Psalms 89:1 «Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. » I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite] Who having out lived Solomon, and seen both the defection of the ten tribes from the house of David, and the woeful work made by Shishak, king of Egypt, in the kingdom of Judah, 2Ch 12:1-9 composed this psalm (as it may seem), and left it for an eruditive or instruction to all succeeding ages what to do in such dismal changes and concussions. That Jewish doctor mentioned by Aben Ezra was more ignorent than wise, who would neither read nor hear this psalm, Quia videtur dura de Deo proferre, because it seemeth to speak harshly of God, Psalms 89:39 .
Ver. 1. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord] God's mercies moved him to promise, his faithfulness bindeth him to perform; Ethan promiseth to celebrate both, were the times never so bad, their case never so calamitous.
I will make known thy faithfulness] Which yet I am sometimes moved to make question of. Thus the psalmist insinuateth before he complaineth, Ut faciendum docent rhetores in causis invidiosis; wherein he showeth himself a right rhetorician.