Bible Commentary - Psalms 29

I’ve been occasionally noting patterns and regularity in different psalms.  For instance, the prayer psalms show certain commonalities; other psalms are focused on praise and thanksgiving.  Psalm 29 is remarkably different from everything we’ve seen so far, and if I had to assign it to a specific genre, I would probably call it a worship or praise psalm.

The psalm has an almost singular focus on “the voice of the LORD”.  There are three sections in the psalm: a brief introduction (after a fashion) in verses 1-2, a long middle body in verses 3-9, and then a brief conclusion (after another fashion) in verses 10-11.  The reason why I say “after a fashion” for both the introduction and conclusion is that they are not properly introducing or concluding the psalm.  They do not speak in any meaningful way to the central topic.

The introduction sets the general tone as praising God.  The conclusion is a general benediction for “his people”, the worshippers.  Both the introduction and the conclusion contain allusions to priestly ministry.  As such, we can make two deductions about this psalm (without yet looking at the core message in verses 3-9).  The first deduction is that this is probably a psalm for tabernacle ministry or temple worship in general.  This might not seem obvious, but the connection to priestly ministry makes it very likely.

Look first in verse 2.  “Worship the LORD in holy array”.  Other translations say “Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness”.  In both cases, most scholars agree this is an indirect reference to the priestly robes, diadem, etc. that are described at length in Exodus 28.  To rephase verse 2 according to this, it says, “worship the LORD wearing a priestly uniform”.  Next, look at verse 11.  “The LORD will bless his people with peace”.  This echoes the priestly benediction in Numbers 6:26, which also contains a blessing of peace, and as such the “blessing of peace” is distinctly in reference to priestly ministry.

Having established that it’s part of priestly ministry, a natural consequence is that it would be part of the tabernacle ministry because the priestly ministry was so deeply tied to the tabernacle (or temple) as the center of worship.  Although we do see priests occasionally traveling outside of Jerusalem, there can be no doubt that the overwhelming majority of priests lived near the temple and ministered at the temple.

Secondly, we can deduce that this psalm is for public worship.  Again this may not be obvious, but since the conclusion of this psalm is essentially a priestly benediction, we should understand that the benediction is designed for pronouncing blessings over the people.  It is typically expected that the people would be present to receive the blessing, rather than distant or abstract.  Furthermore, the fact that this is a worship song for the tabernacle suggests that it would be public because that is where the majority of priestly worship would occur, in the public courtyard.  It should be expected that non-priestly worshippers would go there and listen to the worship music.  It’s not a certainty, but it feels likely given the context.

Since verse 2 expects that the person singing is “in holy array”, it is probable that the priests (or possibly Levites) would be singing, and the audience would be non-priestly worshippers at the tabernacle (or later, the temple).

Moving on, the most striking aspect of this psalm is the repetition.  The introduction repeats the same phrase, “ascribe to the LORD” three times.  The main body repeats the phrase “The voice of the LORD” seven times.  Repetition in this case is both a poetic device, it’s part of what makes the song interesting, and it is also a backbone of sorts that holds the psalm together.  Some of the language describing the voice of the LORD is clear and simple, and some of it is more difficult to understand.  Verses 4 and 5 are both clear, describing the LORD’s voice as “powerful” and “majestic”.  In verses 7-9 it gets more difficult to follow the exact meaning, even though the general sentiment is the same.  It says that God’s voice “makes Lebanon skip like a calf” and “hews out flames of fire”.

It’s not clear exactly what this means, but we can work out two generalities.  The first is that this entire passage, between verses 3-9, has a single point.  All it’s trying to say is that God’s voice is powerful.  Shattering cedars, cutting out fire, shaking the wilderness, and so on; these are all expressions of God’s power through his voice.

The second general theme here is that David is using the metaphor of a storm cloud and thunder to describe God’s voice.  Note some of the language: “The God of glory thunders”, it is “over many waters”, “breaks the cedars”, “hews out flames of fire”.  If you gather these phrases together then you will get a sense of a thunderstorm, lightning bolts striking trees and exploding, wind blowing like crazy and raining heavily.

This should sound familiar to some of you.  Think back to the story of Job 37-38; it’s basically the same idea, with Elihu asserting that God speaks through lightning and thunder, that God’s voice is in the thunderstorm.  In Job 38:1, God speaks to Job out of the “whirlwind”, again using stormy imagery to describe God’s voice.

It’s possible this imagery helps to explain verse 10, “The LORD sits as king over the flood”.  “The flood” is possibly an allusion to the rain and flooding that comes with a storm.  Since the earlier passage is connecting God’s voice to the lightning and thunder, it makes sense that they would also connect God’s presence to the arrival of a storm.

We should imagine stormy clouds, the wind blowing fiercely, rivers and streams overflowing with water, pouring rain and thundering lightning.  It is a tempest, and the LORD is “king”.  The thunder is his voice, the storm blows and roars at his command, trees are blown over or struck by lightning.  Our conclusion?  God is powerful and majestic, he deserves glory and strength (v. 1-2), and in the final benediction God uses his great power to grant strength and peace to his people (v. 11).

This psalm is about God’s power.  It begins with a call to worship, a call to declare the glory of God.  In the middle is the “evidence”.  It’s the description of God’s power and glory, manifested through a storm which is symbolic of God’s voice.

Its conclusion is a final declaration of God’s authority, and then a blessing for God’s people.  God is great, and he will make his people great too.  God is mighty and he will bless his people.