Psalm 89:35-37
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The phrase "Once for all" isn't just about the timing, but emphasizes the absolute finality and sufficiency of God's oath. He swore by His own absolute holiness, an attribute no greater than Himself, making this promise utterly unbreakable and requiring no repetition to ensure its eternal validity. This divine guarantee, rooted in His perfect character, assures that His faithfulness to David (and by extension, to His people through Christ) will never falter.
Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah
English Standard Version (ESV)
The preceding verses lament God's apparent abandonment of His covenant with David, contrasting past faithfulness with present distress. This verse marks a pivotal shift, as God intervenes directly to reaffirm His unbreakable promise to David and his lineage, asserting the absolute certainty of His word through an oath. This divine declaration is meant to counter the despair evoked by the psalmist's previous complaints.
Why does God swear an oath? And why by His holiness?
In Psalm 89:35, God makes a profound declaration: "Once for all I have sworn by my holiness that I will not lie to David."
Swearing by Himself
When God swears an oath, it's not because He's unreliable. It's a way to speak to us in our human terms, assuring us of His absolute commitment. He swears "by His holiness" – meaning by His very nature, His perfect moral character. This isn't an external thing He swears by; it's the core of who He is. It's like saying, 'As surely as I am God and perfectly holy, I will keep My promise.' He can't lie or break His word without ceasing to be God.
The Immutability of His Word
The scholars note that God swears "once for all." This signifies the finality and irrevocability of His promise. There's no need for God to repeat the oath or to add to it. His Word, especially when confirmed by His oath, is utterly dependable and unchangeable. This oath wasn't just for King David; it points to a deeper, eternal covenant.
It's God demonstrating the absolute certainty of His faithfulness to us, especially when we might be tempted to doubt.
What does it mean for God to 'not lie' to David, and how does this impact us today?
The verse states plainly: "I will not lie to David." This is God's commitment, sealed by His oath.
A Covenant of Truth
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This isn't just about David's personal life; it refers to the covenant God made with him. The scholars point out that this promise relates to the continuation of David's line and the establishment of his throne. God is guaranteeing that His Word to David concerning his kingdom and descendants would stand.
The Messiah Connection
While the historical David and his earthly kingdom were important, this promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the descendant of David, the King whose kingdom is eternal. When God promises not to lie to David, He is also promising the faithfulness of His plan of salvation through the Messiah.
Our Assurance in Christ
Because Jesus is the faithful descendant and King, God's promise to David becomes a source of assurance for us. We can trust God's Word concerning His eternal covenant with us, established through Christ. Even when we falter, God's faithfulness to His sworn promise never fails. His truthfulness to David echoes His truthfulness to us in Christ.
Understand the original words
qodesh · Hebrew Noun
The absolute purity, set-apartness, and moral transcendence of God; it is the fundamental attribute of His nature that makes Him uniquely and entirely different from all created things.
zera' · Hebrew Noun
The physical and spiritual descendants of a person, often used in the context of covenantal promises (such as those made to David). It implies continuity, legacy, and the fulfillment of divine promises through successive generations.
kisse' · Hebrew Noun
A symbol of royal authority, sovereign rule, and judicial power. Biblically, it refers to the stability and legitimacy of a king's reign, particularly the eternal reign promised to the Davidic line.
kun · Hebrew Verb
To be made firm, fixed, secure, or unshakeable. It often refers to God’s sovereign act of sustaining or securing something, such as a covenant, a kingdom, or a person’s heart, against external threats.
ed · Hebrew Noun
Something or someone that gives evidence or testimony to the truth. In scripture, witnesses are crucial in legal, covenantal, and historical contexts to verify facts or divine promises.
selah · Hebrew Noun/Interjection
A musical or liturgical term occurring primarily in the Psalms, likely indicating a pause, reflection, or a crescendo in the music, inviting the reader to meditate on the preceding truth.
This psalm reflects on God's unbreakable covenant with David, even amidst the devastating historical events of exile and the apparent failure of God's promises. The oath by God's holiness underscores the absolute certainty of His faithfulness, pointing beyond David's lineage to the ultimate fulfillment in Christ.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
God's Covenant with David
God makes a special promise to King David, assuring him that his dynasty will last forever and his throne will be established eternally.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Splits
Following Solomon's death, the united kingdom of Israel divides into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, impacting David's lineage's rule.
722 BC
Fall of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, scattering its people and signifying a major decline in the land's political stability.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its temple, exiling many of David's descendants and seemingly fulfilling the conditional curses of the covenant.
c. 539 BC
Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great allows the Judean exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, marking a period of restoration but not full Davidic monarchy.
This passage describes God's covenant with David, directly referencing the promise of an everlasting kingdom and dynasty, which Psalm 89:35 confirms with an unbreakable oath.
Hebrews 6:13-18The author of Hebrews uses God's oath to Abraham as an example of God's immutable purpose and promise, paralleling the concept in Psalm 89:35 where God swears by His holiness to ensure the certainty of His promises to David.
Jeremiah 31:31-34This prophecy outlines the New Covenant, emphasizing God's forgiveness and the inward transformation of His people, which fulfills the enduring promises made to David that are secured by God's oath in Psalm 89:35.
Isaiah 55:3This verse speaks of God making an 'everlasting covenant' with David, echoing the theme of God's steadfast and unbreakable commitment declared in Psalm 89:35 through His oath.
pulpitPsalms 89:35: "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David."
Verse 35. - Ones have I sworn by my holiness; rather, one thing have I sworn. (On God's oath to David, see vers. 3, 49, and Psalm 132:11.) The present passage shows that it was sworn "by his holiness" - i.e. by his absolute moral perfection. That I will not lie unto David; i.e. that I will keep all my promises to him. God, no doubt, always and in every case "keepeth his promise forever" (Psalm 146:6); but in his me…
clarkePsalms 89:35: "Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David."
Once have I sworn - I have made one determination on this head, and have bound myself by my holiness; it is impossible that I should change, and there needs no second oath, the one already made is of endless obligation.
The phrase "Once for all" isn't just about the timing, but emphasizes the absolute finality and sufficiency of God's oath. He swore by His own absolute holiness, an attribute no greater than Himself, making this promise utterly unbreakable and requiring no repetition to ensure its eternal validity. This divine guarantee, rooted in His perfect character, assures that His faithfulness to David (and by extension, to His people through Christ) will never falter.
The preceding verses lament God's apparent abandonment of His covenant with David, contrasting past faithfulness with present distress. This verse marks a pivotal shift, as God intervenes directly to reaffirm His unbreakable promise to David and his lineage, asserting the absolute certainty of His word through an oath. This divine declaration is meant to counter the despair evoked by the psalmist's previous complaints.
The preceding verses lament God's apparent abandonment of His covenant with David, contrasting past faithfulness with present distress. This verse marks a pivotal shift, as God intervenes directly to reaffirm His unbreakable promise to David and his lineage, asserting the absolute certainty of His word through an oath. This divine declaration is meant to counter the despair evoked by the psalmist's previous complaints.
"Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in th…" — The phrase "Once for all" isn't just about the timing, but emphasizes the absolute finality and sufficiency of God's oath. He swore by His own absolute holiness, an attribute no greater than Himself,…
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Last reviewed October 2026
