Psalms 89:35 (KJV)

What does Psalms 89:35 mean?

Psalms 89:35 presents God’s promise to David as a settled pledge. God appeals to his own holiness as the assurance that his words to David are trustworthy. The promise concerns the future of David’s royal family, as the next verse makes clear.

God is speaking in the words of the psalm. The phrase “by my holiness” calls attention to what makes God distinct and morally pure. Coming after the promise in verse 34, the oath gives that promise a solemn form.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 89:35

• “Once” — אַחַת (ʾaḥat): This word can mean “one time.” Here, “once” presents the oath as a single, decisive pledge, rather than something God needs to repeat.
• “lie” — כָּזַב (kazav): This word means to lie or prove false. The Hebrew expresses the denial as an oath formula; the KJV gives its intended sense plainly as “I will not lie.”

Why Psalms 89:35 matters

• The promise has a specific subject: David’s family line and rule. Verse 36 speaks of his “seed,” meaning his descendants, and his “throne,” a picture of kingship.
• The oath stands out against the trouble described later in the psalm. Verses 38–39 speak of the king’s downfall and his crown brought low, creating a tension between the promise and what the psalm’s speaker sees.