What does Psalm 89:46 mean?
ESV: How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?
NIV: How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?
NASB: How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire?
CSB: How long, Lord? Will you hide forever? Will your anger keep burning like fire?
NLT: O Lord, how long will this go on? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your anger burn like fire?
KJV: How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
NKJV: How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire?
Verse Commentary:
Verse Context:
Psalm 89:46–52 closes the psalm begging the Lord to reverse Israel's fortunes before the psalmist dies. In this time of crisis, life itself seems pointless. While Israel is insulted and mocked, the psalmist calls on God to see and respond. History provides no indication of what was happening, but some suggest this was written about the Jewish exile under Babylon (2 Kings 24:10–16). Another possibility is an Egyptian raid (1 Kings 14:25–28) during the time of Rehoboam.
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.
Accessed 11/22/2024 4:06:08 PM
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