Psalms 29

To the prayer in Psalm 28 where judgment on the enemies is asked, in this psalm God’s answer is given. God will make His voice sound full of power and majesty at His time. That will mean judgment for the wicked and salvation and joy for the remnant.

In this psalm we do not hear the cry of an afflicted in distress, but the power of God is displayed. This is done to encourage the faithful. He Who cares for them is more powerful than all the mighty rulers of earth who are still in control today and who often make life so difficult for the faithful.

The description of God’s power is connected to His voice which is compared to a violent thunderstorm. This makes it clear that God is greater than Baal, the Canaanite idol of storm and thunder. His voice is the answer to the voice of David (Psa 28:2). One of the characteristic features of a person is his voice. David recognizes in the thunder the voice of God (cf. Job 37:2-5a).

For “a Psalm of David” (verse 1a) see at Psalm 3:1.

In this psalm, David calls on “the sons of the mighty”, the mighty rulers, the great ones of the earth, to “ascribe to the LORD glory and strength” (verse 1b). With this he is calling for their acknowledgment of it. They are to ascribe to Him “the glory due to His Name” (verse 2). Several times in verses 1b-2 the mighty rulers are told that He is “the LORD”, the Name that emphasizes His covenant with His people. In the entire psalm, that Name occurs eighteen times. There is clear emphasis on it (cf. Isa 42:8).

The command is appropriate: “Worship the LORD in holy array.” This will happen without any resistance. Where He dwells, everything is glorious and holy. With Him there is no contradiction between glory and holiness. One of His glories is His holiness. Both features of Him compel the rulers of the earth to worship Him.

The three times repeated “ascribe”, seems to imply a certain unwillingness. But they cannot escape it. One day every knee will bow to Him and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:10-11).

The psalm is characterized by a repetition of words, giving the impression of repeating thunders. Seven times in these verses “the voice of the LORD” is spoken of. This gives this psalm its nickname: the psalm of the seven thunders.

With the exception of the seventh time, “the voice of the LORD” always speaks in connection with judgment. The seventh time the voice of God speaks to bring forth new life. That His voice sounds mighty seven times cannot but work deep awe for that Majesty. His works are mighty and mighty is also His directing of history. These verses describe His glory and honor over all creation: over the air, the sea, the land and the wilderness.

The first time we hear the voice of the LORD sound “upon the waters” (verse 3). Waters are often a picture of the nations living in rebellion against God (cf. Isa 57:20). “The God of glory thunders” terrifyingly over them. God is “over many waters”, He rules over them, they are in His power. Therefore, He can save His people when they have to go through the waters (Isa 43:2; Exo 14:21-22).

The voice of God is powerful and majestic (verse 4). When God speaks, it is always with power. He reveals Himself in His speaking, something of Him then becomes visible. We see this in creation (Gen 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24). Everything comes about by His mighty speaking; and whatever He has created, He also upholds by the word of His power (Heb 1:3). In creation we see “His eternal power and divine nature” (Rom 1:20). In it He speaks (Psa 19:1b) and reveals Himself. And when He reveals Himself, He glorifies Himself.

God’s power and majesty are expressed in a storm; they become tangible in it. A storm is a way of speaking of God. As a result, cedars are broken, “yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon” (verse 5). Cedars here are a picture of proud man, who will be humbled by the LORD (Isa 2:11-13,17). Not only the proud man will be humbled, but whole nations, which are compared to mountains like “Lebanon” and “Sirion” (verse 6), which is Mount Hermon (Deu 3:8-9). Sirion is the Phoenician name for Mount Hermon. The Phoenician name emphasizes that in this psalm a contradiction with the Phoenician idol Baal is highlighted.

These mighty mountains in the north of Israel skip by His voice “like a calf” and “like a young wild ox”. He deals with them as if they were playful, young animals. Mountains are immovable to us humans, but by the voice of God even these immovable mountains start skipping like a calf and a young wild ox.

Unlike the surrounding verses which consist of two parallel phrases, verse 7 consists of only one powerful verse which we can therefore consider the center and core of this psalm. The earthquake created by God’s speaking in the previous verse is accompanied by the fiery flames that God hews out of the clouds, as it were. It resembles His glittering sword with which He brings vengeance upon His adversaries (Deu 32:41; cf. Rev 19:15). In the face of that greatness, man shrinks (Jer 10:13-14).

From Lebanon and Sirion in the north, the storm rages on to the wilderness of Kadesh in the south (verse 8). The entire land is ravaged by God’s judgments to requite the shedding of the blood of innocent people.

By His voice, God brings forth new life (verse 9). This verse refers back to the beginning of Psalm 22, ‘the hind of the dawn’ (Psa 22:1). That deer or hind here becomes deer that cast young. Through the connection to Psalm 22, we can say that God gives new life on the basis of the death of the Anointed. The deer is a picture of the faithful remnant (cf. Psa 42:1b). They go through the great tribulation, in which they have so often despaired of life, and then come to new life, as it were.

The forests are stripped bare by the storm. The trees stand bare after the storm. All their glory is gone. The trees here are a picture of the greatness of man (Dan 4:20-22). In this picture we see that after the judgments of God man is completely stripped of all his glory and stands naked before God. God glorifies Himself through judgment.

After the cleansing of the land, the sanctuary will be cleansed. The temple will be rebuilt by the antichrist who will let himself be worshiped there as God. Then God intervenes, for whoever comes into His temple must give Him glory. Everywhere, in all creation, the honor of God is visible. No one will worship anything or anyone else anymore. Everyone will say to Him what they see: Glory!

These verses are the answer to the prayer in verses 1-2. In verse 10 we see Who the LORD is as the One Who has power over everything. In verse 11 we see Who He is to His people.

His dominion over all is shown in His rule over the flood (verse 10). This speaks of the judgment He brings on the earth, a judgment similar to the “flood” of the deluge (Gen 6:17). The LORD “sits as King” above it, He rules over it, it is His judgment. But just as with the deluge then, He keeps a remnant during the judgments.

Just as a new world emerged after the deluge, so also this judgment storm is needed if there is to be a new world, a new heaven and a new earth (Isa 65:17-25). On that earth cleansed by judgment, the remnant spared by Him may dwell under the rule of the Lord Jesus, Who reigns as King from Jerusalem. His reign does not end; it is an eternal reign (Dan 2:44).

God has taken away the power of the mighty rulers of verse 2 and hands it over to “His people” (verse 11). Israel will exercise world domination with the LORD in their midst and do so from the peace with which they have been blessed by His God. There will be an abundance of peace that will fill the whole earth (Psa 72:7-8). It is the peace that prevails on earth after the tempestuous storms.

For the practice of our life of faith, the psalm is an encouragement. Those who are in trouble because they are treated with hostility by the world see here that God is in control of everything. He has the power to strike down the strongest opposition. When the believing heart considers this, it receives strength to persevere and there is peace in Him.