Psalm 93
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Speaks with:Psalms 96×21 Chronicles 29×1Revelation 19×1Psalms 45×1Psalms 90×1Proverbs 8×1
Summary
Chapter summary
The first of the enthronement psalms: 'Jehovah reigneth; he is clothed with majesty… the world also is established, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.' The floods have lifted up their voice; 'above the voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea, Jehovah on high is mighty.' Thy testimonies are very sure: 'holiness becometh thy house, O Jehovah, for evermore.'
Context
Poetry · David, Asaph, Sons of Korah, others — Psalms overview
The world behind this chapter
Psalms 93The history
The LORD reigneth opens a run of psalms built on a real ceremony. Israel crowned a king by anointing him, seating him, acclaiming him with a shout of long live the king, and parading him through the city — the account of Solomon's crowning at the spring of Gihon describes the whole sequence, complete with pipes so loud the ground rang. This psalm borrows that shape for God.
Clothed with majesty and girded with strength is court dress. Robes marked rank, and a belt marked readiness — a man girded up his long robe when he was about to work or fight. A king in robe and belt is a king dressed to act, not to pose.
The floods lifting up their voice would have meant something specific to the psalm's first hearers. Israel's neighbours told stories of a storm god who had to fight the sea and its monsters before he could take his throne. Here the waters make all the noise they like, and God's throne is simply described as established of old, from everlasting. The battle is not fought because it was never in doubt.
The Mishnah lists this as the temple psalm for the sixth day of the week — the day on which, in the creation account, the work was finished and the world stood complete.
What it meant to them
For a people whose own kings were weak, deposed, or gone, singing the LORD reigneth was a political statement as much as a hymn.
And the psalm ties the reign to two ordinary things: his testimonies are very sure, and holiness becomes his house. The King is known by his word and by the place he keeps.
Sources cited
- The Mishnah , tractate Tamid 7:4 (Danby translation)
- John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews & Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
The text of this chapter
This page carries no textual note on Psalms 93. Where this site has examined a place the manuscripts differ, the examination is in the manuscripts room. Every place this site examines →
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.