The Meaning of Psalms 89:17 Explained

Psalms 89:17

KJV: For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

YLT: For the beauty of their strength art Thou, And in Thy good will is our horn exalted,

Darby: For thou art the glory of their strength; and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.

ASV: For thou art the glory of their strength; And in thy favor our horn shall be exalted.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For thou [art] the glory  of their strength:  and in thy favour  our horn  shall be exalted  {08675;07311:08686}. 

What does Psalms 89:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 89:1-18 - No God Like Our God
To understand this psalm we must turn to 2 Samuel 7:1-29, where God guaranteed that David's kingdom should be continued to his descendants. Nathan's words are quoted in Psalms 89:3-4. But in contrast with these promises, which were conditional upon the faithful obedience of David's descendants, the psalmist sorrowfully recites the disobedience of the Chosen People. There could be no doubt as to the divine faithfulness to Covenant engagements. See Psalms 89:1-2; Psalms 89:5; Psalms 89:8; Psalms 89:14. And the object of this psalm is to inquire whether that faithfulness does not include the recall and restoration of a sinful nation, as it most certainly does include the continued blessing of an obedient one.
In the first division, Psalms 89:1-18, the singer enumerates the divine attributes. God's mercy is conceived as a stately mansion, which is being reared, story by story, throughout the centuries. The enduring heavens, the mightiest natural forces, such as the tides, the glorious mountains, are emblems of qualities in God's nature. He is described as going forth in a triumphal procession, preceded by Mercy and Truth; and we are invited to accompany Him, and to walk in the light of His countenance. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 89

1  The psalmist praises God for his covenant
5  For his wonderful power
15  For the care of his church
19  For his favor to the kingdom of David
38  Then complaining of contrary events
46  He expostulates, prays, and blesses God

What do the individual words in Psalms 89:17 mean?

For the glory of their strength You [are] and in Your favor - is exalted our horn
כִּֽי־ תִפְאֶ֣רֶת עֻזָּ֣מוֹ אָ֑תָּה וּ֝בִרְצֹנְךָ֗ תרים [תָּר֥וּם] (קַרְנֵֽנוּ)

תִפְאֶ֣רֶת  the  glory 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תִּפְאֶרֶת  
Sense: beauty, splendour, glory.
עֻזָּ֣מוֹ  of  their  strength 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֹז  
Sense: might, strength.
אָ֑תָּה  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
וּ֝בִרְצֹנְךָ֗  and  in  Your  favor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: רָצֹון  
Sense: pleasure, delight, favour, goodwill, acceptance, will.
תרים  - 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
[תָּר֥וּם]  is  exalted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
(קַרְנֵֽנוּ)  our  horn 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: קֶרֶן 
Sense: horn.