Psalms 29:6

He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

He maketh them also to skip {H7540} like a calf {H5695}; Lebanon {H3844} and Sirion {H8303} like a young {H1121} unicorn {H7214}.

and makes the L'vanon skip like a calf, Siryon like a young wild ox.

He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.

He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild-ox.

Context

Psalm 29 is a magnificent hymn celebrating the overwhelming power and majesty of the Lord, often referred to as "the Psalm of the Seven Thunders" due to its repeated emphasis on "the voice of the Lord" (qol Yahweh). This psalm vividly describes a powerful thunderstorm moving across the sky, from the Mediterranean Sea over the mountains of Lebanon and Syria, down to the wilderness of Kadesh. Verse 6 specifically focuses on the dramatic and awe-inspiring effect of God's voice on the earth's most formidable natural features, illustrating His absolute sovereignty over creation.

Key Themes

  • Divine Power and Sovereignty: The central message is the Lord's unparalleled might and control over all creation. The imagery of massive mountains like Lebanon and Sirion (Mount Hermon) "skipping like a calf" or "like a young unicorn" profoundly conveys that even the most immense and stable earthly structures are effortlessly moved by God's command. This highlights His omnipotence and unchallenged authority.
  • Nature as a Witness to God's Glory: The entire natural world, particularly the forces of a tempest, serves as a powerful testament to God's majesty. The trembling and shaking of the mountains are not merely physical phenomena but a visible, undeniable display of God's active presence and power, causing all who witness it to declare, "Glory!"
  • Overwhelming Might and Untamed Strength: The vivid metaphor of mountains dancing suggests an almost playful yet incredibly powerful ease with which God commands the forces of nature. It underscores His untamed, limitless strength that transcends human comprehension or resistance.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated as "unicorn" in the King James Version is re'em (רְאֵם). While older translations often used "unicorn," modern scholarship widely identifies the re'em as a powerful wild ox or aurochs, an extinct species of large, formidable cattle. This interpretation amplifies the image of raw, untamed power, agility, and immense strength, making the comparison to mountains skipping even more impactful. The word "skip" (Hebrew: rāqaḏ) implies a vigorous, almost joyous movement, which, when applied to mountains, powerfully conveys their trembling and shaking under God's mighty influence, akin to how mountains are depicted as skipping in Psalm 114:4.

Practical Application

  • Awe and Reverence: This verse calls believers to a deeper sense of awe and profound reverence for God. If His voice can make mountains dance and tremble, how much more should humanity humble itself and worship Him? It reminds us of the vast difference between our limited power and His infinite might.
  • Trust in God's Power: In times of personal storms, overwhelming challenges, or global upheavals, this imagery serves as a powerful reminder that the God who effortlessly controls the mightiest forces of nature is also our refuge and strength. He is capable of handling any situation, no matter how immense it may seem. This truth can bring comfort and assurance, knowing that our God is truly in control, just as He laid the foundations of the earth in Job 38:4.
  • Motivation for Worship: The psalmist's response to God's awesome power is worship. Understanding God's immense power and sovereignty should naturally lead us to praise His greatness and declare His glory, as the psalm concludes.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Psalms 114:4

    The mountains skipped like rams, [and] the little hills like lambs.

  • Psalms 114:7

    Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

  • Numbers 23:22

    God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

  • Deuteronomy 3:9

    ([Which] Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;)

  • Habakkuk 3:6

    He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways [are] everlasting.

  • Habakkuk 3:11

    The sun [and] moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, [and] at the shining of thy glittering spear.

  • Revelation 20:11

    ¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

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