Psalms — Chapter 29
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1A Psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness.
3The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is heard over many waters.
4The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.
5The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7The voice of the LORD strikes with flames of fire.
8The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in His temple all cry, “Glory!”
10The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
11The LORD gives His people strength; the LORD blesses His people with peace.
1Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
2Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
3The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
4The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
6He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
7The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.
8The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
10The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.
11The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
1Ascribe unto Jehovah, O ye sons of the mighty, Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength.
2Ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name; Worship Jehovah in holy array.
3The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters: The God of glory thundereth, Even Jehovah upon many waters.
4The voice of Jehovah is powerful; The voice of Jehovah is full of majesty.
5The voice of Jehovah breaketh the cedars; Yea, Jehovah breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild-ox.
7The voice of Jehovah cleaveth the flames of fire.
8The voice of Jehovah shaketh the wilderness; Jehovah shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of Jehovah maketh the hinds to calve, And strippeth the forests bare: And in his temple everything saith, Glory.
10Jehovah sat [as King] at the Flood; Yea, Jehovah sitteth as King for ever.
11Jehovah will give strength unto his people; Jehovah will bless his people with peace. Psalm 30 A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. [A Psalm] of David.
1A psalm of David. Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings, acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power.
2Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation. Worship the Lord in holy attire.
3The Lord’s shout is heard over the water; the majestic God thunders, the Lord appears over the surging water.
4The Lord’s shout is powerful; the Lord’s shout is majestic.
5The Lord’s shout breaks the cedars; the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes them skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young ox.
7The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire.
8The Lord’s shout shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The Lord’s shout bends the large trees and strips the leaves from the forests. Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!”
10The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters; the Lord sits enthroned as the eternal king.
11The Lord gives his people strength; the Lord grants his people security.
1Ascribe to Yahweh, you sons of the mighty, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.
2Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array.
3Yahweh’s voice is on the waters. The God of glory thunders, even Yahweh on many waters.
4Yahweh’s voice is powerful. Yahweh’s voice is full of majesty.
5Yahweh’s voice breaks the cedars. Yes, Yahweh breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young, wild ox.
7Yahweh’s voice strikes with flashes of lightning.
8Yahweh’s voice shakes the wilderness. Yahweh shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9Yahweh’s voice makes the deer calve, and strips the forests bare. In his temple everything says, “Glory!”
10Yahweh sat enthroned at the Flood. Yes, Yahweh sits as King forever.
11Yahweh will give strength to his people. Yahweh will bless his people with peace.
Summary
A hymn celebrating the LORD's power displayed through a violent storm, likely composed for temple worship. It opens calling on heavenly beings to ascribe glory and strength to the LORD, worshiping him in the splendor of his holiness (vv. 1-2). The bulk of the psalm describes the voice of the LORD sweeping across the waters, breaking cedar trees, shaking the wilderness, and stripping forests bare — a thunderstorm portrayed as a display of divine majesty (vv. 3-9). While the storm rages, everyone in God's temple cries 'Glory' (v. 9). The LORD is enthroned over the flood as king forever, and the psalm closes with a prayer that he would give strength to his people and bless them with peace (vv. 10-11).
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- Lebanon (v.5, v.6): Region north of Israel known for its cedar forests.
Places on this map
- LebanonMount Lebanon range, LebanonIn the Bible this is the mountain range, not the modern country: a snow-capped wall rising over 10,000 feet behind the Phoenician coast. Its cedar was the prestige timber of the ancient Near East and both the tabernacle's successors and Solomon's temple were built from it. Wikipedia
Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Verse-by-verse commentary on this chapter, written for the everyday reader and freely available online.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of Psalms -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Joining Worship Already in Progress (v.2) — The call to worship God's holy name is directed first at heavenly beings, suggesting worship is already happening before we join it. Does your worship feel like you are joining something greater than yourself?
- Hearing God's Voice in the Storm (vv.3-9) — The psalm describes God's voice thundering through nature, breaking cedars and shaking the wilderness. When life feels chaotic or overwhelming, are you listening for God's voice within it rather than assuming He is absent?
- Enthroned Above the Flood (v.10) — Whatever chaos the flood represents, God is pictured sitting above it as sovereign King. Does the turmoil in your life sit under God's throne in your mind, or does it feel bigger than He is?
- Power That Produces Peace (v.11) — The same God whose voice breaks cedars is the one who gives His people strength and peace. Do you trust that God's power is ultimately for your good, not against you?