We will see that ultimately this psalm is a call to worship the Lord. Again, upon closer inspection, we will see that David uses great talent in his poetry. David uses a strategy in his writing of this psalm that we saw also in psalm 8 and 19. David is going to use the beauty of God’s creation to demonstrate the glory of the Lord. In psalm 8, David used the beauty of the night sky to make us ask why God was mindful of man (Ps. 8:3-4). In Ps 19, talked about the beauty of a sunrise to demonstrate how everyman sees the glory of God (Ps. 19:1, 4-5). This time David is going to show the beauty of a thunderstorm (possibly something stronger) to demonstrate that God is deserving of praise from all creatures.
The psalm easily breaks into three parts: vv. 1-2 is a call to worship for His holiness, vv. 3-9b describe the holiness of the Lord argued through the beauty of a thunderstorm, and vv. 9c-11 show the Lord established as Sovereign.
David may have done something quite interesting. It appears that David borrowed from a Canaanite psalm for Baal and modified it for use with the Lord.
The Canaanite/Ugaritic aspects of the psalm formed the basis of an hypothesis presented by Ginsberg in 1935, in which he proposed that Ps 29 may originally have been a Phoenician hymn, which found its way into the Hebrew psalter after suitable modification. This basic hypothesis has been developed and modified by several scholars since 1935; many scholars now consider the evidence for the original Canaanite/Phoenician character of the psalm (it is proposed that it was originally a hymn to Baal) is “conclusive.”1
There are two main reasons for the hypothesis. The first is that the geography mentioned in the psalm is not found in Israel but north, in Lebanon—a place dominated by worship to Baal. The second reason is that, “Baal, the Canaanite weather-god, was associated with the storm, thunder and lightning. He is portrayed in Ugaritic iconography with lightning as a weapon in his hand; in the Ugaritic texts, his voice is explicitly identified with thunder.”2 The hypothesis should not worry us but rather help us to see some of David’s creativity and talent. We do something similar today when we borrow a tune and replace the original words with our own words; Weird Al Yankovic makes a living doing this. How far the hypothesis is correct is uncertain. If the hypothesis is correct, even to the fullest extent, then we should realize that David created a polemic against Baal with his own hymn. Think of it as mocking a nation in song while using the tune of the nation’s own national anthem.
29:title. In the MT and the English translations, we only see that David’s name is listed as the author of this psalm. In the LXX, we find additional words (i.e. ἐξοδίου σκηνῆς)3 indicating that it was meant to be used at the Feast of Tabernacles. Perhaps this is due to v. 9, “And in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.” “But it is now a psalm for Pentecost, and may well have been so used in New Testament times. The Talmud prescribes it for this feast (Sopherim 18:3).”4 According to tradition, Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, is when Moses received the Ten Commandments on mount Sinai. I think the Talmud assigned this psalm to the day because of the scene that was observed when God’s speaking was likened to thunder and lightnings and the mountain quaked in His presence (Exod. 19:16, 18; 20:118-19; cf. Heb. 12:18-21). Perhaps David witnessed a storm and recalled the scene of mount Sinai which inspired him to write this psalm.
29:1-2. As already stated, the first three verses serve as a call to come and worship the Lord. The first line tells us to whom the call is addressed. The word “mighty” is the Hebrew בְּנֵי אֵלִים (benê ʾēlim) or “sons of the mighty.” “The expression is difficult but probably means ‘sons of God,’ even though elsewhere that is written differently (בְּנֵי אְֶלֹהִים). In the Old Testament these would be angels (Job 2:1). In the Canaanite texts the expression ‘the sons of El (God)’ refers to the pantheon of the gods.”5 Therefore, David is calling all of the creatures of heaven to join in giving praise to God.
We see the word “give” or “ascribe” is repeated three times in vv. 1-2. Two of the three times we are told to give glory unto God. It is even noted that this is “due unto his name.” The very character of God demands that we worship Him. We see this especially when Isaiah sees the Lord high and lifted up (Isa. 6:1-5). The seraphs constantly give praise to God (Rev. 4:8). All who see Him always fall prostrate before Him. They only have to look upon Him and they fall in worship. Yet David is not seeing the Lord like Isaiah did. He needs to explain that God’s character demands worship. Spurgeon noted well, “Surely men should not need so much pressing to give what is due, especially when the payment is so pleasant.”6 The unsaved is not aware that man was made to give glory to God (1 Cor. 10:31) and the saved need to be reminded on a regular basis.
The last line of v. 2 is a little tricky to understand. The word “beauty” is the Hebrew הְַדָרָה (hăḏārâ) which can also be translated as “worship garb.”7 Hence the NASB states, “Worship the Lord in holy array.”
Holy array is a perfectly possible translation of an expression which is literally “the splendor of holiness.” It is found also in 96:9; 110:3; 1 Chron. 16:29; 2 Chron. 20:21; and while it could be translated either way in all places, the last of them tips the balance toward the “literal” sense, understood as speaking of God’s holiness rather than man’s. Here, then, we should probably understand the line to mean “Worship the Lord for the splendor of (his) holiness”.8
Perhaps we should even see it as the Lord is arrayed in holiness. The same is observed by the seraphs in Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8.
29:3. David now turns in vv. 3-9b to explain why God deserves praise. David is going to use a metaphor equating the voice of the Lord to thunder. Remember, David may be borrowing from a previous source but David wanted to demonstrate God’s power and therefore needs to be worshipped. David creatively uses something that every man has seen in his life. Every man has been surprised a couple of times by the effects of thunder; if not as an adult then certainly as a child. David will show these effects of thunder and lightning as the storm moves across the land.
The fact that the voice of the Lord is over the waters may just have a simple connotation. It may just be that the storm is starting over the Mediterranean Sea.9 The other possible connotation has to do with David borrowing from the Canaanite hymn. “In the Ugaritic texts, Yam (‘sea’) is the ‘god of the mighty waters;’ yet the chaotic god, Yam, was conquered by Baal. An allusion to this mythological incident is already contained in the Song of the Sea, where the Lord is described as using ‘sea’ as tool of conquest (Exod. 15:8).”10 David is simply showing that such wonders of nature are not gods but only tools of the Lord’s power.
29:4. David simply ascribes power and majesty to thunder as it is equated to the voice of the Lord. This will be explained in the verses to come.
29:5. We know today that it is not thunder that breaks a tree as much as it lightning. However, David is using the language of appearances. Moreover, whenever there is lightning, thunder will follow. David demonstrates the power of the voice of the Lord by explaining that it is not a weak tree that is being destroyed. The voice of the Lord destroys even the mighty cedar trees of Lebanon fall prostrate before the Lord.
29:6. The first line of v 6 describes an earthquake. The violent shaking is like a calf skipping due to fear. What is most impressive is the object that is being shaken—Lebanon and Sirion. Lebanon is a metonymy representing a mountain range. We know this because Sirion is a mountain located in that range. Mt. Sirion is probably Mt. Hermon from Deuteronomy 3:9. The voice of the Lord is shaking the most massive object on the face of the planet. We have all experienced this when lightning strikes near us. The ground shakes. I have heard of lightning striking near hour and the window pane shatter from the thunder. This is power. “Unicorn” is from the Hebrew רְאֵם (reēm) which is a wild ox or aurochs. The animal is now extinct.11
29:7. The commentators are in agreement that this line is referring to lightning, “The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.”12 The NIV states the same. This, again, brings up the imagery associated with Baal but David is still insisting that this of the Lord.
29:8. The verse corresponds with v 6. The storm shakes the wilderness as well the mountains. The location of “Kadesh” is uncertain. “This is probably Kadesh on the Orontes River in the north. The word ‘Kadesh’ designates a shrine, a holy place, and so it would be a fairly popular name for cities with temples.”13 “Kadesh” means holy as well so it may simple mean holy wilderness.
29:9a-b. The first line has been met with some confusion. There is a desire to make the line parallel to cedars of Lebanon. Surprisingly, one could vocalize the consonants (אַילה) to be “oaks” instead of a doe. However, there is no manuscript support for “oaks” over a dear. The verb, to calve, is usually translated “to be in labor” but it could mean “to writhe” perhaps due to fear.14 There is still the possibility that there was enough fear for the doe that it cause a premature birth for the fawn but this meaning is uncertain.
The second line of v. 9 corresponds with the cedar trees of Lebanon. Most translations have, “And strips the forests bare.”
29:9c. The conclusion after witnessing the power and the effects of the voice of the Lord should be of praise. That should certainly be the case if you are in His temple.
29:10. The flood corresponds with the “many waters” of v. 3. The word “flood” is מַבּוּל (mǎbbûl). The word is only used 13 times in the OT and only occurs this once in the psalms. All other occurrences of מַבּוּל are found in Genesis relating to the deluge. Therefore we see that God is executing judgment and authority as He sits on His throne even in the midst of a deluge.
29:11. When God displays His power, His people receive blessing. His people receive peace. He is able to shake the mountains and He is also able to bless His children.
If we should give to God when we only see His storms, how much more glory will we give Him when we stand before Him?
Notes
1. Peter C. Craigie and Marvin E. Tate, Psalms 1-50, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 19, 2nd ed. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004), 244.
2. Ibid, 247.
3. Ibid, 242n1a.
4. Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72, Kidner Classic Commentary (1973; repr. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 142n87.
5. Allen P. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms, Kregel Exegetical Library (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2011-5), 1:656.
6. Charles H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Classic Reflections on the Wisdom of the Psalms ([1851?]; repr. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2011), 1:2:29.
7. James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), 2079. (DBLH)
8. Kidner, Psalms 1-72, 145.
9. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms, 1:659.
10. Craigie and Tate, Psalms 1-50, 247.
11. DBLH, 8028.
12. Craigie’s translation of v. 7 in Craigie and Tate, Psalms 1-50, 242.
13. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms, 1:660.
14. Ibid, 1:660n17.
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