Psalm 29 Story behind the Psalm
Overview
Background ideas
- YHWH's heavenly court consists of lesser divine beings ('gods') whose duty it is to serve him (cf. 1 Kings 22:19; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Pss. 82; 89:6-7). The peoples of other nations worshipped these lesser divine beings (cf. Ps. 96:4-10; Isa. 36:18-20).
- The victory of one people over another implies the victory of their god(s) over the god(s) of the enemy (cf. Ex. 12:12; 14-15; Josh. 10:14; 2 Sam. 5:24; Isa. 36:18-20)
- Water is a symbol of chaos (Pss. 74:13-14; 89:10) and threat to God's people (Pss. 18:17, 32:6; 124:4). It could be used to symbolize foreign enemies (cf. Pss. 18:17-18; 46:4, 7).
- After defeating his enemies, a god would build a temple to dwell with his people (e.g., Baal myth COS I:241ff). Such temples were prototypically made of cedar (of Lebanon) and stone (cf. 1 Kgs 5:26-32; Baal myth COS I:261)
- YHWH sent "the Flood" to destroy the earth in the days of Noah (Gen. 6ff). Afterwards, he drove back the waters (Gen. 8:1f) and rescued Noah and his family (Gen. 8:1f).
- The following pattern of events is part of Israel's heritage: (1) YHWH triumphs over waters, (2) YHWH builds a temple, (3) Divine beings praise YHWH.
Background situation
Expanded paraphrase
(For more information, click "Expanded Paraphrase Legend" below.)
v.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!
v.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...)
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v.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.)
v.4
I hear The sound of YHWH (thundering) in power! I hear The sound of YHWH (thundering) in majesty.
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v.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)
v.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.)
v.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,)
v.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).
v.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!"
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v.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').
v.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.
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