Psalms 89:17 Explained in Context

Read It With

• Psalms 89:5–18
• Psalms 89:1–52

Read Psalms 89:17 with 89:5–18 and 89:1–52. Read alone, “For thou art the glory of their strength” could lose the communal voice, the parallel line or movement it develops, and the psalm's outcome. The complete movement establishes: Within Psalms 89:5–18, the communal voice carries the movement “Heavenly praise and the joyful people” as part of “Covenant praise collides with the rejected crown.” Its royal-communal-lament form and poetic parallelism hold the petitions, images, memories, or praise together before any single line is applied.

Why This Verse Appears Here

Psalms 89:5–18 contrasts with “Steadfast love and Davidic covenant announced” within Psalm 89 by carrying “Heavenly praise and the joyful people.” The turn from “Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah” to “And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints” explains why this movement occurs here. Within that relationship, Psalm 89:17 supplies a reason or consequence through “For thou art the glory of their strength” and must be read with the claim it supports.