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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.
One who is in the temple of God does not speak out abuse or folly or words full of shameful matters, but “in his temple all shall speak his glory.” … This one duty, referring glory to the Creator, belongs to every army of heavenly creatures. Every creature, whether silent or uttering sound, whether celestial or terrestrial, gives glory to the Creator. But wretched people who leave their homes and run to the temple, as if to enrich themselves somewhat, do not lend their ears to the words of God; they do not possess a knowledge of their nature; they are not distressed, although they have previously committed sin; they do not grieve at remembering their sins, nor do they fear the judgment; but, smiling and shaking hands with one another, they make the house of prayer a place of lengthy conversation, pretending not to hear the psalm that solemnly protests and says, “In the temple of God all shall speak his glory.” You not only do not speak his glory, but you even become a hindrance to the other, turning his attention to yourself and drowning out the teaching of the spirit by your own clamor. See to it that you do not at some time leave condemned along with those blaspheming the name of God instead of receiving a reward for glorifying him. You have a psalm; you have a prophecy, the evangelical precepts, the preachings of the apostles. Let the tongue sing, let the mind interpret the meaning of what has been said, that you may sing with your spirit, that you may sing likewise with your mind. Not at all is God in need of glory, but he wishes you to be worthy of winning glory. Therefore, “what a person sows, he will also reap.” Sow glorification, that you may reap crowns and honors and praises in the kingdom of heaven. This statement, “In his temple all shall speak his glory,” was made not unfittingly in a digression, because some in the temple of God talk endlessly until their tongue aches; and these enter without profit.
"The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags" [Psalm 29:9]. For the Voice of the Lord has first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues. "And will reveal the woods." And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they feed with freedom. "And in His temple does every man speak of His glory." And in His Church all born again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, which He has received from the Holy Spirit.
Now, he called “woods” the idols’ precincts as being utterly fruitless; these are the kinds of woods or coppices that the best woodcutters are accustomed to chop down, leaving the earth bare of them, and they plant fruitbearing trees and sow seeds of edible crops. The cultivators of the world did this, too: pulling up idols’ precincts by the roots, they planted the divine churches in their place.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 29:9 powerfully culminates the psalm's depiction of God's majestic "voice," showcasing its awe-inspiring influence over the natural world—from bringing forth life in the wilderness to stripping bare the mighty forests—and ultimately revealing that this overwhelming display of divine power invariably leads to profound worship and declaration of His glory within His sacred temple.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 29 is a magnificent hymn often characterized as a "thunderstorm psalm," meticulously detailing the progression of a divine storm. It begins by summoning heavenly beings to ascribe glory to the Lord, as seen in the opening call to worship found in Psalms 29:1-2. The psalm then vividly portrays the "voice of the LORD" (a recurring motif, appearing seven times) as it moves from the waters of the Mediterranean (Psalms 29:3) across the mighty cedars of Lebanon (Psalms 29:5-6) and through the wilderness of Kadesh (Psalms 29:8). Verse 9 serves as the dramatic climax, transitioning from the external, raw power displayed in creation to the internal, reverent response of worship within God's sanctuary. This verse provides the ultimate purpose for the preceding display: the revelation of God's glory that compels praise and adoration.
Historical & Cultural Context: Composed in a region where storm deities like Baal were widely worshipped, Psalm 29 stands in stark contrast, asserting Yahweh's unparalleled sovereignty over all natural phenomena. Unlike the capricious and often malevolent storm gods of Canaanite mythology, whose power was seen as chaotic and unpredictable, the "voice of the LORD" in this psalm is not merely a force of destruction but a controlled, purposeful, and ultimately revelatory power. The psalm implicitly refutes the notion that any other deity commands the elements, firmly establishing the God of Israel as the sole, omnipotent Creator and Sustainer. The imagery of hinds calving and forests being stripped bare would have resonated deeply with an ancient audience familiar with the untamed power of severe storms and the vulnerability of life within them, further emphasizing the unique and overwhelming power of Yahweh to both bring forth life and expose the hidden.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully encapsulates several foundational themes of the psalm and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it underscores the Omnipotent "Voice of the LORD," portraying God's spoken word not merely as an audible sound but as an active, creative, and transformative force that compels a response from all creation, even the most timid creatures. Secondly, it highlights God's Absolute Sovereignty Over Nature, demonstrating that even the most profound and unsettling aspects of the natural world, such as the difficult birth of a hind or the stripping of a dense forest, are under His command. This divine control reveals His power to expose, transform, and orchestrate. Finally, the verse culminates in the theme of Worship as a Natural Response to God's Glory. The overwhelming display of God's power in creation, from the thundering voice to its profound effects, naturally leads to awe, reverence, and the declaration of His majesty within His dwelling place, the temple. This progression from creation's grandeur to sanctuary worship is a recurring biblical motif, as seen in passages like Romans 1:20, where the invisible attributes of God are clearly perceived through what has been made.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 29:9 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. Personification is evident in the active role attributed to the "voice of the LORD," which "maketh" and "discovereth," imbuing an abstract sound with agency, irresistible power, and intentionality. Hyperbole is used to emphasize the extreme and miraculous effects of God's power, particularly in causing "hinds to calve" under such conditions, an event that would be extraordinary and deeply impactful, highlighting the overwhelming nature of divine influence. The vivid imagery also creates a strong sense of sensory detail, allowing the reader to almost hear the thunder, feel the tremor, and witness the storm's transformative effects on the landscape. Furthermore, the verse exhibits a significant shift in focus (often referred to as a volta or turning point), moving dramatically from the raw, external power of God manifested in creation to the internal, spiritual response of worship within the temple. This transition underscores the theological truth that the natural world's testimony to God's power is meant to lead humanity to adoration and praise in His sacred presence.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 29:9 powerfully bridges the gap between God's magnificent work in creation and the appropriate human response of worship. The "voice of the LORD," which orchestrates the most profound and even unsettling aspects of the natural world, is not merely a display of raw power but a revelation of divine glory that demands a response. This verse teaches that the awe inspired by God's sovereignty over creation should naturally culminate in a reverent and collective declaration of His majesty within the sanctuary. It underscores that all of creation, in its raw power and delicate intricacies, serves as a testament to the Creator, compelling His people to gather and articulate His praises, recognizing that the external display of His might is designed to draw His people into intimate worship.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 29:9 serves as a profound reminder that God's power is not a distant, abstract concept but an active, pervasive force evident throughout all creation. When we witness the majesty of a powerful storm, the intricate details of life emerging, or the vastness of the natural world, this verse calls us to move beyond mere observation to profound recognition: this is the "voice of the LORD" at work. This recognition should not merely evoke fear but lead us, like those in the temple, to declare His glory and worship Him wholeheartedly. It encourages us to find God's presence not only in moments of quiet devotion and structured worship but also in the raw, untamed forces of the natural world, understanding that all creation testifies to His magnificent power and worthiness of praise. Our worship in the sanctuary, therefore, becomes the appropriate and necessary response to the glory of God revealed in the cosmos, uniting our voices with the silent testimony of creation and acknowledging His pervasive dominion over all things.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does the psalm mention "hinds to calve" in connection with a storm, and what is its significance?
Answer: The mention of "hinds to calve" (female deer giving birth) in connection with the storm's impact is highly significant, serving multiple theological and literary purposes. Hinds are known for their timidity and for having particularly difficult and often solitary births, seeking secluded places. The imagery suggests that the "voice of the LORD" is so overwhelmingly powerful that it affects even the most sensitive and hidden aspects of creation, compelling life to emerge even amidst the chaos and stress of a severe storm. This detail emphasizes the absolute and inescapable dominion of God, demonstrating that His power extends beyond mere physical destruction to influence the very processes of life and reproduction. It highlights the miraculous and all-encompassing nature of God's control, asserting that nothing in creation is beyond the reach or influence of His authoritative word. This divine power, which can induce birth in such challenging circumstances, underscores the creative and life-giving aspect of God's "voice," even when manifested through a storm. It further distinguishes Yahweh from pagan storm deities, whose power was often depicted as purely destructive, by showcasing His life-affirming sovereignty over all natural processes, even in the midst of overwhelming power.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The "voice of the LORD" in Psalms 29:9 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is Himself the eternal Word of God. Just as the psalmist describes God's voice as the active force behind creation and its phenomena, the New Testament reveals Jesus as the agent through whom all things were made and are sustained, as profoundly articulated in John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16-17. His spoken word demonstrates absolute authority over nature, famously calming storms with a mere command (Mark 4:39) and even raising the dead, echoing the life-giving power attributed to the "voice" in the psalm. Furthermore, the psalm's culmination in worship within God's temple foreshadows Christ's own body as the true temple, as He declared in John 2:19-21, and ultimately the Church, built on Him, where His glory is now proclaimed by "every one" (Ephesians 2:19-22). The awe and glory that creation speaks of are perfectly embodied in Christ, who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of His nature, upholding the universe by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). Thus, the natural revelation of God's power in Psalm 29 points forward to the supreme revelation of God's glory in the person and work of Jesus Christ, compelling all who believe to worship Him as the living Word.