Psalm 29:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.

NIV: The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

NASB: The Lord sat as King at the flood; Yes, the Lord sits as King forever.

CSB: The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned, King forever.

NLT: The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as king forever.

KJV: The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.

NKJV: The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, And the Lord sits as King forever.

David rightly perceived the Lord as sovereign over the Mediterranean Sea—this psalm seems to be inspired by the awesome power of a thunderstorm (Psalm 29:3–5). This verse seems to speak of the aftermath of such storms, in the form of a flood. It's possible David has in mind the overflow and storm surge which comes with some natural disasters.

More likely, this is a reference to the flood of Noah's day (Genesis 7:4). Like the storm depicted in this psalm, that was an act of nature over which God had sovereign control. It was the Lord who sent the rain, opened fountains of the deep, and eventually stopped the flood. That absolute control is captured by David's image of God seated on His throne above the deluge. He rules everything. He is the eternal King.

God's people should be encouraged to know their lives are not ruled by randomness or pure luck. All things are in the hands of this same eternal King. Believers have steadfast hope (2 Corinthians 1:10; Hebrews 6:19) that someday Jesus will reign over all the earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. The world may experience calamity, conflicts, and near chaos now, but peace will prevail when King Jesus takes His place on the throne of David.

Psalm 29:10–11 is the closing section of David's proclamation. He lifts up the Lord as King forever and prays the King will strengthen and bless His people with peace. This is a fitting conclusion to a psalm that extols the Lord's omnipotent power over nature. The eternal King, who is strong enough to control nature, is strong enough to empower and calm His people.

David depicts the power of God's will—referred to as His "voice"—using imagery from thunderstorms and earthquakes. He calls on heaven to praise God. The Lord's voice has the power to shatter great trees, uproot mountains, shake deserts, strip forests, and strike terror into all living things. None of these events are mere change, but God is control of them all. David asks God to provide confidence and strength to Israel as they remember His omnipotent power.

This psalm of David magnifies the Lord's attribute of omnipotence. David draws pictures from nature to illustrate God's power. The psalm parallels Psalm 8 in its revelation of God through nature. Based on the imagery, David may have witnessed a potent thunderstorm moving from the Mediterranean Sea across the region. The theme of trust in God, thanks to His demonstrated power, is common in Scripture (Hebrews 11).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.