Psalm 29:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.

NIV: Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

NASB: Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Worship the Lord in holy attire.

CSB: Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

NLT: Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

KJV: Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

NKJV: Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

In this verse David summons the heavenly host—angels—to credit the Lord with the glory He deserves. His "name," in this verse, stands for all that the Lord is. Believers as well as angels are called upon to glorify the Lord. First Corinthians 10:31 admonishes believers to "do all to the glory of God."

David also instructs the angels to "worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness." This phrase might also be translated as "in holy attire." In Old Testament times Israel received countless reminders that God is holy, and that His people must come before Him in holiness. Aaron, the high priest, wore a turban with a pure gold plate on its front that read, "Holy to the LORD" (Exodus 28:36). First Chronicles 16:29 instructed Israel to "worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness."

Isaiah caught a vision of the Lord on His throne and heard angels calling out to the Lord, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" (Isaiah 6:3). This psalm lifts up God's perfect and absolute worthiness to be praised in the strongest terms.

Psalm 29:1–2 call on angels to credit God for his glory and power. Three times David uses a word translated "ascribe" to direct the angels. In response to all that the Lord stands for, these spiritual beings should worship Him in the splendor of holiness. These two verses are an apt introduction. What follows is the psalmist's description of the Lord's power and sovereign control of nature.

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.

Accessed 5/5/2024 12:21:12 PM