| Psalm 93 | |
|---|---|
| "The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty" | |
| Royal psalm | |
 | |
| Other name |
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| Language | Hebrew (original) |
| Psalm 93 | |
|---|---|
← Psalm 92 Psalm 94 → | |
| 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 93 is the 93rd psalm of theBook of Psalms, beginning in English in theKing James Version: "The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty". The Latin wording isDominus regnavit, decorem indutus est.[1] The Book of Psalms is part of theHebrew Bible and the ChristianOld Testament. In the slightly different numbering system of the GreekSeptuagint and LatinVulgate versions of the Bible, this psalm isPsalm 92. It is the first of a series of psalms (Psalms 93–99) which are calledroyal psalms as they praise God as King.[2]
In theMasoretic text and in English versions it has no title or author, but the Septuagint and Vulgate entitle it "On the day before the Sabbath, when the earth was founded: A Psalm of thanksgiving to (or for)David".[3]
The psalm forms a regular part ofJewish,Catholic,Lutheran,Anglican and other Protestant worship. It has often been set to music. The Latin version was set byHildegard of Bingen,Josquin des Prez,Jean-Joseph de Mondonville andJules Van Nuffel, among others.Heinrich Schütz andFerdinand Hiller composed settings in German.Handel used verses from the psalm for hisChandos Anthem No. 4 for use in the Anglican Church.
The two main themes of Psalm 93 are God's kingship and a connection with Friday, the sixth day of the week (counting from Sunday). TheZohar notes that in Hebrew, this psalm contains 45 words, which is thegematria (numerical value) of the wordadam (Hebrew:אדם, "man").Adam was created on the sixth day ofCreation and went on to proclaim God as King.[4][5] Psalm 93 was also designated as theSong of the Day for Friday, to be sung by theLevites in theTemple in Jerusalem:[6] this tradition continues today in the psalm's inclusion in the regular Fridaymorning prayer service in Judaism.[7] According to RabbiYaakov Emden, the connection with the sixth day is reinforced by the psalm's description of God "in His full grandeur and power as He was when He completed the six days of Creation", and the reference to donning grandeur further alludes to the way Jews dress up in their nicest garments on Friday to greet the approachingShabbat.[6][8] Psalm 93 also hints to the futureMessianic Age, when the entire world will acknowledge God as King.[9]
Charles Spurgeon notes that the Septuagint connects Psalm 93 with the sixth day of the week by titling it "On the day before the Sabbath, when the earth was founded: A Psalm of thanksgiving to (or for) David". This wording was similarly adopted by the Vulgate:Psalmus ipsi David, quarta sabbati.[10][3] Spurgeon adds that the theme of God's sovereignty is clear from the first line of the psalm.[3]Matthew Henry notes how the psalm reinforces God's kingship by comparing him to earthly kings, stating:
Concerning God's kingdom glorious things are here spoken.
I. Have other kings their royal robes? So has he (v. 1).
II. Have they their thrones? So has he (v. 2).
III. Have they their enemies whom they subdue and triumph over? So has he (v. 3, v. 4).
IV. Is it their honour to be faithful and holy? So it is his (v. 5).[11]
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter inHebrew are of theMasoretic Text tradition, which includes theAleppo Codex (10th century), andCodex Leningradensis (1008).[12]
The extantpalimpsestAqTaylor includes a translation intoKoine Greek byAquila of Sinope in c. 130 CE, containing verse 3.[13]
Psalm 93 is theSong of the Day forFriday, recited in that day'smorning prayer service.[7] Some communities also recite this psalm as thema'amad (special daily prayer) for Friday.[14] Additionally, Psalm 93 is the final psalm said during theKabbalat Shabbat service on Friday night, acting as a summation of the preceding seven psalms.[15][16] It is also recited in its entirety duringPesukei dezimra on Shabbat,Yom Tov, and - in many communities - onHoshana Rabbah.[17] In most Sephardic communities, it is recited in mincha on Friday as well.
Verse 1 (in the Hebrew) is quoted in MishnahTamid 7:4.[18]Verse 1 is also one of the ten verses in the section ofMalkhuyot (Sovereignty) which is recited in theMussafAmidah onRosh Hashanah.[19][14][20]
Verse 4 (in the Hebrew) is said by the seas inPerek Shirah.[14][21]
Psalm 93 is said as a prayer for success in a court case.[22]
In theEastern Orthodox Church, Psalm 92 (Psalm 93 in the Masoretic Text) is part of the thirteenthKathisma division of the Psalter, read atMatins on Thursday mornings, as well as on Tuesdays and Fridays duringLent, at theFirst Hour andMatins, respectively. It is also read at theGreat Hours on the eve ofEpiphany, and at theInter-Hour of theFirst Hour.[23]
Verses from Psalm 92/93 are sung as the Second Antiphon at theDivine Liturgy on ordinary (non-festal) weekdays.[24]
This Psalm is also read during the rite of the consecration of a church, during thevesting of thealtar.
In theAgpeya, theCoptic Church'sbook of hours, this psalm is prayed in the office ofSext.[25]
"Dominus regnavit" is Psalm 92 in the Vulgate; it was set byHildegard of Bingen.[26] Amotet setting it for choira cappella, with an added doxology, is attributed toJosquin des Prez.[27][28]
Jean-Joseph de Mondonville set the psalm in 1734 as aGrand Motet in severalmovements,Dominus regnavit decorum.[29]François Giroust set aGrand motet in 1764.Jules Van Nuffel, founder and conductor of the choir atSt. Rumbold's Cathedral inMechelen, Belgium,[30] set the psalm in Latin,Dominus regnavit, for four-to-six-part choir and organ, Op. 49, in 1935.[31]
The Lutheran Baroque composerHeinrich Schütz set Psalm 93 in German, "Der Herr ist König herrlich schön" (The Lord is King, heavenly beautiful), for choir as part of his composition of theBecker Psalter, SWV 191.[32]Handel used verses from the psalm for hisChandos Anthem No. 4 in 1717 or 1718, intended for use in theAnglican Church.[33]
Ferdinand Hiller wrote a setting in German for men's choir and orchestra, published in Leipzig, 1864.[34]
In theFree Church of Scotland's 2003 psalter,Sing Psalms, Psalm 93 starts "The Lord is king; his throne endures." Set to thecommon meter, the recommended melodies are St. Magnus, Southwark and Stroudwater.[35]
Shlomo Carlebach composed a melody for the last two verses in the Hebrew, to be sung duringKabbalat Shabbat.[36]Charles Salaman arranged a setting based onMendelssohn'sElijah that is sung in the Friday night shabbat service in London'sSpanish and Portuguese synagogue.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[37][38] of the Psalm with vowels, alongside theKoine Greek text in theSeptuagint[39] 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 92.
| # | Hebrew | English | Greek |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | יְהֹוָ֣ה מָלָךְ֮ גֵּא֢וּת לָ֫בֵ֥שׁ לָבֵ֣שׁ יְ֭הֹוָה עֹ֣ז הִתְאַזָּ֑ר אַף־תִּכּ֥וֹן תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל בַּל־תִּמּֽוֹט׃ | The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved. | Εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ προσαββάτου, ὅτε κατῴκισται ἡ γῆ· αἶνος ᾠδῆς τῷ Δαυΐδ. - Ο Κύριος ἐβασίλευσεν, εὐπρέπειαν ἐνεδύσατο, ἐνεδύσατο Κύριος δύναμιν καὶ περιεζώσατο· καὶ γὰρ ἐστερέωσε τὴν οἰκουμένην, ἥτις οὐ σαλευθήσεται. |
| 2 | נָכ֣וֹן כִּסְאֲךָ֣ מֵאָ֑ז מֵעוֹלָ֣ם אָֽתָּה׃ | Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. | ἕτοιμος ὁ θρόνος σου ἀπὸ τότε, ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος σὺ εἶ. |
| 3 | נָשְׂא֤וּ נְהָר֨וֹת ׀ יְֽהֹוָ֗ה נָשְׂא֣וּ נְהָר֣וֹת קוֹלָ֑ם יִשְׂא֖וּ נְהָר֣וֹת דׇּכְיָֽם׃ | The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. | ἐπῆραν οἱ ποταμοί, Κύριε, ἐπῆραν οἱ ποταμοὶ φωνὰς αὐτῶν· ἀροῦσιν οἱ ποταμοὶ ἐπιτρίψεις αὐτῶν. |
| 4 | מִקֹּל֨וֹת ׀ מַ֤יִם רַבִּ֗ים אַדִּירִ֣ים מִשְׁבְּרֵי־יָ֑ם אַדִּ֖יר בַּמָּר֣וֹם יְהֹוָֽה׃ | The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. | ἀπὸ φωνῶν ὑδάτων πολλῶν θαυμαστοὶ οἱ μετεωρισμοὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, θαυμαστὸς ἐν ὑψηλοῖς ὁ Κύριος. |
| 5 | עֵֽדֹתֶ֨יךָ ׀ נֶאֶמְנ֬וּ מְאֹ֗ד לְבֵיתְךָ֥ נַאֲוָה־קֹ֑דֶשׁ יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה לְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃ | Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever. | τὰ μαρτύριά σου ἐπιστώθησαν σφόδρα· τῷ οἴκῳ σου πρέπει ἁγίασμα, Κύριε, εἰς μακρότητα ἡμερῶν. |
