Psalm 29:11 Ulasan

It is the probable conjecture of some very good interpreters that David penned this psalm upon occasion, and just at the time, of a great storm of thunder, lightning, and rain, as the eighth psalm was his meditation in a moon-light night and the nineteenth in a sunny morning. It is good to take occasion from the sensible operations of God's power in the kingdom of nature to give glory to him. So composed was David, and so cheerful, even in a dreadful tempest, when others trembled, that then he penned this psalm; for, "though the earth be removed, yet will we not fear." I. He calls upon the great ones of the world to give glory to God (Psa 29:1, Psa 29:2). II. To convince them of the goodness of that God whom they were to adore, he takes notice of his power and terror in the thunder, and lightning, and thunder-showers (Psa 29:3-9), his sovereign dominion over the world (Psa 29:10), and his special favour to his church (Psa 29:11). Great and high thoughts of God should fill us in singing this psalm. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 29 A Psalm of David. In the Vulgate Latin version is added, "at the finishing of the tabernacle"; suggesting that this psalm was composed at that time, and on that occasion; not at the finishing of the tabernacle by Moses, but at the finishing of the tent or tabernacle which David made for the ark in Zion, Sa2 6:17. The title in the Arabic version is, "a prophecy concerning the incarnation, ark, and tabernacle.'' In the Septuagint version, from whence the Vulgate seems to have taken the clause, it is, at the "exodion", "exit", or "going out of the tabernacle"; that is, of the feast of tabernacles; and which was the eighth day of the feast, and was called which word the Septuagint renders the word here used, Lev 23:36; though it was on the first of the common days of this feast that this psalm was sung, as Maimonides (w) says. Some think it was composed when the psalmist was in a thunder storm, or had lately been in one, which he in a very beautiful manner describes. Kimchi thinks it refers to the times of the Messiah; and it may indeed be very well interpreted of the Gospel, and is very suitable to Gospel times. (w) Hilchot Tamidin, c. 10. s. 11.

The Lord will give strength unto his people,.... His special people, his covenant people, whom he has chosen for himself; these are encompassed with infirmities, and are weak in themselves; but there is strength for them in Christ: the Lord promises it unto them, and bestows it on them, and which is a pure gift of his grace unto them; this may more especially regard that strength, power, and dominion, which will be given to the people of the most High in the latter day; since it follows, upon the account of the everlasting kingdom of Christ; the Lord will bless his people with peace: with internal peace, which is peculiar to them, and to which wicked men are strangers; and which arises from a comfortable apprehension of justification by the righteousness of Christ, of pardon by his blood, and atonement by his sacrifice; and is enjoyed in a way of believing; and with external peace in the latter day, when there shall be no more war with them, nor persecution of them; but there shall be abundance of peace, and that without end; and at last with eternal peace, which is the end of the perfect and upright man; and the whole is a great blessing. Next: Psalms Chapter 30

"The Lord will give strength to His people" [Psalm 29:11]. For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this world He has not promised them. [John 16:33] "The Lord will bless His people in peace." And the same Lord will bless His people, affording them peace in Himself; for, says He, "My peace I give unto you, My peace I leave with you." [John 14:27]

"The Lord." Here he treats of the hoped-for benefits. And first he recalls the power of the benefactor. Second, he sets forth the hoped-for benefits, at "The Lord will give strength to his people." In the Hebrew it reads, "The Lord sat enthroned at the flood," and this has a plain sense. As if to say: it is true that he did this for the people of Israel. Was he not of the same power at some earlier time? Indeed, from the beginning of the world his judgments were manifest. And he recalls one manifest one: that by his judgment, on account of the sins of men, he brought about the flood. "And the Lord will sit as king forever," judging, namely, the peoples in equity. Jerome has, "The Lord inhabits the flood," or "causes it to be inhabited." When the flood inundated, the earth was emptied of inhabitants. Afterward, he again causes the earth, then devastated, to be inhabited through the multiplication of men. Mystically, this can be read in three ways. In one way, so that the word "flood" is, as it were, an accusative appended to the infinitive "to inhabit," because in Noah's ark only those people inhabited the flood. And so through Noah's ark the Church is signified, and the saints who are in it securely inhabit the flood of tribulations. In another way, conversely, as if "the flood inhabits in his temple." The flood represents the world and the carnal people of the world: Nah. 1: "With an overflowing flood he will make a complete end." He will therefore cause this flood to inhabit in his temple when they are converted. "And he will sit as king forever," as was explained above. In another way, "He inhabits the flood," that is, the baptismal waters, which he himself inhabits through the effect of grace. Next he recalls the hoped-for benefits. And first, those pertaining to progress. Second, to the end. As to the first, he says, "The Lord will give strength to his people," through which they can make progress: Is. 40: "He gives power to the fallen, and to those who had no strength," etc. As to the second, he says, "The Lord will bless his people with peace": Is. 32: "My people shall sit in the beauty of peace, in tents of confidence, in plentiful rest."

Trust in God is encouraged by the celebration of His mighty power as illustrated in His dominion over the natural world, in some of its most terrible and wonderful exhibitions. (Psa 29:1-11) Give--or, "ascribe" (Deu 32:3). mighty--or, "sons of the mighty" (Psa 89:6). Heavenly beings, as angels.