Psalms 89:33

But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him, nor ever betray My faithfulness.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God speaks as the covenant-maker addressing the Davidic king and the royal line. This declaration immediately follows a warning of disciplinary punishment in verse 32 and precedes a guarantee of covenant integrity in verse 34.

The words — חַסְדִּי (chasdi) translates literally to "my covenant loyalty," and אֱמוּנָתִי (emunati) means "my faithfulness." The text states God will not break off this loyalty from the king nor deal falsely with it.

The thread — The promise mirrors the Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel 7:15, where divine loyalty remains despite royal failure, and aligns with Isaiah 54:8’s assurance of enduring kindness after temporary withdrawal.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to accept that divine discipline does not terminate God’s binding commitments. It demands a response of reliance on the stability of divine promises rather than the consistency of human obedience.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְ֭חַסְדִּיVe./chas.d/iand/ covenant loyalty/ my לֹֽא־lo'-not אָפִ֣יר'a.FirI will break off מֵֽעִמּ֑וֹme./'i.M/ofrom/ with <the>/ him וְלֹֽא־ve./lo'-and/ not אֲ֝שַׁקֵּ֗ר'a.sha.KerI will deal falsely בֶּאֱמוּנָתִֽי׃be./'e.mu.na.T/iwith/ faithfulness/ my

King James Version

Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

Cross-references

Isaiah 54:8 In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
2 Samuel 7:15 But My loving devotion will never be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
Lamentations 3:31 For the Lord will not cast us off forever.
Jeremiah 33:20 “This is what the LORD says: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that day and night cease to occupy their appointed time,
Hebrews 6:18 Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.
1 Samuel 15:29 Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”
1 Kings 11:36 I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name.
2 Samuel 7:13 He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
1 Kings 11:13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”
1 Kings 11:32 But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.