Psalms 29:1

O ye mighty The phrase bnç çlîmadmits of three renderings.

(1) O ye sons of the mighty(R.V.), which may mean either powerful nobles, or mighty celestial beings. (2) O ye sons of the gods(R.V. marg.), meaning either beings "belonging to the class of superhuman, heavenly powers" (Cheyne); or the nations who "had forgotten their true parentage, and ranged themselves under the protection of deified heroes or invented gods, and are now invited to remember themselves and return to the Lord." (Kay). Cp. Psalms 96:7; Jeremiah 2:27. (3) O ye sons of God(R.V. marg., taking bnç elimas a doubly formed plural of ben çl); i.e. angels, who are called bnç elôhîm, -sons of God," in Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job 38:7. The last rendering is the best; but whichever rendering is adopted, the use of the phrase in Psalms 89:6 (comp. Psalms 29:5; Psalms 29:7) is decisive for the meaning angels. The spiritual beings which surround God's throne in heaven are called upon to render Him their tribute of adoration. Cp. Psalms 103:20 f.; Psalms 148:1 f.; Job 38:7. The special occasion of the summons is the manifestation of His glory upon earth which the Psalmist describes in Psalms 29:3. So the Seraphic chorus in Isaiah 6:3 recognise the earth as "full of Jehovah's glory."

Give i.e. ascribe, attribute. Recognise by your confession and proclamation those attributes of glory and strength which are supremely His. Cp. Deuteronomy 32:3; Psalms 68:34; Luke 17:18; Romans 4:20; Revelation 14:7.

The P.B.V., Bring unto the Lord, O ye mighty, bring young rams unto the Lord, comes from the LXX through the Vulg. In the present text of the LXX, the first line of the verse is doubly represented. Elîmmay mean rams, and an alternative rendering of bnç çlîmas young rams, originally placed in the margin, has found its way into the text.