Psalm 29:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters.

NIV: The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

NASB: The voice of the Lord is on the waters; The God of glory thunders, The Lord is over many waters.

CSB: The voice of the Lord is above the waters. The God of glory thunders -- the Lord, above the vast water,

NLT: The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.

KJV: The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

NKJV: The voice of the Lord is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The Lord is over many waters.

Judging by the imagery used in this passage, David might have seen an exceptional storm breaking over the Mediterranean Sea. He uses those symbols to attribute power to the voice of God. The thunderstorm is evidence of the Lord's might. He commands thunder to appear and clap loudly. Certainly, the God who created everything by His spoken word (Hebrews 11:3) is powerful enough to control nature. He is not a disinterested, distant god, as deism insists. He did not simply create the world and then let it run down by itself. His hand is on nature, and it is His to command.

Jesus, the Son of God, provided incontrovertible proof of His power over nature. He stilled a storm that arose over the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:39). He turned water into wine (John 2:6–11). He brought a great catch into nets that were empty after a night-long attempt to harvest fish, twice (Luke 5:1–11; John 21:1–14). He fed 5,000 hungry men, plus women and children, with five barley rolls and two small fish (Matthew 14:13–21). He rode into Jerusalem on an unbroken colt (Mark 11:2, 7).

Psalm 29:3–9 uses the phrase "the voice of the LORD" seven times. Each time, the designation precedes an example of God's power over nature. God's speech represents His will: that which He commands to happen will always happen. These examples offer a strong reason to associate God with glory and to give Him worship. Psalm 8 also expresses wonder at God's creative power.

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 5/18/2024 7:44:24 PM