Psalm 32 A Psalm of David. A Contemplation.

 ¹Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered.

²Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³When I kept silent, my bones grew old

Through my groaning all the day long.

⁴For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah

⁵I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I have not hidden.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

⁶For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You

In a time when You may be found;

Surely in a flood of great waters

They shall not come near him.

⁷You are my hiding place;

You shall preserve me from trouble;

You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

⁸I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will guide you with My eye.

⁹Do not be like the horse or like the mule,

Which have no understanding,

Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,

Else they will not come near you.

¹⁰Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;

But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.

¹¹Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;

And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered.

²Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no deceit.

This Psalm given us in the Old Testament reveals that God’s grace is not something that is earned. Indeed, its quotation by the Apostle Paul in Romans 4:7-8 clearly indicates this. Besides that, which is self-evident, this psalm is a remarkable gift from God given us through His servant David, something that he himself experienced, and something that I hope you yourselves experience as well. For what greater blessing is there then to have one’s sins forgiven, what greater need is there in our lives, in anyone’s life, than to know that all is forgiven, all of our guilt, all of our unpayable debt has once and for all been taken away forever. Remarkable then is the love and grace of God that we have in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior! There is then no longer a need to pretend, to try to be someone or something you never were, or ever really wanted to be. You don’t have to play a role to try to appease, or win the favor of others ever again, there is then no more need for deceit in your spirit, your free! Free to be all that God created you to be, free to live and laugh abundantly, free to dare and to risk to take chances and achieve all you never thought you could do or be!

Vs. 3-4 ³When I kept silent, my bones grew old

Through my groaning all the day long.

⁴For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;

My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah

From the heights of joy and redemption, David now recalls his lost and tormented state before he came forward in faith and laid his heart bare before the Lord. Not only was his conscience tormented, but his unconfessed sin even manifested itself in is flesh. Day and night he could not escape his guilts burden.  Indeed the Lord Himself knowing what he had done laid His hand heavy upon him, not to hurt him, but to bring him to the place of repentance and faith, so He could restore him to Himself again, so He could bring him home safely. David then in recalling his past speaks of his sleepless nights and his afflicted days in which his vitality was turned into the drought of summer.

Vs. 5 I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I have not hidden.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

It was then from the depths of his own despair, that David hurting and broken acknowledged his sin to the Lord, he came clean as it were, he laid it all out before the Lord for Him alone to hear and see. Now this is something that takes courage, real courage, and for many of us it may be that hardest thing that we have ever done. Nonetheless on the other side of that brave step of faith is God’s open arms of grace, waiting and more than willing to forgive my sin, your sin, anyone’s sin when we confess them to Him, amen (1 John 1:9).

Vs. 6 “For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You

In a time when You may be found;

Surely in a flood of great waters

They shall not come near him.”

Because the Lord so faithfully delivered David, he now confidently asserts that all of us who are godly should also seek Him in our time of troubles. For truly the Lord is near to us, He is willing to hear us, and more than willing to intercede for our just cause when we pray to Him.  

Vs. 7 “You are my hiding place;

You shall preserve me from trouble;

You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah”

 Therefore, in knowing the Lord, and not just knowing about Him, but personally believing in Him, we know that the Lord is our hiding place, that He will preserve us from trouble, (not from experiencing trouble, but from being overtaken by it), for He will surround us with songs of deliverance! Great joy then shall forever be mine and yours, because we believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Vs. 8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will guide you with My eye.”

This promise then of the Lord instructing and teaching us is all of ours who believe and trust in Him. For the Lord will always shepherd His people, He will always instruct us and teach us in the way we should go, indeed He will guide us with His eye, meaning He will see the paths that we should follow even before we do. However, I will throw in a caveat, that this can only be ours when we are humble, when we are willing to hear and willing to receive His Word for us, and sometimes this requires that we come to Him “broken and beautiful”, as a Mark Schultz song so beautifully says.

Vs. 9 “Do not be like the horse or like the mule,

Which have no understanding,

Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,

Else they will not come near you.”

Therefore, we are not to be stubborn and self-willed, like the horse and mule, which have no understanding of their masters will, but must be bridled to make them even come near them or go where their masters would have them go and work. Therefore, bridles are not for disciples, but for those who must be brought into forced subjection, to either restrain or tame them; therefore, we are not to be like them. For stubbornness is as the sin of iniquity and idolatry (1 Sam. 15:23), and it should have no place in any of us who believe (consider Psalm 78:7-8; 81:11-12, 13-16; Isaiah 46:12-13; Zech. 7:11-12 etc.). For God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5-6).

Vs. 10-11 ¹⁰Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;

But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.

¹¹Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;

And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

From being self-willed, to then open rebellion and wicked living is just a small step. And it is most true that many sorrows shall be to the wicked, for a sinner’s sorrows always outweigh their pleasures, while in contrast everyone who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround them! Therefore, “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart because you are on the path of life!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 31:1–24 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

 ¹In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed;

Deliver me in Your righteousness.

²Bow down Your ear to me,

Deliver me speedily;

Be my rock of refuge,

A fortress of defense to save me.

³For You are my rock and my fortress;

Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me.

⁴Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,

For You are my strength.

⁵Into Your hand I commit my spirit;

You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

⁶I have hated those who regard useless idols;

But I trust in the Lord.

⁷I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,

For You have considered my trouble;

You have known my soul in adversities,

⁸And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;

You have set my feet in a wide place.

⁹Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;

My eye wastes away with grief,

Yes, my soul and my body!

¹⁰For my life is spent with grief,

And my years with sighing;

My strength fails because of my iniquity,

And my bones waste away.

¹¹I am a reproach among all my enemies,

But especially among my neighbors,

And am repulsive to my acquaintances;

Those who see me outside flee from me.

¹²I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;

I am like a broken vessel.

¹³For I hear the slander of many;

Fear is on every side;

While they take counsel together against me,

They scheme to take away my life.

¹⁴But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;

I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,

And from those who persecute me.

¹⁶Make Your face shine upon Your servant;

Save me for Your mercies’ sake.

¹⁷Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You;

Let the wicked be ashamed;

Let them be silent in the grave.

¹⁸Let the lying lips be put to silence,

Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

¹⁹Oh, how great is Your goodness,

Which You have laid up for those who fear You,

Which You have prepared for those who trust in You

In the presence of the sons of men!

²⁰You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence

From the plots of man;

You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion

From the strife of tongues.

²¹Blessed be the Lord,

For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!

²²For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”;

Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications

When I cried out to You.

²³Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!

For the Lord preserves the faithful,

And fully repays the proud person.

²⁴Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart,

All you who hope in the Lord.

Commentary

Vs. 1 In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed;

Deliver me in Your righteousness.

In beginning his prayer to the Lord, David first affirms his faith in the Lord, that in Him alone does he trust, asking Him to not let him be put to shame, in essence that the Lord would not fail him in his time of need (consider Joel 2:26-27). Therefore, he asks that the Lord deliver him in His righteousness, for it is of the Lord to always do righteously, therefore he is praying that He would deliver him through the same.

Vs. 2 “Bow down Your ear to me,

Deliver me speedily;

Be my rock of refuge,

A fortress of defense to save me.”

Desperately then David wants the Lord to hear him, to deliver him speedily, to be the One in whom he can take refuge from this storm, the One who will be his fortress of defense to save him from the enemy.

Vs. 3-4 “For You are my rock and my fortress;

Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me.”

⁴Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,

For You are my strength.

Having shaken of his despair while in prayer, David begins to realize that it is the Lord who is (and has always been) his Rock and his fortress. Therefore, he now asks Him to lead and guide him for His Names sake, so that the Lord’s Name, and thus His reputation, could not be profaned by His enemies. David then wasn’t concerned so much about his own reputation, as he was the Lords. For once again David’s enemies, (the Lord’s enemies), had laid a trap for him which he had become entangled in. Therefore, he asks the Lord to pull him out of their net, for it is the Lord who is our strength, whose strength is exceedingly greater than all. David’s confidence then wasn't in himself, nor in his abilities to rescue or “redeem himself”, but only in the Lord!

Vs. 5 “Into Your hand I commit my spirit;

You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.”

Astoundingly this is the very cry of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross just before He died (Luke 23:46). Here then David confidently affirms his trust in the Lord, so much so that he commits his spirit into the Lord’s hand, indeed even before he is delivered, he is assured in his heart that he will be redeemed, saying, “You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” The parallel then between David’s faith, trust, and confidence, and the Lord Jesus Christ’s in our Father in heaven is beautiful.

Vs. 6 “I have hated those who regard useless idols;

But I trust in the Lord.”

Because David so strongly trusted in the Lord, he hated all those who regarded useless idols. For idolatry is the ultimate betrayal of God. Therefore, having one’s heartfelt trust in the Lord alone allows one to see both the folly and the wickedness of those whose hearts, hope, and or confidence is in their idols, of whatever sort they are (consider 1 Sam. 12:21; Jonah 2:8). Therefore, David rejects all who knowingly do so, for his trust (my trust) is in the Lord alone. Everything and everyone else will always go away, will always come to nothing, only the Lord remains forever! (Consider 1 John 2:15-17).

Vs. 7-8 ⁷I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,

For You have considered my trouble;

You have known my soul in adversities,

⁸And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;

You have set my feet in a wide place.

Having rejected worthless idols and those who regard them, David now says he will be glad and rejoice in the Lord’s mercy, even while he himself is still distressed. For he confidently sees, he confidently believes that the Lord has considered his trouble, that the Lord has known his soul in adversities. That the Lord has not and will not shut him up into the hand of the enemy. Indeed, David sees past his current flood of sorrows to the Lord once again setting his feet in a wide place, a metaphor for his once again standing firmly and confidently because it is the Lord who is upholding him.

Vs. 9-13 ⁹Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble;

My eye wastes away with grief,

Yes, my soul and my body!

¹⁰For my life is spent with grief,

And my years with sighing;

My strength fails because of my iniquity,

And my bones waste away.

¹¹I am a reproach among all my enemies,

But especially among my neighbors,

And am repulsive to my acquaintances;

Those who see me outside flee from me.

¹²I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;

I am like a broken vessel.

¹³For I hear the slander of many;

Fear is on every side;

While they take counsel together against me,

They scheme to take away my life.

David now returns to his current plight, asking the Lord for mercy. For troubles have overtaken him, deep troubles from his body to his soul, for even David’s eye wastes away with grief (vs. 9). Indeed, it seems like his life is now spent in grief and his years with sighing, even his strength has failed, and his bones now waste away because of his iniquity (Vs. 10). And if that wasn’t bad enough David also had to endure the reproach of his enemies, for even his neighbors whom he no doubt once joyfully socialized with now reproach him even more than his enemies do. And so those who were once dear acquaintances now only view him as repulsive, as someone to avoid and shun, even people from outside of his social sphere (who don't even know him) now flee from him, as if doing so is a righteous thing. Now if you think this sort of treatment is deserving for people who suffer for their sins then also consider the blameless Job (19:13-20). For how we view and treat people when they suffer for their sins says a lot about us. David goes on describing how quickly people forget him, how he is now like a dead man to them, far out of their minds and thoughts, he then compares himself to a broken vessel which people toss aside with no regard for what happens to it (vs. 11-12). His enemies though have not forgotten him, for they watch him continually, and now that he is vulnerable, they openly slander him, even to his face, “fear is on every side” of him as they take counsel together against him, they even scheme to take away his life (vs. 13). The parallel here with the Lord Jesus Christ is undeniable.

Vs. 14-16 ¹⁴But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord;

I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,

And from those who persecute me.

¹⁶Make Your face shine upon Your servant;

Save me for Your mercies’ sake.

Nonetheless, David once again finds his confidence in the Lord, confessing to Him that He is the One whom he trusts, who he alone is looking too, saying. “You are my God.” (vs. 15) For my times are in Your hand, not theirs, nor anyone's who opposes Your Word and Your Work. Therefore, deliver me from the hand of my enemies, from those who persecute me. “Make Your face shine upon Your servant”, that is give me Your favor once again and make me prosper and succeed while they watch for my failure, please than save me for Your mercies’ sake (vs. 15-16). For You are merciful, especially men are not!

Vs. 17-18 ¹⁷Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You;

Let the wicked be ashamed;

Let them be silent in the grave.

¹⁸Let the lying lips be put to silence,

Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

David once again prays that the Lord would not let him be put to shame, rather that the Lord would put the wicked to shame! That they all would be silent in grave, where their blasphemies, slander, lies, threats, violence and vileness would be heard and seen no more! Yes, indeed let all the lying lips be put to silence, lying lips which only speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. For there is no fear of God in their lives, indeed they only hate those who do! 

Vs. 19-20 ¹⁹Oh, how great is Your goodness,

Which You have laid up for those who fear You,

Which You have prepared for those who trust in You

In the presence of the sons of men!

²⁰You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence

From the plots of man;

You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion

From the strife of tongues.

Once again David moves from his current distress to praise, for in contemplating the Lord’s goodness towards us all who fear Him one cannot but be lifted from ones own despair. For everyone who fears the Lord will experience His goodness in the presence of the sons of men (vs. 19). Thus, one will be rewarded and honored openly by Him! Not only that but the Lord Himself will be they’re for them to keep them from the plots of men, He will keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues, yes, He will keep us from falling victim to all of their Godless arguing, reasoning, and unbelief.

Vs. 21 “Blessed be the Lord,

For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!”

Having then come to a good understanding of the Lord, David cannot but praise the Lord, “For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!” Which He will also show you in your time of need when you seek Him with all of your heart (consider Jer. 29:13, also 1 Chr. 16:11; Ps. 34:10; Pr. 28:5; Isaiah 55:6-7; Hosea 10:12; Zephaniah 2:3 etc.)

Vs. 22 “For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”;

Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications

When I cried out to You.”

 David now honestly recalls his how he initially panicked when he was faced with this overwhelming opposition, how he said in his haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”. Now this is not unique to him, for we also when faced with our own fears can get quickly overwhelmed and forget that the Lord is Sovereign over all the affairs in our life. Therefore, in recalling his failure, David also recalls how the Lord heard the voice of his supplications when he cried out to Him. And this is how our faith is grown, not in the easy times, but in the crucible of distress and despair, where we are forced to face our own fears, and “forced” to depend on the Lord, or better made to see that the Lord is watching over us in every circumstance of our lives. Short term pain then often yields long term good (Psalm 30:5).

Vs. 23-24 ²³Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!

For the Lord preserves the faithful,

And fully repays the proud person.

²⁴Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart,

All you who hope in the Lord.

This Psalm now closes out in victory! With a call to love the Lord, for everyone who is called by His Name, the Lord Jesus Christ’s Name to love Him! For the Lord preserves the faithful and He fully repays the proud person! Therefore, God’s people be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart all you who hope in the Lord. Amen!

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 30 A Psalm. A Song At the Dedication of the House of David.

¹I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,

And have not let my foes rejoice over me.

²O Lord my God, I cried out to You,

And You healed me.

³O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave;

You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

⁴Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,

And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

⁵For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for life;

Weeping may endure for a night,

But joy comes in the morning.

⁶Now in my prosperity I said,

“I shall never be moved.”

⁷Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;

You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

⁸I cried out to You, O Lord;

And to the Lord I made supplication:

⁹“What profit is there in my blood,

When I go down to the pit?

Will the dust praise You?

Will it declare Your truth?

¹⁰Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;

Lord, be my helper!”

¹¹You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

¹²To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Preamble: David in realizing that the Lord has firmly established him as king over all of Israel now recites this psalm, which is a psalm loaded with truths about how God deals with us, His people.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,

And have not let my foes rejoice over me.”

In opening this psalm David begins with a resounding declaration of thanksgiving and joy in the Lord, for after years of being hounded and harassed, He has now lifted him up, He has raised him high above all of his adversaries, high above and safe from all who wanted and plotted to see his downfall are now forced to see his exaltation, and this by the hand of God! Therefore, instead of seeing their will being done, they are now forced to see and be subjugated to God’s Will being done, who by His Supreme and Sovereign hand has established His servant, David. Verse one then foretells the final victory of all of God’s people from all of His enemies that He will accomplish for us all in His perfect time and way!

Vs. 2 “O Lord my God, I cried out to You,

And You healed me.”

Now not only did the Lord God exalt David but He also healed him. Therefore, in crying out to the Lord David experienced not only deliverance, but also healing from the Lord, and in this there is first and foremost our own deliverance from sin and death, and thus the restoration of our souls. 

Vs. 3 “O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave;

You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.”

In declaring his own deliverance and restoration, by God's grace and mercy, David reveals a great truth about ours. For it is the Lord Jesus Christ who also brings our souls up from the grave figuratively; that is by His Holy Spirit, He restores us to life with God Himself. For the Lord Jesus Christ having suffered our sins punishment and by His own death on the Cross, He can now keep each and every one of us who believe in Him from eternal damnation, from going down to the pit, which is a designation for hell. Again, by His Resurrection life He now brings our souls up from the grave figuratively, that is by His Holy Spirit He brings our souls out of a state of spiritual deadness to being spiritually alive with Himself, so that he can keep us alive with Himself! And this is what the Gospel gives freely to everyone who believes in Him, remission of all of your sins and new and everlasting life with Himself (John 3:16). 

 Vs. 4 “Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,

And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.”

Yes, let us all praise the Lord because of what He has done for us in forgiving us, and cleansing us, and bringing us to life, by His Holy Spirit, and thus making us God’s saints (i.e., God's people, 1 Peter 2:9). Therefore, let us always give thanks at the remembrance of His Holy Name, the Lord Jesus Christ’s Name, which is the Name above all Names, for He has accomplished salvation for us all who believe in Him. “For there is no other name under heaven given amongst men by which we must be saved.” ^{Acts 4:12}

Vs. 5 “For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for life;

Weeping may endure for a night,

But joy comes in the morning.”

How profound then is the love of God that does not abandon us, nor does He leave us unchastised. Instead, His anger is but for a moment; so that He might always do justly, and that we might always see our own need for Him. Therefore, His favor is for life, (for God doesn't afflict willingly, indeed He only does so to bring us out of our sins and transgressions and bring us back to Himself). Therefore, though weeping may endure for a night (a night season when we are seemingly without Him), nonetheless joy comes in the morning, (when we are restored to Him, and are now firmly established with Him). This verse then is one that every believer should carry close to their hearts.

Vs. 6-7 ⁶Now in my prosperity I said,

“I shall never be moved.”

⁷Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;

You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

David now recalls how he said while in his prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” Which is an easy place to see oneself in when all is going well and prospering. Indeed, David acknowledges it was the Lord Himself who by His favor made David\s mountain stand strong (which might be inferred as his person and or his reign). Nonetheless when the Lord hid His face from him, troubles soon came to him. And so, it is with any individual or nation.

Vs. 8-10 ⁸I cried out to You, O Lord;

And to the Lord I made supplication:

⁹“What profit is there in my blood,

When I go down to the pit?

Will the dust praise You?

Will it declare Your truth?

¹⁰Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me;

Lord, be my helper!”

Now when this occurred to him, David turned himself to the Lord, he vehemently cried out to him and made his supplications to Him. Therefore, he didn’t harden his heart against Him when troubles came to Him, just as they will surely come to us all who believes in Him. For nowhere in the Bible is anyone promised a life free from illness, or troubles, or misfortune, or mistreatment etc., even the blameless Job found that out. Now in making his supplications to the Lord, David’s appeal was simply how would his demise profit the Lord? For “Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth?” (vs. 9). David’s affliction then must have been pretty severe to pray such things, and yet it is the Lord alone whom he seeks, whom He trusts saying, “Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!” (Vs. 10) And so even though the Lord allowed this affliction, David did not seek anyone before he first sought Him. Something for us all to remember when our own afflictions arise, to seek the Lord first; especially when we are given that dreaded diagnose. Let us all then make our prayers and supplications to Him, for this will sustain you through the many dark days that may lie ahead of you (consider Isaiah 38:1-20).

Vs. 11-12 ¹¹You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

¹²To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

From mourning to dancing such then is the sojourn of every believer (vs. 5). And so, David now rejoices that God Himself has taken away his sorrow, that He has removed his sackcloth of mourning and now clothed him with gladness (consider Rev. 7:17; 21:4). For God has no joy in our sorrow (only the world does) therefore when He heals and restores us it is so that we may sing His praises and not be silent. Looking back then we can now see how God always works all things together for our good, for us all who love Him, who are called by Him. Therefore, “O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson. 

Psalm 29 A Psalm of David

 ¹Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,

Give unto the Lord glory and strength.

²Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

³The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders;

The Lord is over many waters.

⁴The voice of the Lord is powerful;

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,

Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶He makes them also skip like a calf,

Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.

⁸The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,

And strips the forests bare;

And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”

¹⁰The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,

And the Lord sits as King forever.

¹¹The Lord will give strength to His people;

The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Commentary

Vs. 1-2 ¹Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,

Give unto the Lord glory and strength.

²Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

 This psalm opens with a call to worship, but more than worship, it is a call to us all to magnify and glorify the Lord! For He alone is Glorious, and He alone is Strong, for only His Glory and His Strength remains forever, all others “glory” and “strength” is soon enough returned to the dust. Therefore, “Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, Give unto the Lord glory and strength.” All you mighty ones who are exalted in the heavens, and all you mighty ones down here on earth, for everyone and everything that is exalted and revered to give unto the Lord glory and strength (Psalm 2:10-12; 148:7-12). For He alone is Glorious, and He alone is Strong, and only His Glory and Strength remains forever. Therefore, give unto the Lord the glory due His Name, for it is by His Name, and His Name alone that we are saved by Him (Acts 4:12). Let us all then whom He has created, and whom He has redeemed, worship the Lord alone in the beauty of holiness!

Vs. 3-9 ³The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

The God of glory thunders;

The Lord is over many waters.

⁴The voice of the Lord is powerful;

The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,

Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶He makes them also skip like a calf,

Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.

⁸The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,

And strips the forests bare;

And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”

 Having exalted the Person of the Lord, now the voice of the Lord seven times (a perfect number) is declared to us. For the Lord is never silent, His voice can be heard in all of His Works in creation. And here we told of it in power of the storm, where the voice of the Lord is heard over the waters, where the God of glory thunders. For the Lord is over many waters, and never just in our immediate vicinity (vs. 3). “The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of majesty” (vs. 4). It can be heard in thunder, and it can be heard in the wind. Therefore, by it He strikes fear and reverence into all the hearts of the sons of men. Now the voice of the Lord is not only heard, but it is also seen in power, for it is the voice of the Lord that breaks the cedars, Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. The largest ancient trees of the middle east, for He makes them skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox (vs. 6). Therefore, they all bend and sway and move as He will have them do, at His Voice, at His Command! The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire (vs. 7), He parts them or imparts them as He wills. Which is reference to His splitting the lightening bolts.

“The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.” (vs. 8)

From the oceans to the coastlands, to now the inland wildernesses, the voice of Lord moves uninhibited mightily across the land, even to the remotest uninhabited places in the wilderness where His Voice shakes them!

“The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,

And strips the forests bare;

And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!” (Vs. 9)

 Because of the power of the voice of the Lord even the deer in the forest fears and is suddenly caused to give birth. Indeed, the voice of the Lord strips the forests bare, leaving what was once large and majestic and mighty now looking striped, gaunt and pathetic. Therefore, in recalling the voice of the Lord everyone in His temple says, “Glory!”

Vs. 10 “The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood,

And the Lord sits as King forever.”

In recalling the mighty voice of the Lord then let us never forget that Lord sat enthroned at the flood, He was exalted above all creation. For the Lord sits as King forever.

Vs. 11 “The Lord will give strength to His people;

The Lord will bless His people with peace.”

Since the Lord sits as King forever, He will give strength to His people, He will bless us with peace! We need not then fear the natural elements which He directs, nor any of those of this world, the “mighty ones” whom He also watches over. For He raises up one and brings down another according to His own Will (Job 12:21; Psalm 107:40; Isaiah 34:12; 40:23).

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982): Thomas Nelson.