Psalms 89:19
Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
Study Note
Study Note
'Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people' — the divine oracle recounting David's election uses the vision-to-prophet form (possibly Nathan's prophecy of 2 Samuel 7) to ground royal election in direct divine disclosure rather than human agency. The phrase 'laid help upon one mighty' (shittî 'ezer 'al-gibbor) presents the Davidic king as both recipient of divine strength and instrument of divine power — a mediatorial figure. The psalm's subsequent lament over the apparent abandonment of this covenant (verses 38–51) creates the theological tension that messianic expectation seeks to resolve, making Psalm 89 one of the Psalter's most important messianic texts.
Other Translations
Then thou spakest in vision to thy saints, And saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
Then Thou hast spoken in vision, To Thy saint, yea, Thou sayest, I have placed help upon a mighty one, Exalted a chosen one out of the people,
Then your voice came to your holy one in a vision, saying, I have put the crown on a strong one, lifting up one taken from among the people.
Cross References
And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning …
Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth–lehemite, that is …
Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from …
According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all …
Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the …
My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his …
And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will …