Psalm 29 Text

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Listen & Read: Psalm 29

Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 29. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional, discourse, and poetic analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.

Simple Reading (Hebrew)
Forthcoming. 		Simple Reading (English)
Forthcoming.
Dramatic Reading (Hebrew)
Forthcoming. 		Dramatic Reading (English)
Forthcoming.

Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC)
מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד 1a A psalm by David.
הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים 1b Ascribe [glory and strength] to YHWH, divine beings.
הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃ 1c Ascribe glory and strength to YHWH.
הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ 2a Ascribe to YHWH the honour that his name deserves.
הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃ 2b Bow down to YHWH dressed in holy attire.
ק֥וֹל יְהוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם 3a The sound of YHWH against the water!
אֵֽל־הַכָּב֥וֹד הִרְעִ֑ים 3b The glorious God has thundered.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ 3c YHWH [has thundered] against much water.
קוֹל־יְהוָ֥ה בַּכֹּ֑חַ 4a The sound of YHWH [thundering] in power!
ק֥וֹל יְ֝הוָ֗ה בֶּהָדָֽר׃ 4b The sound of YHWH [thundering] in majesty!
ק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה שֹׁבֵ֣ר אֲרָזִ֑ים 5a The sound of YHWH breaking cedars!
וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר יְ֝הוָ֗ה אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ 5b And YHWH is breaking the cedars of Lebanon.
וַיַּרְקִידֵ֥ם כְּמוֹ־עֵ֑גֶל לְבָנ֥וֹן 6a And he is causing Lebanon to skip like a calf,
וְ֝שִׂרְיֹ֗ן כְּמ֣וֹ בֶן־רְאֵמִֽים׃ 6b and Sirion like a wild ox.
קוֹל־יְהוָ֥ה חֹצֵ֗ב לַהֲב֥וֹת אֵֽשׁ׃ 7a The sound of YHWH hewing with lightning bolts!
ק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה יָחִ֣יל מִדְבָּ֑ר 8a YHWH's voice causes the wilderness to tremble.
יָחִ֥יל יְ֝הוָ֗ה מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃ 8b YHWH causes the wilderness of Kadesh to tremble.
ק֤וֹל יְהוָ֨ה ׀ יְחוֹלֵ֣ל אַיָּלוֹת֮ 9a YHWH's voice causes fallow deer to give birth,
וַֽיֶּחֱשֹׂ֪ף יְעָ֫ר֥וֹת 9b and it strips forests,
וּבְהֵיכָל֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ אֹמֵ֥ר כָּבֽוֹד׃ 9c and in his temple everyone is saying, "Glory!"
יְ֭הוָה לַמַּבּ֣וּל יָשָׁ֑ב 10a YHWH sat enthroned over the Flood.
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יְ֝הוָ֗ה מֶ֣לֶךְ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ 10b And YHWH sat enthroned as king forever.
יְֽהוָ֗ה עֹ֭ז לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן 11a YHWH gives strength to his people.
יְהוָ֓ה ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ 11b YHWH blesses his people with peace.

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Text (CBC)
מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד 1a A psalm by David.
הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים 1b Ascribe [glory and strength] to YHWH, divine beings.
הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃ 1c Ascribe glory and strength to YHWH.
הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ 2a Ascribe to YHWH the honour that his name deserves.
הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃ 2b Bow down to YHWH dressed in holy attire.
ק֥וֹל יְהוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם 3a The sound of YHWH against the water!
אֵֽל־הַכָּב֥וֹד הִרְעִ֑ים 3b The glorious God has thundered.
יְ֝הוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ 3c YHWH [has thundered] against much water.
קוֹל־יְהוָ֥ה בַּכֹּ֑חַ 4a The sound of YHWH [thundering] in power!
ק֥וֹל יְ֝הוָ֗ה בֶּהָדָֽר׃ 4b The sound of YHWH [thundering] in majesty!
ק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה שֹׁבֵ֣ר אֲרָזִ֑ים 5a The sound of YHWH breaking cedars!
וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר יְ֝הוָ֗ה אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ 5b And YHWH is breaking the cedars of Lebanon.
וַיַּרְקִידֵ֥ם כְּמוֹ־עֵ֑גֶל לְבָנ֥וֹן 6a And he is causing Lebanon to skip like a calf,
וְ֝שִׂרְיֹ֗ן כְּמ֣וֹ בֶן־רְאֵמִֽים׃ 6b and Sirion like a wild ox.
קוֹל־יְהוָ֥ה חֹצֵ֗ב לַהֲב֥וֹת אֵֽשׁ׃ 7a The sound of YHWH hewing with lightning bolts!
ק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה יָחִ֣יל מִדְבָּ֑ר 8a YHWH's voice causes the wilderness to tremble.
יָחִ֥יל יְ֝הוָ֗ה מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃ 8b YHWH causes the wilderness of Kadesh to tremble.
ק֤וֹל יְהוָ֨ה ׀ יְחוֹלֵ֣ל אַיָּלוֹת֮ 9a YHWH's voice causes fallow deer to give birth,
וַֽיֶּחֱשֹׂ֪ף יְעָ֫ר֥וֹת 9b and it strips forests,
וּבְהֵיכָל֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ אֹמֵ֥ר כָּבֽוֹד׃ 9c and in his temple everyone is saying, "Glory!"
יְ֭הוָה לַמַּבּ֣וּל יָשָׁ֑ב 10a YHWH sat enthroned over the Flood.
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יְ֝הוָ֗ה מֶ֣לֶךְ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ 10b And YHWH sat enthroned as king forever.
יְֽהוָ֗ה עֹ֭ז לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן 11a YHWH gives strength to his people.
יְהוָ֓ה ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ 11b YHWH blesses his people with peace.

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Text (Hebrew) Verse Expanded Paraphrase
מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃ 1 We have won a military victory over our enemy, who serves other gods, and the victory of one people over another implies the victory of their god(s) over the god(s) of the enemy. And so I say to the 'gods' whom YHWH has defeated: Ascribe to YHWH, divine beings (the victory he has won over you)! Ascribe to YHWH glory and strength!
הָב֣וּ לַֽ֭יהוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ 2 Ascribe to YHWH the glory that his name deserves! Bowing down is a gesture of submission to a superior, and you divine beings have been shown to be inferior to YHWH. So, Bow down to YHWH, dressed in holy attire like priests and Levites who wear holy attire and whose job it is to serve YHWH. You divine beings now have to serve YHWH who defeated you. YHWH's victory over our enemy may be described in terms of YHWH's ancient victory over the waters of the Flood...
ק֥וֹל יְהוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם אֵֽל־הַכָּב֥וֹד הִרְעִ֑ים יְ֝הוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ 3 I hear The sound of YHWH against the water which is a symbol of chaos and danger and is sometimes used to represent human enemies! The glorious God has thundered. YHWH has thundered against many waters. In the Flood, the waters threatened the divinely ordered world, but YHWH appeared in power and glory to bring salvation and restore order. At his thunderous rebuke, the waters fled in fearful haste and YHWH's people were safe. In the same way, YHWH has thundered against our enemies, and they have fled.
קוֹל־יְהוָ֥ה בַּכֹּ֑חַ ק֥וֹל יְ֝הוָ֗ה בֶּהָדָֽר׃ 4 I hear The sound of YHWH (thundering) in power! I hear The sound of YHWH (thundering) in majesty.
ק֣וֹל יְ֭הוָה שֹׁבֵ֣ר אֲרָזִ֑ים וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר יְ֝הוָ֗ה אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ 5 It is well known that, after defeating his enemies, a god would build a temple/palace to dwell with and rule over his people. For example, after Baal was said to have defeated the Sea, he built a temple/palace. Now that YHWH has defeated the chaotic waters, he is building a heavenly temple as a symbol of his dominion. I hear The sound of YHWH breaking cedars a symbol of loftiness and grandeur to use in the construction of his temple, and YHWH is breaking the cedars of Lebanon which were used in the construction of temples, including Baal's and YHWH's
וַיַּרְקִידֵ֥ם כְּמוֹ־עֵ֑גֶל לְבָנ֥וֹן וְ֝שִׂרְיֹ֗ן כְּמ֣וֹ בֶן־רְאֵמִֽים׃ 6 and he with his thunderous voice is causing Lebanon the mountain range on which the cedars are located, which is thought to be the home of many gods to skip in fear like a calf, and (he causes) Sirion also known as Mt. Hermon, which lies just to the east of the Lebanon mountain range and which is also thought to be a dwelling place of gods (to skip) in fear like a wild ox. YHWH is greater than the gods in Lebanon and Sirion, and he is forcing them to serve him by yielding materials for his temple.
קוֹל־יְהוָ֥ה חֹצֵ֗ב לַהֲב֥וֹת אֵֽשׁ׃ 7 Temples require stone as well as wood, and people hew stone in the mountains. I hear The sound of YHWH hewing stone in the mountains of Lebanon and Sirion, not with a pick-axe, but with lightning bolts. in order to construct his temple.
יָחִ֥יל יְ֝הוָ֗ה מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃ 8 As he breaks cedars and mines stone with blasts of thunder and lightning YHWH's thunderous voice causes the wilderness the uninhabited place where wood and stone are gathered to tremble in fear. YHWH causes the wilderness of Kadesh an area near Lebanon and Sirion which, like Lebanon and Sirion, may be associated with other gods to tremble in fear thereby demonstrating YHWH's superiority over other gods and nature.
ק֤וֹל יְהוָ֨ה ׀ יְחוֹלֵ֣ל אַיָּלוֹת֮ וַֽיֶּחֱשֹׂ֪ף יְעָ֫ר֥וֹת וּבְהֵיכָל֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ אֹמֵ֥ר כָּבֽוֹד׃ 9 YHWH's thunderous voice causes fallow deer which are in the wilderness to go into labour and give birth and YHWH's voice strips the leaves off of trees in the forests, and in his newly constructed temple everyone i.e., all of the divine beings who serve him is saying,"YHWH deserves all Glory!"
יְ֭הוָה לַמַּבּ֣וּל יָשָׁ֑ב וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יְ֝הוָ֗ה מֶ֣לֶךְ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ 10 In his newly built heavenly temple, YHWH sat enthroned over the Flood, and just as he sat enthroned then, so YHWH sits enthroned still today as king forever and he has once again demonstrated his strength by defeating our enemies and their 'gods.'
יְהוָ֓ה ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ 11 YHWH who dwells in his temple with his people gives strength to his people so that they have victory in battle. YHWH defeats the enemies of his people, just as he defeated the chaotic waters in the days of Noah, and thus he blesses his people with peace.

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

This resource is forthcoming.