Psalm 89:51 - Printer Friendly

ESV: with which your enemies mock, O Lord, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.

NIV: the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.

NASB: With which Your enemies have taunted, Lord, With which they have taunted the footsteps of Your anointed.

CSB: how your enemies have ridiculed, Lord, how they have ridiculed every step of your anointed.

NLT: Your enemies have mocked me, O Lord; they mock your anointed king wherever he goes.

KJV: Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.

NKJV: With which Your enemies have reproached, O Lord, With which they have reproached the footsteps of Your anointed.

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.

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.

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).

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 4:53:31 PM