Psalm 29:2 kjv
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Psalm 29:2 nkjv
Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Psalm 29:2 niv
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
Psalm 29:2 esv
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
Psalm 29:2 nlt
Honor the LORD for the glory of his name.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
Psalm 29 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 6:4 | "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" | Declares God's unique unity and sole right to worship |
| 1 Chron 16:29 | "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." | Direct parallel emphasizing the same command |
| Ps 5:7 | "But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house, At Your holy temple I will bow in reverence for You." | Shows worship offered with profound reverence |
| Ps 96:7-9 | "Ascribe to the LORD, O families of peoples, Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; ... Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness..." | Calls all nations to acknowledge and worship God |
| Ps 115:1 | "Not to us, O LORD, not to us, But to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth." | Direct prayer and affirmation that glory is for God's name |
| Isa 42:8 | "I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another..." | God's exclusive claim to all glory and praise |
| Isa 45:23 | "I have sworn by Myself, ... To Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance." | Foretells universal submission and worship of the LORD |
| Jer 13:16 | "Give glory to the LORD your God Before He brings darkness..." | Exhortation to glorify God before impending judgment |
| Mal 1:11 | "For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations..." | Prophecy of God's worldwide glory among all peoples |
| Matt 6:9 | "Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name." | Teaches prayer for God's name to be revered as holy |
| John 4:23-24 | "...true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth... God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." | Defines true worship as internal, sincere, and pure |
| Rom 1:21 | "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations..." | Warns of consequences for failing to glorify God |
| Rom 12:1 | "Therefore I urge you, brethren, ...to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." | Links holy living to an acceptable form of worship |
| Phil 2:9-11 | "...at the name of Jesus every knee will bow... and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." | Ultimate homage to Christ glorifies God the Father |
| Heb 12:28 | "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe." | Calls for worship with proper fear and reverence |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.'" | Implies worship requires the worshiper's holiness |
| Rev 4:11 | "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." | Heavenly praise ascribing all glory to God as Creator |
| Rev 5:12-14 | "...Worthy is the Lamb... blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." "And every created thing... heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion...'" | Universal adoration given to God and the Lamb |
| Rev 15:4 | "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU..." | God's holiness elicits universal fear and glorification |
| Exod 28:2 | "You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty." | Priestly vestments representing sacredness/beauty |
| 2 Chron 20:21 | "...appointed those who sang to the LORD and spoke praise in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, 'Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.'" | People worshipping in "holy attire" before battle |
Psalm 29 verses
Psalm 29 2 Meaning
Psalm 29:2 calls all spiritual beings (as implied from v. 1, "sons of God," extending also to human worshipers) to give to the LORD, Yahweh, the glory due to His name. This is an imperative command to acknowledge and declare His inherent worth, unmatched splendor, and manifest attributes. Furthermore, it exhorts them to worship the LORD "in holy array," which means worship offered with profound reverence and awe, proceeding from hearts set apart unto Him, reflecting His moral perfection and majestic presence. This phrase points to worship performed in a manner befitting God's divine sanctity, potentially referencing sacred garments for worship, but more fundamentally, the inner purity and spiritual devotion required for a truly sacred encounter with the Most High.
Psalm 29 2 Context
Psalm 29 is a majestic psalm of divine theophany, primarily portraying Yahweh's overwhelming power through the imagery of a tremendous thunderstorm. Opening with a summons to celestial beings to ascribe glory to Yahweh (v. 1), the psalm proceeds to vividly describe the "voice of the LORD" (mentioned seven times) manifesting irresistible force over creation – shattering mighty trees, shaking the wilderness, and revealing the forests. This dramatic portrayal of God's dominion serves as a direct polemic against the Canaanite storm-god Baal, showcasing Yahweh's absolute and incomparable sovereignty over nature. Within this display of cosmic might and unique authority, verse 2 stands as a pivotal command. It is a call for an appropriate response to such a powerful and holy God: universal recognition of His unique worth and worship offered in a manner consistent with His sacred nature. The psalm then concludes with the comforting affirmation that this mighty LORD is eternally enthroned and grants strength and peace to His people (vv. 10-11).
Psalm 29 2 Word analysis
Ascribe (הָבוּ - Havu): This is a plural imperative verb meaning "Give" or "Bring." It's a forceful command, instructing one to actively confer or attribute something. Here, it demands that the inherent worth, honor, and renown of God be recognized and declared by His creation. It implies not merely passive acknowledgement but active adoration.
to the LORD (לַיהוָה - l'Yahweh): Specifies Yahweh, the personal covenant name of God in the Hebrew Bible, as the sole recipient of this glory and worship. This differentiates Him from all other supposed deities, emphasizing His uniqueness, personal relationship with His people, and supreme authority.
the glory (כְּבוֹד - k'vod): Derived from the Hebrew root signifying "weight," this word conveys dignity, honor, importance, and radiant majesty. It refers to God's inherent excellence, His magnificent attributes, His manifest presence, and His power, which deserve and command universal adoration and praise.
due His name (שְׁמוֹ - sh'mo): In biblical thought, "name" embodies the entire revealed character, reputation, essence, and authority of a person. To give glory "due His name" means to worship God based on who He is, His revealed nature, and all His actions and attributes. It demands worship that truly understands and reflects God's identity and infinite worth.
Worship (הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ - Hishtachavu): Another plural imperative verb, from the root shachah, meaning "to bow down," "to prostrate oneself," or "to do homage." This indicates a posture of humble submission, reverence, and profound adoration. It signifies a complete yielding of oneself to God in awe, implying both physical bowing and an attitude of submission.
the LORD (לַיהוָה - l'Yahweh): Reiterates that Yahweh is the singular and exclusive object of worship, reinforcing the theme of divine singularity established in the first half of the verse and throughout the entire Psalm.
in holy array (בְּהַדְרַת־קֹדֶשׁ - b'hadrat-qodesh): This pivotal phrase carries multiple, complementary layers of meaning:
- Splendor/Beauty of holiness (hadrat qodesh): Most profoundly, this points to the awe-inspiring and intrinsically sacred quality of God Himself. Therefore, worship offered "in holy array" implies worship conducted in a manner that reflects God's own holiness—characterized by solemnity, purity, reverence, and majesty. It refers to worship that is beautiful because it stems from and is directed towards the Sacred.
- Holy attire/Sacred vestments: This interpretation suggests literal garments (such as those worn by priests, Exod 28:2, or others set apart for sacred service, 2 Chron 20:21), symbolizing ritual purity and the distinction necessary when approaching God.
- The sanctuary itself: In some interpretations, it could also refer to worship occurring within the sacred, beautiful, and set-apart confines of the temple or tabernacle – the "holy courts" (as suggested by the Septuagint translation of a similar phrase), emphasizing the consecrated space of encounter with God.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name": This foundational command sets the ethical and theological premise for all true worship. It is a universal injunction to recognize Yahweh as the supreme Being, uniquely deserving of all honor, praise, and adoration. This statement asserts God's ultimate authority and incomparable essence, calling all creatures to confess His glory openly, a direct repudiation of idolatry and self-exaltation.
- "Worship the LORD in holy array": This phrase elaborates on how worship should be rendered. It moves beyond merely acknowledging God's worth to prescribing the appropriate demeanor and quality of adoration. It stresses that an encounter with the Holy God requires purity, solemnity, and a deep reverence that reflects His distinct, set-apart, and morally perfect nature. This applies both to the internal spiritual state of the worshiper and potentially to the external context and preparation for worship.
Psalm 29 2 Bonus section
- The recurring phrase "the voice of the LORD" (qol YHWH) seven times in Psalm 29 (vv. 3-9) mirrors the divine speech of creation in Genesis 1 (e.g., "God said"). This connection highlights Yahweh's continuous, creative, and authoritative power, reinforcing the reason why such comprehensive glory and holy worship are due to Him.
- The context of a thunderstorm (Baal's supposed domain) highlights the unique "beauty of holiness" belonging solely to Yahweh, distinguishing His genuine, awe-inspiring power from the limited, often manipulative, claims of pagan deities. His holiness is active power, not mere cultic formality.
- Early Rabbinic interpretations and the Septuagint translation of hadrat-qodesh as "holy court" (e.g., Ps 96:9 LXX) lean toward an emphasis on the sacred physical space of worship. However, the spiritual meaning of holiness as intrinsic purity and reverence holds greater weight in New Testament interpretations of worship.
- This verse serves as a crucial bridge between acknowledging God's external demonstrations of power in creation (vv. 3-9) and the appropriate internal and communal response of worship that results in receiving God's strength and peace (vv. 10-11). It shows that true reverence leads to divine blessing.
Psalm 29 2 Commentary
Psalm 29:2 stands as a core summons to worship, encapsulating the essence of reverential adoration. It functions as a foundational declaration of God's worthiness, urging both divine and human participants to fully recognize and publicly acknowledge Yahweh's unique glory—that manifest brilliance and character inherently His alone. Beyond a mere intellectual assent, this verse demands active and intentional "ascribing" of glory, an offering of honor that aligns with His majestic "name" – His very essence and identity. Furthermore, it prescribes the manner of worship: "in holy array." This signifies a worship experience that is not only inwardly sincere ("in spirit and truth," John 4:24) but also outwardly appropriate to the Most Holy God. Whether understood as physical, sanctified attire or, more profoundly, as a worship imbued with profound awe and emanating from a consecrated heart, the phrase calls for an encounter characterized by dignity, reverence, and spiritual purity. It serves as a reminder that proper worship arises from acknowledging God's absolute holiness and approaching Him with corresponding humility and adoration, allowing His splendor to transform the worshiper's own heart and life into a display of holiness.