Psalms 89:42

KJV

Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

KJV (with Strong's)

Thou hast set up {H7311}{H8689)} the right hand {H3225} of his adversaries {H6862}; thou hast made all his enemies {H341}{H8802)} to rejoice {H8055}{H8689)}.

Complete Jewish Bible

You raised up the right hand of his foes and made all his enemies rejoice.

Berean Standard Bible

You have exalted the right hand of his foes; You have made all his enemies rejoice.

American Standard Version

Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries; Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 89:42 presents a profound and challenging lament from the psalmist, who perceives God as actively empowering the adversaries of His anointed king, leading to their triumphant rejoicing. This verse is a stark declaration within a psalm that initially celebrates God's unwavering covenant with David, highlighting the psalmist's deep distress and struggle to reconcile God's promises with the devastating reality of national defeat and the apparent humiliation of the Davidic line. It encapsulates a moment of theological tension where divine sovereignty is acknowledged even in the midst of perceived divine abandonment and the exultation of enemies.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 89 is a *Maschil* of Ethan the Ezrahite, a contemplative psalm divided into two main sections. The first part ([Psalms 89:1-37](/psalms/89-1 "Psalms 89:1-37 - God's Faithfulness and Covenant with David")) is a magnificent hymn celebrating God's enduring faithfulness, His power over creation, and especially His eternal covenant with King David, promising an everlasting kingdom and an unbroken line of descendants (e.g., [Psalms 89:3-4](/psalms/89-3 "Psalms 89:3-4 - God's Covenant with David")). However, a dramatic and abrupt shift occurs from [Psalms 89:38](/psalms/89-38 "Psalms 89:38 - The Shift to Lament") onward, transitioning into a deep lament. The psalmist observes the Davidic king suffering defeat, humiliation, and the apparent abandonment by God, seemingly contradicting the very promises just celebrated. Verse 42 is an integral part of this desperate plea, detailing the devastating consequences of God's perceived withdrawal and the resulting exaltation of Israel's adversaries, intensifying the psalmist's anguish and confusion.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The specific historical crisis underlying Psalm 89 is not explicitly stated, but the imagery suggests a significant military defeat, perhaps even the Babylonian Exile or a severe national humiliation where the Davidic monarchy was severely weakened or overthrown. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a king's defeat was often seen as the defeat of his god. The "right hand" was universally a symbol of strength, power, and authority. For enemies to have their "right hand set up" meant they were granted overwhelming power and victory, while the defeated king and his people suffered immense shame and mockery. The "rejoicing" of enemies was not mere contentment but a triumphal, often cruel, celebration over the vanquished, further deepening the humiliation. The Davidic covenant, outlined in [2 Samuel 7](/2_samuel/7 "2 Samuel 7 - The Davidic Covenant"), was foundational to Israel's national identity and hope, promising an eternal dynasty. The apparent collapse of this covenant, as lamented in this psalm, represented a profound theological and existential crisis for the nation.

* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several major theological and narrative themes within Psalm 89 and broader biblical literature. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Divine Sovereignty in Adversity**. The psalmist directly attributes the success of the enemies to God's action ("Thou hast set up... thou hast made"), expressing a challenging theological truth: even when God's people suffer, and their enemies appear to prosper, it is ultimately within God's sovereign control and allowance. This is not to say God causes evil, but He permits and even uses the actions of adversaries for His own purposes, often for discipline, testing, or judgment, as seen in passages like [Isaiah 45:7](/isaiah/45-7 "Isaiah 45:7 - God Creates Both Good and Calamity"). Secondly, it underscores **The Paradox of God's Action**, where the psalmist struggles with a faithful God seemingly empowering the very enemies who would destroy His chosen people and covenant line. This tension between God's unwavering promises and the harsh realities of historical experience is a common motif, particularly in prophetic and wisdom literature (e.g., [Habakkuk 1:13](/habakkuk/1-13 "Habakkuk 1:13 - Why Does God Tolerates Evil?")). Finally, the verse vividly portrays the **Humiliation and Rejoicing of Enemies**, emphasizing the complete victory and mockery experienced by the foes of God's anointed, which deepens the lament's anguish and contributes to the broader theme of **Questioning God's Faithfulness** in the face of national disaster.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Set Up (Hebrew, _rûm'_):** This verb means to lift up, exalt, raise, or establish. When applied to the "right hand" of adversaries, it signifies that God Himself has granted or allowed their elevation to a position of power and dominance. It implies an active, sovereign agency on God's part in the reversal of fortunes, which is the core of the psalmist's complaint.
* **Right Hand (Hebrew, _yamin'_):** In biblical Hebrew, the "right hand" is a consistent symbol of strength, power, authority, and victory. To "set up the right hand of his adversaries" means to empower them greatly, granting them the upper hand and enabling their triumph over the Davidic king and Israel.
* **Rejoice (Hebrew, _śāmaḥ'_):** This word denotes gladness, joy, or exultation. In the context of enemies, it signifies a triumphant, often mocking, celebration of their victory over the defeated. This exultation of the adversaries underscores the depth of the humiliation and suffering experienced by the Davidic king and his people.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries":** This clause directly attributes the empowerment and success of Israel's enemies to God. The psalmist does not see this as a mere misfortune or a result of human weakness, but as a deliberate act or allowance by God. The "right hand" signifies power and authority, so God is depicted as actively elevating the strength and dominance of those who oppose His anointed king. This is a profound and challenging theological statement, implying divine sovereignty even over the success of those who oppose God's people.
* **"thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice":** This second clause describes the devastating consequence of God's action: the complete and unmitigated triumph of the adversaries. The phrase "made... to rejoice" emphasizes that their exultation is not accidental but a direct outcome of God's perceived intervention. The "rejoicing" is likely a public, mocking display of victory, intensifying the humiliation and despair of the Davidic king and the nation. It highlights the stark contrast between God's promises of protection and the present reality of overwhelming defeat and shame.

#### Literary Devices
Psalm 89:42 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the psalmist's anguish and theological struggle. **Anthropomorphism** is evident in the portrayal of God as actively "setting up" and "making" the enemies rejoice, attributing human-like actions and intentions to the divine. This device makes God's perceived role in the suffering more immediate and poignant. **Symbolism** is present in the "right hand," which universally symbolizes power, strength, and authority; its elevation signifies the enemies' complete dominance. The verse also utilizes **Paradox**, as it presents the paradoxical situation of a covenant-keeping God seemingly acting against His own covenant people by empowering their foes. This creates a profound tension, reflecting the psalmist's struggle to reconcile God's promises with the harsh reality. Finally, the phrase "all his enemies to rejoice" could be seen as **Hyperbole**, emphasizing the totality and overwhelming nature of the adversaries' triumph and the widespread humiliation of the Davidic king.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse confronts the profound theological tension between God's unwavering covenant promises and the apparent reality of their failure in the face of national disaster. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty, even in allowing or orchestrating events that bring suffering to His people, forcing a re-evaluation of what it means for God to be faithful. The psalmist's lament, while deeply painful, is not a denial of God's power but a desperate plea for God to act consistently with His character and promises. It highlights the biblical understanding that God can use even the actions of adversaries for His ultimate purposes, whether for discipline, testing, or to demonstrate His greater glory and ultimate triumph. This struggle to reconcile divine promises with present suffering is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, inviting believers to trust in God's ultimate plan even when His immediate actions are incomprehensible.

* [Lamentations 2:17](/lamentations/2-17 "Lamentations 2:17 - God's Judgment Fulfilled")
* [Job 12:16](/job/12-16 "Job 12:16 - God's Power Over Deceivers")
* [Isaiah 45:7](/isaiah/45-7 "Isaiah 45:7 - God Creates Both Good and Calamity")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 89:42 offers a poignant and deeply honest insight into the human experience of profound suffering, apparent divine abandonment, and the triumph of adversaries. It teaches us that even when circumstances seem to contradict God's explicit promises, God remains sovereign, and our lament, though agonizing, can still acknowledge His ultimate control. This psalm validates the raw expression of doubt, pain, and even accusation before God, modeling a form of prayer that is both desperate and deeply trusting in God's ultimate power. In moments when our own "enemies" (whether spiritual, circumstantial, or relational) seem to gain the upper hand, and God's promises feel distant, this verse reminds us that we are permitted to bring our deepest struggles to Him, wrestling with the paradox of His sovereignty and our suffering. It encourages us to hold fast to the conviction that God's purposes are always at work, even when His methods are inscrutable, and that our present humiliation does not negate His eternal faithfulness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do you reconcile God's promises of protection and blessing with experiences of suffering or apparent defeat in your own life?**
* **In what ways might God "set up" or allow the triumph of adversaries for a greater, long-term purpose, even if it brings temporary pain?**
* **What does this psalm teach us about the validity and importance of honest lament in our relationship with God?**
* **How can we maintain trust in God's faithfulness when our circumstances seem to contradict His character or promises?**

### FAQ
**How can God "set up" the enemies of His people without being evil or unfaithful to His covenant?**

Answer: The psalmist's language in [Psalms 89:42](/psalms/89-42 "Psalms 89:42 - God Empowering Adversaries") reflects a theological perspective common in ancient Israel, where God was understood as sovereign over all events, good or ill. When God "sets up" the enemies, it is not necessarily an endorsement of their evil actions, but rather an allowance or even an active use of them as instruments for His purposes. This could be for divine discipline (as seen in [Isaiah 10:5-7](/isaiah/10-5 "Isaiah 10:5-7 - Assyria as God's Rod")), to test the faith of His people (as in [Deuteronomy 8:2](/deuteronomy/8-2 "Deuteronomy 8:2 - God's Testing in the Wilderness")), or to demonstrate His ultimate power and justice by bringing about a greater good or a more profound redemption later on. The psalmist's complaint is precisely that he cannot reconcile this action with God's covenant promises, but the very act of lamenting to God implies a belief that God *is* just and faithful, even if His current actions are incomprehensible. Ultimately, the Bible teaches that God's ways are higher than ours ([Isaiah 55:8-9](/isaiah/55-8 "Isaiah 55:8-9 - God's Thoughts and Ways")), and His allowance of suffering is always within the framework of His perfect wisdom and ultimate redemptive plan.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 89:42, with its agonizing portrayal of the Davidic king's humiliation and the triumph of his adversaries, finds its ultimate and paradoxical fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the true Son of David. While the psalmist laments the apparent failure of the earthly Davidic line, the New Testament reveals that God's covenant with David was ultimately fulfilled in an eternal, spiritual kingdom through Jesus ([Luke 1:32-33](/luke/1-32 "Luke 1:32-33 - The Eternal Kingdom of Jesus")). On the cross, it truly appeared that God had "set up the right hand of his adversaries"—the religious leaders, the Roman authorities, and even the spiritual forces of darkness—and "made all his enemies to rejoice." The mocking crowds, the triumphant shouts of the executioners, and the apparent defeat of God's anointed one mirrored the very anguish of Psalm 89. Yet, this apparent defeat was precisely God's sovereign plan for victory. Through Christ's death, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities, triumphing over them by the cross ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Powers")). His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of God ([Acts 2:30-36](/acts/2-30 "Acts 2:30-36 - Peter's Sermon on David and Christ")) demonstrate that God did not abandon His King, but rather exalted Him, turning the ultimate humiliation into the ultimate triumph. Thus, while the psalmist saw God empowering the enemies, the cross reveals that God used the very triumph of evil to utterly defeat it, securing an eternal kingdom where no enemy can ultimately rejoice over the true Davidic King ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Christ Destroys the Power of Death")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Psalms 80:6

Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Deuteronomy 28:43

The stranger that [is] within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.

Psalms 13:2

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, [having] sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

Leviticus 26:17

And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

Lamentations 2:17

The LORD hath done [that] which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused [thine] enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

Revelation 11:10

And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

Leviticus 26:25

And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of [my] covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.