Psalms 29:1-11
1 Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty,a give unto the LORD glory and strength.
2 Give unto the LORD the gloryb due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon manyc waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;d the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
7 The voice of the LORD dividethe the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve,f and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
10 The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.
11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
This is a wonderful picture of a storm, viewed from the standpoint of one who is supremely conscious of Jehovah. The great name occurs oftener in this psalm than in any other in this first book, being found no less than eighteen times. Therein is discovered the key to the whole movement. Once the name suggestive of wonder-working might is used-The God of glory thundereth.
For the rest, this God is seen to be Jehovah of the trusting soul.
From this outlook, all the sublimity and majesty are seen under the control of love, and the singer finds occasion for the highest form of praise in the presence of a storm which otherwise might have filled the heart with terror. The storm is described in the central part of the song (3-9). To the description there is a prelude calling on "the sons of God" to praise (1, 2). In the epilogue (10-ll), the storm seems to have subsided and the psalmist sings of the one supreme impression produced. Over all the flood Jehovah sat as King. The deductions are simple and yet full of beauty. Jehovah always sits as King. During the storm He will give strength to His people. Following it He will give them peace.