Psalm 29 11

Psalm 29:11 kjv

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

Psalm 29:11 nkjv

The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Psalm 29:11 niv

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Psalm 29:11 esv

May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!

Psalm 29:11 nlt

The LORD gives his people strength.
The LORD blesses them with peace.

Psalm 29 verses

Psalm 29 11 Meaning

Psalm 29:11 encapsulates the foundational truth that the sovereign God, Yahweh, who demonstrates overwhelming power throughout creation, generously bestows strength upon His people. This divine provision equips them to navigate life's challenges. Furthermore, He actively blesses His people with Shalom, a comprehensive and profound peace that encompasses holistic well-being, prosperity, security, and the absence of inner and outer turmoil. It signifies God's complete benevolent care for those who are His.

Psalm 29 11 Context

Psalm 29 stands out as a powerful "Kol Yahweh" (Voice of Yahweh) psalm. It vividly depicts a magnificent and terrifying thunderstorm moving from the northern mountains (Lebanon, Sirion/Hermon) across the land, culminating in the wilderness of Kadesh. The repeated declaration, "The voice of the Lord," highlights the unparalleled authority and majesty of God. This storm, which might symbolize destructive forces or cosmic chaos to others, is under the complete control of Yahweh. The psalm directly confronts ancient Near Eastern beliefs, particularly those surrounding Baal, the Canaanite storm god. While Baal was thought to wield the thunder and bring rain, Psalm 29 forcefully asserts that it is Yahweh, the one true God, who controls these elemental forces. The Psalm transitions dramatically from the awesome, overwhelming power of God revealed in the storm (vv. 1-10) to a serene declaration of His covenantal blessing upon His chosen people in verse 11. It moves from cosmic dominion to intimate divine provision, assuring the people that the very God who orchestrates such powerful phenomena is also their ultimate source of strength and peace.

Psalm 29 11 Word analysis

• The Lord (יהוה, Yahweh): This is the covenant, personal, and proper name of God in the Old Testament. It signifies God's self-existence, eternal nature, and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises. Its use here underscores that the strength and peace come directly from the sovereign, reliable God who revealed Himself to Israel.
• will give (יִתֵּן, yitten): A Qal imperfect verb, indicating continuous or habitual action. It implies an ongoing bestowal, a generous act of providing, rather than a one-time gift. It highlights God's active role as the Provider.
• strength (עֹז, 'oz): Refers to might, power, vigor, or security. It is not limited to physical prowess but also encompasses moral fortitude, spiritual resilience, and capacity to endure or overcome. In the context of the powerful storm preceding this verse, 'oz for God's people implies their ability to stand firm in the face of daunting challenges, empowered by their magnificent God.
• to His people (לְעַמּוֹ, le'ammiy): Denotes a specific relationship—those who belong to Him, Israel. This emphasizes the covenant bond and the exclusive nature of God's care for those He has chosen and called. It contrasts with the nations who might be terrified by the storm's power; God's own people receive strength from the very source of that power.
• The Lord (יהוה, Yahweh): Repetition of God's personal name emphasizes His singular role and faithful character as the source of the ensuing blessing.
• will bless (יְבָרֵךְ, y'varekh): A Qal imperfect verb, similar to yitten, signifying an ongoing action. To "bless" means to impart favor, prosperity, and well-being; to cause to flourish and thrive. It signifies divine enablement and empowerment for a flourishing life.
• His people (אֶת־עַמּוֹ, 'et-'ammiy): Repetition underscores the consistent recipient of God's blessings – His chosen ones, confirming the depth of His commitment and care for them.
• with peace (בַּשָּׁלוֹם, ba'shalom): Refers to shalom (שָׁלוֹם), which is much richer than merely the absence of conflict. It encompasses wholeness, completeness, prosperity, health, security, tranquility, well-being, and a state of right relationship with God, oneself, and others. It is a comprehensive blessing that pervades every aspect of life, signifying ultimate divine provision.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "The Lord will give strength to His people": This phrase reveals God's active impartation of power and resilience to those in covenant with Him. It assures His people that the same majestic power seen in the natural world (as described earlier in the psalm) is directly available to strengthen and sustain them. It speaks of divine empowerment for earthly journey.
• "The Lord will bless His people with peace": This second declaration expands upon the blessing. It highlights God's intent to shower His people with shalom—a holistic well-being that secures them from internal turmoil and external threats. It completes the picture of God's generous provision, ensuring not just resilience but also tranquility and prosperity, making their lives complete and flourishing in His presence.

Psalm 29 11 Bonus section

The abrupt transition from the tumultuous display of Yahweh’s power to His serene blessing of strength and peace highlights a crucial theological truth: God’s ultimate disposition towards His covenant people is benevolence, not chaos or destruction. This directly contrasts with the capricious nature of pagan storm gods whose power often brought devastation to people. For Yahweh, His strength (oz) in creation finds its correlative in His impartation of 'oz to His people, while the peace (shalom) is the culmination of His comprehensive covenantal blessing. This structure implicitly refutes the pagan worldview by asserting Yahweh's distinct nature as the God who exercises His omnipotence for the secure and flourishing life of His devoted ones. This also demonstrates God's perfect balance of transcendence (above and beyond creation, controlling nature's might) and immanence (actively engaged in providing for and caring for His people). The psalm thereby becomes a doxology that culminates in an assurance of divine grace and provision.

Psalm 29 11 Commentary

Psalm 29:11 serves as the profound climax and concluding affirmation of a psalm that majestically portrays Yahweh's unparalleled power over creation, particularly demonstrated through a fierce thunderstorm. After painting a vivid picture of cosmic might—the "voice of the Lord" breaking cedars, shaking wildernesses, and making mountains skip—the psalm suddenly pivots. This shift is not a reduction of God's power but a recontextualization of it: the terrifying, uncontainable power observed in nature is precisely the power dedicated to the benefit of His chosen people.

The verse essentially offers two core divine promises: strength and peace. The "strength" is not mere physical might but an inner resilience and capacity to withstand and overcome. It is an enablement from the sovereign God for navigating life's storms, ensuring His people can stand firm, much unlike the pagan beliefs where deities brought chaos. Secondly, "peace" (Shalom) is God’s holistic blessing that signifies comprehensive well-being: inner tranquility, security from threats, prosperity in all dimensions of life, and harmony. It is a divine counterpoint to the chaotic display of nature's raw power, revealing that Yahweh's ultimate purpose is to bring order, flourishing, and calm to His beloved. In essence, the verse reveals God as both transcendently powerful and intimately immanent, demonstrating His sovereignty over all things to the end of securing and blessing His people with strength for endurance and peace for their prosperity. This provides assurance that even amidst life’s greatest tumults, God remains their steadfast source of well-being.Example: When believers face immense pressure, whether personal or societal, the "strength" of the Lord helps them not to crumble but to endure with perseverance (e.g., in a time of severe illness, God provides strength to bear it). Similarly, in periods of anxiety or turmoil, the "peace" of the Lord enables them to maintain a calm heart and trusting mind, guarding them from fear (e.g., amidst financial instability, one finds an inexplicable peace that anchors their soul).