Psalms 29:1
in Psalms 29Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Ascribe unto Jehovah, O ye sons of the mighty, Ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength.
KJV
Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.
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This verse in Psalms 29
Commentary
4 notes on this verseGive unto Jehovah, ye sons of the mighty. It was no doubt David's design to lead all men to worship and reverence God; but as it is more difficult to reduce great men, who excel in rank, to order, he expressly addresses himself to them. It is obvious, that the LXX, in giving the translation, sons of rams, were led into a mistake by the affinity of the Hebrew words.
This site's exposition
Ascribe to the LORD
on Psalms 29:1-2
The call goes to heavenly beings, bene elim in Hebrew, the sons of the mighty. Ascribe sounds three times in two verses. They are told to give glory and strength, and to worship in holy splendour.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Crowned heads must bow before the King of kings. What is here said to the mighty is said to all: Worship God; it is the sum and substance of the everlasting gospel, Rev. xiv. Now we have here, (1.) The nature of religious worship; it is giving to the Lord the glory due to his name,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Give, i.e., ascribe. Neither men nor angels can confer anything upon Jehovah, but they should recognise his glory and might, and ascribe it to him in their songs and in their hearts. Unto the Lord, and unto him alone, must honour be given. Natural causes, as men call them, are God in action, and we must not ascribe power to them, but to the infinite Invisible who is the true source of all. O ye mighty.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Prepare for the Lord Heb. הבו. Prepare for the Lord and prepare for Him, you sons of the mighty of the land. From here we derive the ruling that [for the first blessing of the Amidah prayer] we should say the blessing אבות, the Patriarchs (Meg. 17b, R.H.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
the glory due His name This is the blessing of the sanctity of the Name [the third blessing of the Amidah]. In this psalm, there are eighteen mentions of God’s name, and corresponding to them, they instituted eighteen blessings.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הָב֣וּ | havu | ascribe | H3051 → | 34 times |
| לַֽ֭יהוָה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | O sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אֵלִ֑ים | ʾelim | gods | H410 → | 241 times |
| הָב֥וּ | havu | ascribe | H3051 → | 34 times |
| לַ֝יהוָ֗ה | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| כָּב֥וֹד | kavod | glory | H3519 → | 200 times |
| וָעֹֽז׃ | vaoz | and strength | H5797 → | 92 times |
הָב֣וּascribe
havuH3051 →34 times
לַֽ֭יהוָהto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
בְּנֵ֣יO sons of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
אֵלִ֑יםgods
ʾelimH410 →241 times
הָב֥וּascribe
havuH3051 →34 times
לַ֝יהוָ֗הto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
כָּב֥וֹדglory
kavodH3519 →200 times
וָעֹֽז׃and strength
vaozH5797 →92 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 60:12For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly destroyed.
it leads to
- Zechariah 14:12–19
And this will be the plague with which the LORD strikes all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot in…
- Isaiah 54:15
If anyone attacks you, it is not from Me; whoever assails you will fall before you.
- Daniel 2:44–45
In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms…
- Isaiah 41:11
Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish.
- Psalms 2:12
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in your rebellion, when His wrath ignites in an instant. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.
- Zechariah 14:12–19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.