fulfilled in the form of David's descendant, Jesus.
Chapter Summary:
This psalm is not directly connected to other events in Scripture; it might be associated with the Babylonian captivity (2 Kings 24:10–16) or the Egyptian raid against Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:25–28). The psalmist begins by praising God for His loyal love. It applauds His covenant with David. However, this turns to grief over apparent defeats and humiliations. The psalm ends with a plea for the Lord to remember His promises and reverse Israel's fortunes.
Chapter Context:
This psalm is attributed to Ethan, a Levite (1 Chronicles 15:17–18). The content suggests Israel had suffered one or more crushing defeats (1 Kings 14:25–28; 2 Kings 24:10–16). So, after celebrating God's love in establishing David's throne, the tone quickly turns to bitter mourning. This combination—faith paralleled with honest angst—is a common theme in the psalms (Psalm 22; 73; 74).
Book Summary:
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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