Psalms 29:9

The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve - The deer. The object of the psalmist here is to show the effects of the storm in producing consternation, especially on the weak and timid animals of the forest. The effect here adverted to is that of fear or consternation in bringing on the throes of parturition. Compare Job 39:1, Job 39:3. No one can doubt that the effect here described may occur in the violence of a tempest; and perhaps no image could more vividly describe the terrors of the storm than the consternation thus produced. The margin here is, “to be in pain.” The Hebrew means “to bring forth,” referring to the pains of parturition.

And discovereth the forests - The word used here means “to strip off, to uncover;” and, as used here, it means to strip off the leaves of the forest; to make the trees bare - referring to an effect which is often produced by a violent storm.

And in his temple doth every one speak of his glory - Margin, “every whit of it uttereth,” etc. The word here rendered “temple” does not refer in this place to the tabernacle, or to the temple at Jerusalem, but rather “to the world itself,” considered as the residence or dwelling-place of God. Perhaps the true translation would be, “And in his temple everything says, Glory!” That is, in the dwelling-place of God - the world of nature - the sky, the earth, the forests, the waters, everything in the storm, echoes “glory, glory!” All these things declare the glory of God; all these wonders - the voice of God upon the waters; the thunder; the crash of the trees upon the hills; the shaking of the wilderness; the universal consternation; the leaves stripped from the trees and flying in every direction - all proclaim the majesty and glory of Yahweh.