Bird's-eye view
Psalm 29 is a majestic anthem to the glory and power of God, revealed through the thunderous voice of Yahweh in a storm. The psalm is beautifully structured, beginning with a call to worship in the heavenly courts (vv. 1-2), moving to a description of the storm's awesome power as it sweeps from the waters of the Mediterranean, across the mountains of Lebanon, and into the wilderness of Kadesh (vv. 3-9), and concluding with an affirmation of Yahweh's eternal reign and His blessing upon His people (vv. 10-11). This is not a psalm about meteorology; it is a psalm about theology. The storm is not the subject, but rather the instrument that displays the power of God's word. David, the warrior-poet, calls the highest beings in creation to ascribe glory to God, and then shows how all of creation involuntarily does the same through its trembling and turmoil. The final note is one of peace, reminding the believer that the God of the terrifying thunder is the same God who gives strength and peace to His covenant people.
The central message is that God's power is absolute and His glory is ultimate. All worship, therefore, is simply the act of acknowledging this reality. It is a response to a revelation of who God is. For the heavenly beings, the call is direct. For creation, the response is instinctual. For the believer, the response is one of trust and peace, knowing that this infinitely powerful King is our King.
Outline
- 1. The Call to Heavenly Worship (Ps 29:1-2)
- a. The Command to Ascribe (Ps 29:1a)
- b. The Content of Ascription: Glory and Strength (Ps 29:1b)
- c. The Focus of Ascription: The Glory of His Name (Ps 29:2a)
- d. The Manner of Worship: In Holy Splendor (Ps 29:2b)
- 2. The Voice of Yahweh in Creation (Ps 29:3-9)
- a. Over the Waters (Ps 29:3-4)
- b. Over the Forests (Ps 29:5)
- c. Over the Mountains (Ps 29:6)
- d. Over the Wilderness (Ps 29:7-9a)
- e. The Temple's Refrain (Ps 29:9b)
- 3. The Confidence of the Covenant People (Ps 29:10-11)
- a. The Lord Enthroned Forever (Ps 29:10)
- b. The Lord's Blessing of Peace (Ps 29:11)
Context In Psalms
Psalm 29 stands as a pure hymn of praise, distinct from many of the surrounding psalms that are laments or petitions. It is a celebration of God's cosmic power and majesty. Its language and imagery have parallels in ancient Near Eastern poetry, particularly Ugaritic texts celebrating the storm god Baal. However, David is not borrowing pagan theology; he is commandeering the language of power and applying it exclusively and properly to Yahweh, the one true God. He is declaring that the God of Israel is the true King over all creation, and any ascription of power to false gods is idolatrous theft. This psalm serves to remind Israel, and the Church, that the God who made a covenant with them is not a tribal deity but the sovereign Lord of the universe, whose voice shakes the foundations of the earth.
Key Issues
- The Identity of the "Sons of the Mighty"
- The Meaning of "Ascribe"
- The Nature of Divine Glory
- The Relationship Between God's Voice and Creation
- The "Splendor of Holiness"
- Polemical Theology Against Paganism
The Unignorable Command
Worship is not a suggestion. It is not an invitation to a feeling. It is a command, and it is a command that begins at the top. Before this psalm ever gets to the thunder and lightning, before it touches down on the earth, it begins in the throne room of heaven. David, speaking by the Spirit, issues a direct order to the most powerful created beings in the universe. This sets the stage for everything that follows. If the angels in heaven are commanded to worship, then what possible excuse could we have? All true worship is a response to the reality of God. It is the only sane and rational thing to do in the presence of such glory and strength. The psalm opens with this unignorable command because the God it describes is an unignorable God.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1 Ascribe to Yahweh, O sons of the mighty, Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength.
The psalm opens with a summons. The ones being summoned are the bene elohim, translated here as "sons of the mighty." This refers to the angelic beings, the members of God's heavenly council. David is commanding the angels to do what they were created to do. Worship begins in heaven. The verb is "ascribe," which means to give, to attribute, to assign. Of course, we cannot give God anything He does not already possess. Ascribing glory and strength to God is not like handing Him a present He lacked. It is the act of recognition and declaration. It is looking at Reality Himself and stating what is true of Him. It is saying, "You, Yahweh, are the glorious One. You are the strong One." The angels are commanded to acknowledge and proclaim God's intrinsic glory, His infinite worth and weightiness, and His strength, His omnipotent power to do all His holy will. This is the fundamental activity of heaven, and it must be the fundamental activity of the church on earth.
2 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory of His name; Worship Yahweh in the splendor of holiness.
The command is repeated and intensified. The angels are to ascribe to Yahweh the "glory of His name." In Scripture, a name is not a mere label; it represents the character and reputation of the person. God's name is the sum of His revealed attributes. To give glory to His name is to honor His reputation, to praise His character, to declare His worthiness as He has revealed Himself to be. This is the opposite of taking His name in vain. Then the command shifts from "ascribe" to "worship." This is the active outworking of ascription. And how is this worship to be performed? "In the splendor of holiness." Some translations have "the beauty of holiness." This is not talking about our subjective feelings or the aesthetics of our sanctuary. It is not a command to put on nice clothes for church, though that is not a bad idea. It refers to the objective, stunning, and magnificent beauty of God's own perfect holiness. God's holiness is glorious, splendid, and beautiful. We are to worship Him in a manner that is fitting for that reality. For sinful creatures, this is an impossible standard, which is why we can only truly worship when we are clothed in the holiness of Christ. He is the splendor of holiness, and it is only in Him that we can approach the Father and offer acceptable worship.
Application
These two verses are a foundational corrective to our modern, man-centered ideas about worship. First, worship is not about us. It is not about our preferences, our feelings, our emotional needs, or our entertainment. The command is to "ascribe to Yahweh." He is the subject and the object of all true worship. Our worship services should be ordered around what is due to Him, not what is pleasing to us. If the angels are commanded to give Him glory, then our primary task is to join them in that great work.
Second, worship is grounded in theology. We are to ascribe to Him the "glory of His name." This means we must know His name. We must know His character as He has revealed it in His Word. Worship that is detached from sound doctrine is nothing more than empty emotionalism. The more we know of God's glory, strength, justice, mercy, and faithfulness, the more fuel we will have for the fire of worship.
Finally, worship must be holy. We are to worship "in the splendor of holiness." This drives us to the gospel. We have no holiness of our own. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. We cannot waltz into the presence of the Holy God of the universe on our own terms. We must come clothed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, washed in His blood, and presented by Him as holy and blameless. The beauty of holiness is not something we manufacture; it is something we receive by faith. Therefore, all true worship is gospel-centered worship, offered in Christ, through Christ, and to the glory of God in Christ.