Psalms
King James Version (KJV)
Psalms 29 COMMENTARY (Matthew Henry)
◄ Psalm 29 ► |
| Matthew Henry's Commentary |
Psalm 29:1
<> Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
29:1-11 Exhortation to give glory to God. - The mighty and honourable of the earth are especially bound to honour and worship him; but, alas, few attempt to worship him in the beauty of holiness. When we come before him as the Redeemer of sinners, in repentance faith, and love, he will accept our defective services, pardon the sin that cleaves to them, and approve of that measure of holiness which the Holy Spirit enables us to exercise. We have here the nature of religious worship; it is giving to the Lord the glory due to his name. We must be holy in all our religious services, devoted to God, and to his will and glory. There is a beauty in holiness, and that puts beauty upon all acts of worship. The psalmist here sets forth God's dominion in the kingdom of nature. In the thunder, and lightning, and storm, we may see and hear his glory. Let our hearts be thereby filled with great, and high, and honourable thoughts of God, in the holy adoring of whom, the power of godliness so much consists. O Lord our God, thou art very great! The power of the lightning equals the terror of the thunder. The fear caused by these effects of the Divine power, should remind us of the mighty power of God, of man's weakness, and of the defenceless and desperate condition of the wicked in the day of judgment. But the effects of the Divine word upon the souls of men, under the power of the Holy Spirit, are far greater than those of thunder storms in the nature world. Thereby the stoutest are made to tremble, the proudest are cast down, the secrets of the heart are brought to light, sinners are converted, the savage, sensual, and unclean, become harmless, gentle, and pure. If we have heard God's voice, and have fled for refuge to the hope set before us, let us remember that children need not fear their Father's voice, when he speaks in anger to his enemies. While those tremble who are without shelter, let those who abide in his appointed refuge bless him for their security, looking forward to the day of judgment without dismay, safe as Noah in the ark.
Psalm 29:2
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Psalm 29:3
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
Psalm 29:4
The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
Psalm 29:5
The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
Psalm 29:6
He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
Psalm 29:7
The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.
Psalm 29:8
The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
Psalm 29:9
The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
Psalm 29:10
The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.
Psalm 29:11
The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.