Psalms 29

Psalm 29#sn Psalm 29. In this hymn of praise the psalmist calls upon the heavenly assembly to acknowledge the royal splendor of the Lord. He describes the Lord’s devastating power as revealed in the thunderstorm and affirms that the Lord exerts this awesome might on behalf of his people. In its original context the psalm was a bold polemic against the Canaanite storm god Baal, for it affirms that the Lord is the real king who controls the elements of the storm, contrary to pagan belief. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 150 (1994): 280-82.

A psalm of David.

1Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings, acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power!

2Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation! Worship the Lord in holy attire!

3The Lord’s shout is heard over the water; the majestic God thunders, the Lord appears over the surging water.

4The Lord’s shout is powerful, the Lord’s shout is majestic.

5The Lord’s shout breaks the cedars, the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf and Sirion like a young ox.

7The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire.

8The Lord’s shout shakes the wilderness, the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9The Lord’s shout bends the large trees and strips the leaves from the forests. Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!”

10The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters, the Lord sits enthroned as the eternal king.

11The Lord gives his people strength; the Lord grants his people security.