Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 29

1 GIve unto the LORD, O ye mighty , give unto the LORD b glory and strength .

Ye Potentates and Rulers of the Earth. To these he addresseth his Speech; Partly, because they are most apt to forget and contemn God, and insolently to assume a kind of Deity to themselves: and Partly, because their Conviction and Conversion was likely to have a great and powerful influence upon their people. By an humble and thankful acknowledgment of it: for other ways we can give nothing to God.

(i. e.) The glory of his strength or power, which is the Attribute set forth in this Psalm: Or, his glorious strength.

Marginal references: 1 Chr. 16. 28. 29. Psal. 96. 7, 8, 9.; Heb. ye So[illegible: 1+ letters]s of the mighty.; Or, of God.

2. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name : worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness .

(i. e.) The Honour which he deserves: which is to prefer him before all other Gods, and to forsake all others, and to own him as the Almighty, and the only true God.

Or, of the Sanctuary, which is commonly called by this Name; in his Holy and beautiful House, as it is called, Isa. 64. 11. the only place where he will receive Worship. So he exhorts them, to turn Pro[illegible: 1+ letters]elytes to the Jewish Religion; which was their Duty and Interest.

Marginal references: Heb. the Honour of his name.; Or, i[illegible: 1+ letters] his glo [illegible: 1+ letters] Sanctu [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪

3. The voyce of the LORD is upon the waters : the God of glory thundreth, the LORD is upon many waters .

(i. e.) Thunder, as is manifest from the next Clause, and the following Effects: which is oft called the Lords voyce, as Exod. 9. 23. 28, 29. Iob. 37. 21. 4, 5. Psal. 18. 14. and 46.

Either, 1. Upon the Seas; where its noise spreads, far and wide, and is very Terrible. But the following Verses speak of the Effects of it, upon the Earth only. Or rather, 2▪ Above in the Clouds, which are called Waters, Gen. 1. 7. Psal. 18. 11. because they are of a watry Substance. And this Circumstance is Considerable here, to magnifie the Divine power, which displayeth it self in those high places, which are far above the reach of all Earthly Potentates, and from whence he can easily and unavoidably smite all that dwell upon the Earth, and will not submit to him.

(i. e.) Upon the Clouds, in which there are vast Treasures of water, and upon which God is said to sit, or Ride, Psal. 18. 10, 11. and 104. 3.

Marginal references: Or, great [illegible: 1 word].

4. The voyce of the LORD is powerful: the voyce of the LORD is full of majesty .

Is an evident Proof of God's glorious Majesty.

Marginal references: Heb. i[illegible: 1+ letters] Pow [illegible: 1+ letters].; Heb. i[illegible: 1+ letters] Ma [illegible: 1+ letters].

5. The voyce of the LORD breaketh the cedars : yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon .

By Thunder-bolts; which have oft thrown down Trees and Towers.

A place Famous for strong and lofty Cedars, See 2 Chron. 2. 8. Cant. 3. 9. and 5. 15.

6. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Syrion like a young unicorn .

The Cedars last mentioned: which being broken by the Thunder, the parts of them are suddenly and violently hurled about hither and thither.

An high Mountain beyond Iordan, joyning to Lebanon: of which see Deut. 3. 9. and 4. 48. Lebanon and Sirion are here understood: Either, 1. Properly: and so they are said to skip, Or, leap both here, and Psal. 114: 4. by a poetical Hyper[illegible: 1+ letters]ole very usual, both in Scripture and other Authors: Which is so known that it is needless to give any Instances of it. Or, 2. Metonymically for the Trees or people of them, as the Wilderness, v. 8. may seem to be taken; and as the Earth, by the same Figure, is frequently put for the people, which dwell in it.

Heb. Reem: Of which see on Numb. 23. 22. Psal. 22. 21.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 3. 9.

7. The voyce of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.

Heb. Heweth out; (i. e.) It breaketh out of the Clouds, and thereby makes way for the Lightnings, which are suddenly dispersed over the face of the Earth.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] cutteth [illegible: 1 word]

8. The voyce of the LORD shaketh the wilderness : the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh .

(i. e.) Either the Trees, or rather the Beasts of the Wilderness, by a Metonymy as before, v. 6. Compare this with the next Verse.

Which he mentions as an eminent Wilderness, vast and Terrible, and well known to the Israelites, Numb. 20. 1. 16. and wherein possibly they had seen, and observed some such Effects of Thunder, as are here mentioned.

9. The voyce of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve , and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

Through the Terror which it causeth, which hastens the Birth in these and other places: See 1 Sam. 4. 19▪ He nameth the Hinds, because they bring forth their young with Difficulty, Iob 39. 1, 2.

Heb. maketh bare, Either of its Trees, which it Either breaks or strips of their Leaves: Or, of the Beasts, which it forceth to run into their Dens.

Or, but▪ Having shewed the Terrible effects of God's power in other places, he now shews the Blessed priviledge of God's people, that are praising and glorifying God, and receiving the Comfortable influences of his Grace in his Temple, when the rest of the World are Trembling under the Tokens of his Displeasure. By which he secretly invites and perswades the Gentiles, for their own safety and Comfort, to own the true God, and to Worship him in his Sanctuary, as he did exhort them, v. 2. Or, therefore, (i. e.) Because of these and such like Discoveries, of Gods excellent Majesty and Power, h[illegible: 1+ letters] people fear and praise, and adore him in his Temple.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] to be in [illegible: 1 word]; [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] of it utter [illegible: 1+ letters], &c.

10. The LORD sitteth upon the flood : yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.

He moderateth and ruleth (which is oft signified by sitting, this being the posture of a Judge, (or Ruler: of which see Psal. 9. 7, 8, 9. and 47. 9, Ioel 3. 12.) the most abundant and violent Inundations of Waters, which sometimes fall from the Clouds upon the Earth; where they would do much Mischief if God did not prevent it. And these are here fitly mentioned, as being many times the Companions of great Thunders. And this may be alledged as another Reason, why God's people did praise and Worship him in his Temple, because as he sendeth terrible Tempests and Thunders, and Floods, so he also restrains and over-rules them. But most Interpreters refer this to Noah's Flood, to whom the Word here used, is elsewhere Appropriated. And so the Words may be [illegible: 1+ letters]endred, The Lord did sit upon, Or, at the Flood, in Noah's time. When it is probable those Vehement Rains were accompanied with terrible Thunders. And so having spoken of the Manifestation of God's power, in Storms and Tempests in general, he takes an occasion to run back to that Ancient and most dreadful Example of that kind, in which the Divine power was most Eminently seen.▪ And having mentioned that instance, he Adds, that as God shewed himself to be the King, and the Judge of the World at that time, so he doth still sit▪ and will sit as King for ever, sending such Tempests when it pleaseth him. And therefore his people have great Reason to Worship and serve him.

Marginal references: Psal▪ 10 16,

11. The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace .

To support and preserve them in the most dreadful▪ Tempests, and Consequently in all other Dangers, and against all their Enemies.

Though now he sees fit to exercise them with some Troubles.