| Psalm 29 | |
|---|---|
| "Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty" | |
| Hymn psalm | |
 Interior of theTykocin Synagogue, 2013 | |
| Other name |
|
| Language | Hebrew (original) |
| Psalm 29 | |
|---|---|
← Psalm 28 Psalm 30 → | |
| Book | Book of Psalms |
| Hebrew Bible part | Ketuvim |
| Order in the Hebrew part | 1 |
| Category | Sifrei Emet |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 19 |
Psalm 29 is the 29th psalm of theBook of Psalms, beginning in English in theKing James Version: "Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength". The Book of Psalms is part of thethird section of theHebrew Bible, and a book of theChristianOld Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the GreekSeptuagint and LatinVulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm isPsalm 28. In Latin, it is known as "Adferte Domino filii Dei".[1] The psalm attributes itself toDavid. It is a hymn, describing the advent of Yahweh in a storm.
The psalm forms a regular part ofJewish,Catholic,Lutheran,Anglican and Nonconformist Protestant liturgies.
Psalm 29 is an example of an Enthronement Psalm wherein the supreme deity is described in Theophanic terminology as taking his place of rulership. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, scholars likeCharles andEmilie Briggs argued that it "seems to belong to the Persian period subsequent toNehemiah", that is, between 445 and 333 BCE.[2][3][4]
However, more recent scholarship has undermined this conclusion; archaic language and content have been identified in the Psalm, akin to other early strata such as theSong of the Sea, befitting an earlypre-exilic context.[5]: 121–122 Cross opines that generations of scholars have firmly identified literary dependence onCanaanite mythology, particularly theBa'al Cycle, and concludes on this basis that its present form is "no later than the 10th century BC."[5]: 151-152 Similarly, Freedman cites "considerable scholarly sentiment" supporting a pre-monarchic provenance, and suggests that Psalm 29 may be dated as early the 12th century BCE, making it among the oldest portions of literature in the Hebrew Bible.[6]
[Psalm] 29 is a hymn, describing the advent of Yahweh in a storm. (1) The angels worship Yahweh in the heavenly temple (v.1-2); (2) the thunder of Yahweh's voice is a great power (a) on the waters (v.3-4); (b) uponLebanon and its cedars (v.5-6); (c) upon the wilderness and its forests (v.8-9); (3) Yahweh, enthroned over the Flood, reigns forever and bestows blessings on his people (v.10-11).
— [7]
In theAgpeya, theCoptic Church'sbook of hours, this psalm is prayed in the office ofTerce.[17]
In theChurch of England'sBook of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the fifth day of the month.[18]
Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a metric paraphrase of Psalm 28 in German, "Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Gott, mein Hort",SWV 125, for theBecker Psalter, first published in 1628.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[19][20] of the Psalm with vowels, alongside theKoine Greek text in theSeptuagint[21] and the English translation from theKing James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and theMasoretic text come from different textual traditions.[note 1] In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 28.
| # | Hebrew | English | Greek |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה בְּנֵ֣י אֵלִ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃ | (A Psalm of David.) Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. | Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυΐδ· ἐξοδίου σκηνῆς. - ΕΝΕΓΚΑΤΕ τῷ Κυρίῳ, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὺς κριῶν, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν, |
| 2 | הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהֹוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ הִשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ לַ֝יהֹוָ֗ה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹֽדֶשׁ׃ | Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. | ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ, προσκυνήσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν αὐλῇ ἁγίᾳ αὐτοῦ. |
| 3 | ק֥וֹל יְהֹוָ֗ה עַל־הַ֫מָּ֥יִם אֵֽל־הַכָּב֥וֹד הִרְעִ֑ים יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה עַל־מַ֥יִם רַבִּֽים׃ | The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. | φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων, ὁ Θεὸς τῆς δόξης ἐβρόντησε, Κύριος ἐπὶ ὑδάτων πολλῶν. |
| 4 | קוֹל־יְהֹוָ֥ה בַּכֹּ֑חַ ק֥וֹל יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה בֶּהָדָֽר׃ | The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. | φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐν ἰσχύϊ, φωνὴ Κυρίου ἐν μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ. |
| 5 | ק֣וֹל יְ֭הֹוָה שֹׁבֵ֣ר אֲרָזִ֑ים וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה אֶת־אַרְזֵ֥י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ | The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. | φωνὴ Κυρίου συντρίβοντος κέδρους, καὶ συντρίψει Κύριος τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου |
| 6 | וַיַּרְקִידֵ֥ם כְּמוֹ־עֵ֑גֶל לְבָנ֥וֹן וְ֝שִׂרְיֹ֗ן כְּמ֣וֹ בֶן־רְאֵמִֽים׃ | He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. | καὶ λεπτυνεῖ αὐτὰς ὡς τὸν μόσχον τὸν Λίβανον, καὶ ὁ ἠγαπημένος ὡς υἱὸς μονοκερώτων. |
| 7 | קוֹל־יְהֹוָ֥ה חֹצֵ֗ב לַהֲב֥וֹת אֵֽשׁ׃ | The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. | φωνὴ Κυρίου διακόπτοντος φλόγα πυρός, |
| 8 | ק֣וֹל יְ֭הֹוָה יָחִ֣יל מִדְבָּ֑ר יָחִ֥יל יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה מִדְבַּ֥ר קָדֵֽשׁ׃ | The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. | φωνὴ Κυρίου συσσείοντος ἔρημον καὶ συσσείσει Κύριος τὴν ἔρημον Κάδης. |
| 9 | ק֤וֹל יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ יְחוֹלֵ֣ל אַיָּלוֹת֮ וַֽיֶּחֱשֹׂ֢ף יְעָ֫ר֥וֹת וּבְהֵיכָל֑וֹ כֻּ֝לּ֗וֹ אֹמֵ֥ר כָּבֽוֹד׃ | The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. | φωνὴ Κυρίου καταρτιζομένη ἐλάφους, καὶ ἀποκαλύψει δρυμούς· καὶ ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ πᾶς τις λέγει δόξαν. |
| 10 | יְ֭הֹוָה לַמַּבּ֣וּל יָשָׁ֑ב וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה מֶ֣לֶךְ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ | The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. | Κύριος τὸν κατακλυσμὸν κατοικιεῖ, καὶ καθιεῖται Κύριος βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. |
| 11 | יְֽהֹוָ֗ה עֹ֭ז לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן יְהֹוָ֓ה ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם׃ | The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace. | Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει, Κύριος εὐλογήσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν εἰρήνῃ. |
The same words as verse 2b,worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, arise inPsalm 96:9. These words form the title of a hymn by Irish clergymanJohn Samuel Bewley Monsell.[23]Alexander Kirkpatrick comments that
Suggestive as this rendering is, it can hardly be right; and the true sense is that given in [the]Revised Version margin,in holy array.[24]
