Psalms 29:5-11

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars. Yes, the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Levanon.

6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Levanon and Siryon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the LORD strikes with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness. The LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer calve, And strips the forests bare. In his temple everything says, "Glory!"

10 The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood. Yes, the LORD sits as King forever.

11 The LORD will give strength to his people. The LORD will bless his people with shalom.

Psalms 29:5-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 29

\\<>\\. 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, 2Sa 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 true, which word the Septuagint renders exodion, the word here used, Le 23:36, Nu 29:35; 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.