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Commentary on Psalms 29 verses 1–11
In this psalm we have,
I. A demand of the homage of the great men of the earth to be paid to the great God. Every clap of thunder David interpreted as a call to himself and other princes to give glory to the great God. Observe, 1. Who they are that are called to this duty: "O you mighty (Psa 29:1), you sons of the mighty, who have power, and on whom that power is devolved by succession and inheritance, who have royal blood running in your veins!" It is much for the honour of the great God that the men of this world should pay their homage to him; and they are bound to do it, not only because, high as they are, he is infinitely above them, and therefore they must bow to him, but because they have their power from him, and are to use it for him, and this tribute of acknowledgment they owe to him for it. 2. How often this call is repeated; Give unto the Lord, and again, and a third time, Give unto the Lord. This intimates that the mighty men are backward to this duty and are with difficulty persuaded to it, but that it is of great consequence to the interests of God's kingdom among men that princes should heartily espouse them. Jerusalem flourishes when the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it, Rev 21:24. 3. What they are called to do - to give unto the Lord, not as if he needed any thing, or could be benefited by any gifts of ours, nor as if we had any thing to give him that is not his own already (Who hath first given to him?), but the recognition of his glory, and of his dominion over us, he is pleased to interpret as a gift to him: "Give unto the Lord your own selves, in the first place, and then your services. Give unto the Lord glory and strength; acknowledge his glory and strength, and give praise to him as a God of infinite majesty and irresistible power; and whatever glory or strength he has by his providence entrusted you with offer it to him, to be used for his honour, in his service. Give him your crowns; let them be laid at his feet; give him your sceptres, your swords, your keys, put all into his hand, that you, in the use of them, may be to him for a name and a praise." Princes value themselves by their glory and strength; these they must ascribe to God, owning him to be infinitely more glorious and powerful than they. This demand of homage from the mighty must be looked upon as directed either to the grandees of David's own kingdom, the peers of the realm, the princes of the tribes (and it is to excite them to a more diligent and constant attendance at God's altars, in which he had observed them very remiss), or to the neighbouring kings whom he by his sword had made tributaries to Israel and now would persuade to become tributaries to the God of Israel. Crowned heads must bow before the King of kings. What is here said to the mighty is said to all: Worship God; it is the sum and substance of the everlasting gospel, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7. Now we have here, (1.) The nature of religious worship; it is giving to the Lord the glory due to his name, Psa 29:2. God's name is that whereby he has made himself known. There is a glory due to his name. It is impossible that we should give him all the glory due to his name; when we have said and done out best for the honour of God's name, still we come infinitely short of the merit of the subject; but when we answer that revelation which he has made of himself, with suitable affections and adorations, then we give him some of that glory which is due to his name. If we would, in hearing and praying, and other acts of devotion, receive grace from God, we must make it our business to give glory to God. (2.) The rule of the performance of religious exercises; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, which denotes, [1.] The object of our worship; the glorious majesty of God is called the beauty of holiness, Ch2 20:21. In the worship of God we must have an eye to his beauty, and adore him, not only as infinitely awful and therefore to be feared above all, but as infinitely amiable and therefore to be loved and delighted in above all; especially we must have an eye to the beauty of his holiness; this the angels fasten upon in their praises, Rev 4:8. Or, [2.] The place of worship. The sanctuary then was the beauty of holiness, Psa 48:1, Psa 48:2; Jer 17:12. The beauty of the sanctuary was the exact agreement of the worship there performed with the divine appointment - the pattern in the mount. Now, under the gospel, solemn assemblies of Christians (which purity is the beauty of) are the places where God is to be worshipped. Or, [3.] The manner of worship. We must be holy in all our religious performances, devoted to God, and to his will and glory. There is a beauty in holiness, and it is that which puts an acceptable beauty upon all the acts of worship.
II. Good reason given for this demand. We shall see ourselves bound to give glory to God if we consider,
1.His sufficiency in himself, intimated in his name Jehovah - I am that I am, which is repeated here no fewer than eighteen times in this short psalm, twice in every verse but three, and once in two of those three; I do not recollect that there is the like in all the book of psalms. Let the mighty ones of the earth know him by this name and give him the glory due to it.
2.His sovereignty over all things. Let those that rule over men know there is a God that rules over them, that rules over all. The psalmist here sets forth God's dominion,
(1.)In the kingdom of nature. In the wonderful effects of natural causes, and the operations of the powers of nature, we ought to take notice of God's glory and strength, which we are called upon to ascribe to him; in the thunder, and lightning, and rain, we may see, [1.] His glory. It is the God of glory that thunders (thunders is the noise of his voice, Job 37:2), and it declares him a God of glory, so awful is the sound of the thunder, and so bright the flash of its companion, the lightning; to the hearing and to the sight nothing is more affecting than these, as if by those two learning senses God would have such proofs of his glory to the minds of men as should leave the most stupid inexcusable. Some observe that there were then some particular reasons why thunder should be called the voice of the Lord, not only because it comes from above, is not under the direction or foresight of any man, speaks aloud, and reaches far, but because God often spoke in thunder, particularly at Mount Sinai, and by thunder discomfited the enemies of Israel. To speak it the voice of the God of glory, it is here said to be upon the water, upon many waters (Psa 29:3); it reaches over the vast ocean, the waters under the firmament; it rattles among the thick clouds, the waters above the firmament. Every one that hears the thunder (his ear being made to tingle with it) will own that the voice of the Lord is full of majesty (Psa 29:4), enough to make the highest humble (for none can thunder with a voice like him) and the proudest tremble - for, if his voice be so terrible, what is his arm? Every time we hear it thunder, let our hearts be thereby filled with great, and high, and honourable thoughts of God, in the holy adorings and admirings of whom the power of godliness does so much consist. O Lord our God! thou art very great. [2.] His power (Psa 29:4.): The voice of the Lord is powerful, as appears by the effects of it; for it works wonders. Those that write natural histories relate the prodigious effects of thunder and lightning, even out of the ordinary course of natural causes, which must be resolved into the omnipotence of the God of nature. First, Trees have been rent and split by thunderbolts, Psa 29:5, Psa 29:6. The voice of the Lord, in the thunder, often broke the cedars, even those of Lebanon, the strongest, the stateliest. Some understand it of the violent winds which shook the cedars, and sometimes tore off their aspiring tops. Earthquakes also shook the ground itself on which the trees grew, and made Lebanon and Sirion to dance; the wilderness of Kadesh also was in like manner shaken (Psa 29:8), the trees by winds, the ground by earthquakes, and both by thunders, of which I incline rather to understand it. The learned Dr. Hammond understands it of the consternations and conquest of neighbouring kingdoms that warred with Israel and opposed David, as the Syrians, whose country lay near the forest of Lebanon, the Amorites that bordered on Mount Hermon, and the Moabites and Ammonites that lay about the wilderness of Kadesh. Secondly. Fires have been kindled by lightnings and houses and churches thereby consumed; hence we read of hot thunderbolts (Psa 78:48); accordingly the voice of the Lord, in the thunder, is here said to divide the flames of fire (Psa 29:7), that is, to scatter them upon the earth, as God sees fit to direct them and do execution by them. Thirdly, The terror of thunder makes the hinds to calve sooner, and some think more easily, than otherwise they would. The hind is a timourous creature, and much affected with the noise of thunder; and no marvel, when sometimes proud and stout men have been made to tremble at it. The emperor Caligula would hide himself under his bed when it thundered. Horace, the poet, owns that he was reclaimed from atheism by the terror of thunder and lightning, which he describes somewhat like this of David, lib. 1, ode 34. The thunder is said here to discover the forest, that is, it so terrifies the wild beasts of the forest that they quit the dens and thickets in which they hid themselves are so are discovered. Or it throws down the trees, and so discovers the ground that was shaded by them. Whenever it thunders let us think of this psalm; and, whenever we sing this psalm, let us think of the dreadful thunder-claps we have sometimes heard, and thus bring God's words and his works together, that by both we may be directed and quickened to give unto him the glory due unto his name; and let us bless him that there is another voice of his besides this dreadful one, by which God now speaks to us, even the still small voice of his gospel, the terror of which shall not make us afraid.
(2.)In the kingdom of providence, Psa 29:10. God is to be praised as the governor of the world of mankind. He sits upon the flood; he sits King for ever. He not only sits at rest in the enjoyment of himself, but he sits as King in the throne which he has prepared in the heavens (Psa 103:19), where he takes cognizance of, and gives orders about, all the affairs of the children of men, and does all according to his will, according to the counsel of his will. Observe, [1.] The power of his kingdom: He sits upon the flood. As he has founded the earth, so he has founded his own throne, upon the floods, Psa 24:2. The ebbings and flowings of this lower world, and the agitations and revolutions of the affairs in it, give not the least shake to the repose nor to the counsels of the Eternal Mind. The opposition of his enemies is compared to the flood (Psa 93:3, Psa 93:4); but the Lord sits upon it; he crushes it, conquers it, and completes his own purposes in despite of all the devices that are in men's hearts. The word here translated the flood is never used but concerning Noah's flood; and therefore some think it is that which is here spoken of. God did sit upon that flood as a Judge executing the sentence of his justice upon the world of the ungodly that was swept away by it. And he still sits upon the flood, restraining the waters of Noah, that they turn not again to cover the earth, according to his promise never to destroy the earth any more by a flood, Gen 9:11; Isa 54:9. [2.] The perpetuity of his kingdom; He sits King for ever; no period can, or shall, be put to his government. The administration of his kingdom is consonant to his counsels from eternity and pursuant to his designs for eternity.
(3.)In the kingdom of grace. Here his glory shines most brightly, [1.] In the adorations he receives from the subjects of that kingdom (Psa 29:9). In his temple, where people attend his discoveries of himself and his mind and attend him with their praises, every one speaks of his glory. In the world every man sees it, or at least may behold it afar off (Job 36:25); but it is only in the temple, in the church, that it is spoken of to his honour. All his works do praise him (that is, they minister matter for praise), but his saints only do bless him, and speak of his glory of his works, Psa 145:10. [2.] In the favours he bestows upon the subjects of that kingdom, Psa 29:11. First, He will qualify them for his service: He will give strength to his people, to fortify them against every evil work and to furnish them for every good work; out of weakness they shall be made strong; nay, he will perfect strength in weakness. Secondly, He will encourage them in his service: He will bless his people with peace. Peace is a blessing of inestimable value, which God designs for all his people. The work of righteousness is peace (great peace have those that love thy law); but much more the crown of righteousness: the end of righteousness is peace; it is endless peace. When the thunder of God's wrath shall make sinners tremble the saints shall lift up their heads with joy.
Everyone who discusses divine matters in an orderly way so as always to hold the correct opinion concerning the Father, the Godhead of the Only-begotten and the glory of the Holy Spirit, brings glory and honor to the Lord. And, because his providence penetrates even to the smallest things, he increases the glory who is able to give the reasons for which all things were created and for which they are preserved, and also for which, after this present stewardship, they will be brought to judgment. He who is able himself to contemplate each individual creature with clear and unconfused thoughts and, after having contemplated them himself, is able to present to others also the facts concerning the goodness of God and his just judgment, he is the one who brings glory and honor to the Lord and who lives a life in harmony with this contemplation. For, the light of such a person shines before others, since by word and work and through mighty deeds of every kind the Father in heaven is glorified.
The Prophet speaks, "Bring unto the Lord, O you Sons of God, bring unto the Lord the young of rams" [Psalm 29:1]. Bring unto the Lord yourselves, whom the Apostles, the leaders of the flocks, have begotten by the Gospel. [1 Corinthians 4:15]
You who are entrusted with the divine message, he is saying, and are called children of God, bear the divine message everywhere with all enthusiasm, transform those reared on nonsense into rational people and offer them first to God; then through them present the worship and the hymns, celebrating the benefactor in the divine dwellings. This resembles what was said by the Savior to the sacred apostles, “Go, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Surely the holy teachers are often understood by the word rams, since they are the leaders of flocks that follow the Lord. Hence the psalmist says in a pleasing manner: “Bring to the Lord, O children of God, bring to the Lord the offspring of rams,” which is clearly to say, “Bring to the Lord, O angels of God to whom the responsibility for this task has been delegated, bring to the Lord in heaven the spirits of the faithful who, through imitation of the blessed apostles’ life and faith, have proved worthy to become their offspring.”
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SUMMARY
Psalm 29:1, a majestic and imperative summons attributed to King David, issues a profound call for all powerful beings, whether heavenly or earthly, to ascribe ultimate glory and strength to Yahweh, the one true God. This opening verse immediately establishes the psalm's central theme of divine sovereignty, setting the stage for a vivid and awe-inspiring depiction of God's overwhelming power as manifested through the voice of a mighty thunderstorm, underscoring His supreme authority over all creation and all perceived powers.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 29 opens with a direct and urgent call to worship, immediately setting a tone of reverence and awe before the subsequent description of God's power. This initial summons in Psalm 29:1 functions as an invitation, or perhaps a command, to the "mighty" to enter the divine court and acknowledge Yahweh's supremacy. The verses that follow (e.g., Psalm 29:3) then vividly portray the "voice of the LORD" (qôl Yahweh) thundering over the waters, breaking cedars, shaking deserts, and causing creation to tremble. Verse 1 thus serves as the foundational declaration that prepares the reader for the overwhelming display of divine power that unfolds, culminating in the affirmation of God's eternal reign and His blessing upon His people in Psalm 29:10-11. The entire psalm moves from a call to worship to a demonstration of God's power, and then to a declaration of His eternal reign and blessing, making this opening verse a crucial thematic and structural anchor.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East (ANE), storms were frequently associated with various pagan deities, such as Baal, the Canaanite storm god, who was often depicted as a powerful warrior god whose voice thundered from the heavens, bringing rain and fertility. Psalm 29 directly confronts this worldview by unequivocally attributing the power and majesty of the thunderstorm to Yahweh alone, the God of Israel. By calling "ye mighty" to give glory and strength to the Lord, the psalm asserts Yahweh's unique and unparalleled sovereignty over all other perceived powers, whether divine or human. David's authorship places this psalm within the context of Israel's monarchy, where the king, as God's anointed, leads the nation in worship and acknowledges God's ultimate authority over all earthly rulers and kingdoms, echoing themes found in other royal psalms like Psalm 2 and Psalm 110. This context highlights the psalm's polemical nature, asserting Yahweh's exclusive claim to cosmic power against the polytheistic beliefs of surrounding nations.
Key Themes: This opening verse introduces several profound theological and narrative themes that permeate the entire psalm and broader biblical theology. Foremost is Divine Sovereignty and Power, emphasizing that Yahweh alone is the source and possessor of all glory and strength, to whom even the most formidable entities must submit. This resonates with the declaration in 1 Chronicles 29:11 that "Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty." Secondly, it serves as an urgent Call to Worship, a direct imperative to render due honor and adoration to God. The repetition of "Give unto the LORD" underscores the absolute necessity and priority of this act, framing worship not as an option but as a divine command and proper response to God's nature. Finally, the verse highlights God's Majesty over All Creation and its Inhabitants, implicitly contrasting any human or even angelic power with the infinite, transcendent might of the Creator, who commands the very forces of nature and to whom all beings must bow, as seen in Psalm 96:7-8.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Regardless of the precise interpretation, the intent is clear: those with significant power or influence, whether celestial or terrestrial, are specifically called to acknowledge Yahweh's absolute supremacy. The scope is universal, calling all who hold any form of authority to humble themselves before the ultimate authority.
Literary Devices
Psalm 29:1 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is the Imperative Mood, seen in the repeated command "Give unto the LORD," which creates a sense of urgency and directness, leaving no ambiguity about the expected response from the "mighty." This is further amplified by Repetition ("Give unto the LORD... give unto the LORD"), a rhetorical device that serves to emphasize the central action and its divine recipient, reinforcing the psalm's foundational call to worship and the singular focus of all adoration. The verse also utilizes Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the second clause ("give unto the LORD glory and strength") reiterates and expands upon the first implied command to give Him due recognition. The direct address "O ye mighty" is an example of Apostrophe, where the speaker directly addresses an absent or abstract entity (or a group not physically present for a direct verbal command), drawing them into the immediate sphere of the psalm's message and broadening its scope. Finally, the pairing of "glory and strength" functions as a Merism or a comprehensive summary of God's attributes, encompassing the full spectrum of His majestic and powerful nature, implying that all facets of His being are worthy of adoration and recognition.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 29:1 establishes a fundamental theological truth: God's inherent glory and strength are not dependent on human or angelic recognition, yet He is supremely worthy of their ascription. This verse highlights the proper posture of all creation before its Creator—one of humble adoration and acknowledgment of His absolute sovereignty. It underscores that true worship involves recognizing God for who He is in His transcendent majesty and power, rather than attempting to define or limit Him. This call to "give" glory and strength is an invitation to participate in the cosmic reality of God's reign, aligning oneself with the divine order where all power and honor flow from and return to Him. It challenges any humanistic or idolatrous tendencies that would attribute ultimate power or glory to created things or human endeavors, redirecting all praise to the rightful recipient.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 29:1 serves as a profound reminder that our primary purpose as created beings is to acknowledge and honor the Creator. In a world often consumed by the pursuit of personal power, earthly recognition, and fleeting accomplishments, this verse reorients our perspective, calling us to redirect our focus to the one true source of all authority and might. It challenges us to examine where we place our ultimate trust and allegiance: Is it in human institutions, financial security, personal influence, or the sovereign God? To "give unto the LORD glory and strength" means to live a life that consistently testifies to His supremacy, not just in moments of formal worship, but in every decision, every interaction, and every challenge. It implies a humble submission to His will, a confident trust in His power to overcome any obstacle, and a commitment to use any "might" or influence we possess for His purposes, rather than our own. This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of awe and reverence, recognizing that our very existence is a gift from the One who is infinitely glorious and strong, and to whom all praise is eternally due.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who exactly are "the mighty" (b'nei elim) in this verse?
Answer: The phrase "b'nei elim" (literally "sons of God" or "sons of the mighty ones") is subject to two primary interpretations, both of which are significant. Many biblical scholars believe it refers to angelic beings or the heavenly host, suggesting a cosmic call to worship where even the most powerful spiritual entities are summoned to acknowledge Yahweh's supremacy. This view is supported by other Old Testament passages, such as Job 1:6 and Job 38:7, where "sons of God" clearly denotes divine or angelic beings. Alternatively, some interpret "the mighty" as referring to powerful human rulers, potentates, or nations on earth. In this sense, the psalm would be calling all earthly authorities to submit to God's ultimate reign, a theme prevalent in other psalms (e.g., Psalm 2:10-11). Given the universal scope of God's sovereignty, it's possible the phrase is intentionally broad, encompassing all powerful beings, both heavenly and earthly, underscoring that no power, no matter how great, stands above the Lord.
Why does God need us to "give" Him glory and strength? Doesn't He already possess these qualities inherently?
Answer: This is a crucial theological point. God does not need anything from His creation, as He is self-sufficient and eternally glorious and strong in Himself. The act of "giving" glory and strength to the Lord is not about imparting something to Him that He lacks, but rather about ascribing or attributing to Him what is rightfully and eternally His. It is an act of recognition, acknowledgment, and worship. When we "give" Him glory and strength, we are aligning ourselves with the truth of His nature, confessing His supreme worth, and declaring His absolute power. This act of worship is for our benefit, not His. It reorients our perspective, humbles our hearts, and places us in a proper relationship with our Creator. It reminds us that all power and honor originate from Him, and therefore, all praise and adoration are due to Him alone. This concept is beautifully echoed in Romans 11:36, which states, "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 29:1's imperative call to "give unto the LORD glory and strength" finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. As the eternal Son, Jesus is the very embodiment of God's glory and strength, being "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" (Hebrews 1:3). He is the one through whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together (Colossians 1:16-17). The "mighty" of Psalm 29:1, whether angelic hosts or earthly rulers, are ultimately called to bow before Him, for "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10-11). Through His perfect life, atoning death, and triumphant resurrection, Christ demonstrated God's unparalleled strength over sin, death, and the grave (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). He is the Lamb who was slain, yet is worthy to receive "power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12). Thus, in Christ, humanity is empowered by the Spirit to truly give God the glory and strength He is due, not merely as a command, but as a joyful response to His redemptive work, participating in the eternal worship of the One who reigns supreme and will return in power and great glory (Matthew 24:30).