Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
Parallel translations
- WEB Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses, which you swore to David in your faithfulness?
- BSB Where, O Lord, is Your loving devotion of old, which You faithfully swore to David?
- NKJV Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses, Which You swore to David in Your truth?
- NASB ¶Where are Your former acts of favor, Lord, Which You swore to David in Your faithfulness?
- NLT Lord, where is your unfailing love? You promised it to David with a faithful pledge.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The psalmist asks where God's former covenant love is, the love sworn faithfully to David.
Overview
The plea returns to the covenant: where now is the steadfast love God promised on oath? The psalmist holds God to His own sworn faithfulness even amid apparent silence. This appeal to God's reliable word finds its sure answer in Christ, the unfailing fulfillment of every promise to David (Acts 13:32-34).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Sam 7:15But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
- Heb 7:21(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
- Ps 77:9–10Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
- Ps 89:35Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
- Isa 63:7–15I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.
- Ps 89:3–4I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
- Ps 54:5He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
- Ps 132:11–12The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
- 2 Sam 3:9So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;
- Isa 55:3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 89:49 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.