Psalms 29 · Verse 1

Psalms 29:1

A Psalm of David. Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Psalms 29:1, King James Version

Psalms 29:1 in other translations

BSBA Psalm of David. Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
WEBA Psalm by David. Ascribe to the LORD, you sons of the mighty, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
ASVA Psalm of David. Ascribe unto Jehovah, O ye sons of the mighty, Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength.
YLTA Psalm of David. Ascribe to Jehovah, ye sons of the mighty, Ascribe to Jehovah honour and strength.
DARBYA Psalm of David. Give unto Jehovah, ye sons of the mighty ones, give unto Jehovah glory and strength;
BBEGive to the Lord, you sons of the gods, give to the Lord glory and strength.
WebsterA Psalm of David. Give to the LORD, O ye mighty, give to the LORD glory and strength.

What does Psalms 29:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Psa 29:1-11. Trust in God is encouraged by the celebration of His mighty power as illustrated in His dominion over the natural world, in some of its most terrible and wonderful exhibitions.

1. Give--or, "ascribe" (De 32:3). mighty--or, "sons of the mighty" (Psa 89:6). Heavenly beings, as angels.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The psalmist calls upon the great and mighty to give thanks unto God, and to worship him in the beauty of holiness, on account of a tempest that had taken place, Psa 29:1, Psa 29:2. He shouts the wonders produced by a thunderstorm, which he calls the voice of God, Psa 29:3-9. Speaks of the majesty of God, Psa 29:10; and points out the good he will do to his people, Psa 29:11. In the Hebrew, this is called A Psalm for David. The Vulgate says, "A Psalm of David, when the tabernacle was completed." The Septuagint says: "A Psalm of David, at the going out or exodus of the tabernacle." The Arabic states it to be "A prophecy concerning the incarnation; and concerning the ark and the tent." Num 5:12. The Syriac, "A Psalm of David, concerning oblation." The Psalm was probably written to commemorate the abundant rain which fell in the days of David, after the heavens had been shut up for three years; 2Sam 21:1-10. Verse 1 O ye mighty - בני אלים beney elim, "sons of the strong ones," or "sons of rams." The Chaldee has, "Ye hosts of angels, sons of God." The Vulgate has, "Offer to the Lord, ye sons of God; offer to the Lord the sons of rams;" in this rendering agree the Septuagint, Ethiopic Arabic, and Anglo-Saxon. The old Psalter has, Bringes til Lord ye goddes sonnes; brynges til Lord sonnes of wether: which it paraphrases thus: that es, yourself, sonnes of apostles, that war leders of goddes folk; qwam ye study to folow. Glory and strength - Ascribe all excellence and might to him. The whole Psalm is employed in describing the effects produced by a thunder-storm which had lately taken place.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Exhortation to give glory to God. --The mighty and honourable of the earth are especially bound to honour and worship him; but, alas, few attempt to worship him in the beauty of holiness. When we come before him as the Redeemer of sinners, in repentance faith, and love, he will accept our defective services, pardon the sin that cleaves to them, and approve of that measure of holiness which the Holy Spirit enables us to exercise. We have here the nature of religious worship; it is giving to the Lord the glory due to his name. We must be holy in all our religious services, devoted to God, and to his will and glory. There is a beauty in holiness, and that puts beauty upon all acts of worship. The psalmist here sets forth God's dominion in the kingdom of nature. In the thunder, and lightning, and storm, we may see and hear his glory. Let our hearts be thereby filled with great, and high, and honourable thoughts of God, in the holy adoring of whom, the power of godliness so much consists. O Lord our God, thou art very great! The power of the lightning equals the terror of the thunder. The fear caused by these effects of the Divine power, should remind us of the mighty power of God, of man's weakness, and of the defenceless and desperate condition of the wicked in the day of judgment. But the effects of the Divine word upon the souls of men, under the power of the Holy Spirit, are far greater than those of thunder storms in the nature world. Thereby the stoutest are made to tremble, the proudest are cast down, the secrets of the heart are brought to light, sinners are converted, the savage, sensual, and unclean, become harmless, gentle, and pure. If we have heard God's voice, and have fled for refuge to the hope set before us, let us remember that children need not fear their Father's voice, when he speaks in anger to his enemies. While those tremble who are without shelter, let those who abide in his appointed refuge bless him for their security, looking forward to the day of judgment without dismay, safe as Noah in the ark.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 29:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הָב֣וּha.VuascribeH3051
לַֽ֭יהוָהla.Yah.wehto YahwehH3068
בְּנֵ֣יbe.NeiO sons ofH1121
אֵלִ֑ים'e.LimgodsH410
הָב֥וּha.VuascribeH3051
לַ֝יהוָ֗הla.Yah.wehto YahwehH3068
כָּב֥וֹדka.VodgloryH3519
וָעֹֽז\׃va.'Ozand strengthH5797

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 29:1

  • Psalms 96:7-9

    Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

  • Revelation 5:11-14

    And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

  • Jeremiah 13:16-18

    Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive. Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

  • Isaiah 60:12

    For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

  • Psalms 68:31-34

    Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God. Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah: To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice. Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.

  • 1 Chronicles 16:28-29

    Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

  • Psalms 2:10-12

    Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 David exhorts princes to give glory to God;
3 by reason of his power;
11 and protection of his people.

Give.
2:10-12; 68:31-34; 96:7-9; Isa 60:12; Jer 13:16-18; Re 5:11-14
mighty. Heb. sons of the mighty.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 29:1

    A Psalm of David. Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

  • Psalms 29:2

    Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Read all of Psalms 29

Psalms 29:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Salmo de David. DAD á Jehová, oh hijos de fuertes, dad á Jehová la gloria y la fortaleza.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Psaume de David. Rendez à l’ Éternel, fils des forts, rendez à l’ Éternel la gloire et la force!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Gebet Jehova, ihr Söhne der Starken, gebet Jehova Herrlichkeit und Stärke!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Psalmus cantici, in dedicatione domus David.