Journal for Christ: All Must Bow!

June 11, 2019

Worship in WORD

Psalm 29 A psalm of David.

29 Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is majestic.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord strikes

with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;

the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks

and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

11 The Lord gives strength to his people;

the Lord blesses his people with peace.

NIV (’84)

Psalm 29 A psalm of David.

29 1 Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings*;

honor the Lord for his glory and strength.

2 Honor the Lord for the glory of his name.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.

The God of glory thunders.

The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is majestic.

5 The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;

the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon's mountains skip like a calf;

he makes Mount Hermon* leap like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord strikes

with bolts of lightning.

8 The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake;

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks*

and strips the forests bare.

In his Temple everyone shouts, "Glory!"

10 The Lord rules over the floodwaters.

The Lord reigns as king forever.

11 The Lord gives his people strength.

The Lord blesses them with peace.

Psalm 29 A Psalm of David.

29 Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

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

3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.

8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

10 The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.

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

KJV

Psalm 29 Ascribe to the Lord Glory

A Psalm of David.

29 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the Lord, over many waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,

and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.

8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth

and strips the forests bare,

and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.

11 May the Lord give strength to his people!

May the Lord bless his people with peace!

ESV

I. Splendor – vv. 1-2

II. Storm – vv. 3-9

III. Sovereignty – v. 10

IV. Stillness – v. 11

SPLENDOR

I shared my own thoughts and feelings in my last journal entry, but in all actuality, I am not the audience David initially addresses. The immediate context is addressed to those who are identified as “mighty ones” (NIV ‘84) or “heavenly beings” (ESV, NLT, NIV ‘11). Other translations have “sons of the mighty” (NASB) or “sons of God” (LEB). Literally, it can be translated as “sons of the gods” because the Hebrew word here is in the plural. However, that is not the way it should be translated. * Only those who believe David is quoting a Ugaritic poem would agree with this translation. No translation I have consulted translates it this way. Therefore, the more literal translation of “sons of the mighty” (NASB) or “sons of God” (LEB) are the correct translation. I believe the original NIV translated it “mighty ones” because there is disagreement among scholars as to who is being addressed.

I will site two sources to illustrate this fact:

Heavenly beings translates the Hebrew phrase "sons of gods," which may be understood either as the gods of the other nations or as angels (Briggs; NJB footnote), or even as the stars (see Anderson). The Septuagint has "Sons of god," and so do BJ, NJB, NAB; Weiser "sons of gods"; FRCL "heavenly powers"; NJV, Zür, SPCL "divine beings"; Dahood, NEB, TOB "gods."

Verse 1. - Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty; literally, ye sons of the mighty. It is disputed who are meant. Most commentators suggest the holy angels (Rosenmuller, Hengstenberg, 'Speaker's Commentary,' ' Four Friends,' Professor Alexander, Cheyne, etc.); but some think the heathen (Michaelis, Kay); and others, the mighty ones of the earth generally (Koster), to be meant.

Most commentaries I have consulted believe it refers to the angels, but a few feel it is the mighty of the earth.

Again, I site two sources:

O ye mighty - Hebrew, 'sons of the mighty' [bneey]. The sons of °Eeliym , or °Elohiym, are plainly here the angels (Job 38:7).

About the signification of the word, indeed, the Jewish commentators are all agreed; but when they proceed to speak of its meaning, they pervert and obscure it by the most chilling comments. Some expound it of the angels, some of the stars; and others will have it, that by the great men who are referred to are meant the holy fathers. But David only intended to humble the princes of this world, who, being intoxicated with pride, lift up their horns against God.

If it refers to the angels, then Barnes comments may apply here:

Psalms 29:1

The phrase "sons of the mighty" is used only here and in Ps 89:6. The allusion is undoubtedly to the angels as being in an eminent sense the sons of God, or of the mighty ones; and they are referred to here under that appellation as being themselves endowed with power or strength. Compare Ps 103:20, "Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength;" margin: "mighty in strength." In view of the wonderful exhibitions of God's power in the storm-exhibitions far above the power of the most exalted of His creatures, the psalmist calls upon the angels, the most exalted of them, to acknowledge the existence of a power so much beyond their own.

If to mighty men such as the rulers over men:

... the princes and great men of the earth are here meant, who are so called, Ps 82:1,6,7; Ps 89:6,7; 1 Cor 1:26; and these, as they receive much honour and glory, both from God and man; and because they are apt to seek their own glory, and ascribe too much to themselves, are called upon particularly to give glory to God;

To me, it matters not who is addressed. In the end, whether it be angels or rulers of men, the god’s (demons) of the world or heroes, Goliaths or shepherd boys, all must bow before the LORD who alone is worthy of the highest praise and recognition as almighty and glorious.

* ‎°eeliym ‎never means God, like ‎°lhym ‎(so that it could be rendered sons of the deity), but gods, Ex 15:11; Dan 9:36, the expression ‎°eeliym ‎‎bneey ‎must be translated as a double plural from ‎ben-°eel‎, after the analogy of ‎klaa°iym ‎‎baateey‎, Isa 42:22, from ‎kele° ‎‎beeyt ‎(Ges. §108, 3), "sons of God," not "sons of gods."

Worship in Witness

I spoke of my inability to enter into the awe David meant to elicit from his readers. My response was merely cerebral without affect. Biblically speaking, I confessed that my “heart” wasn’t all in when reacting to verses 1 & 2 (and the whole Psalm for that matter). The heart in the Bible refers to the mind, emotions, and will of a person.

HEART

The inner self that thinks, feels, and decides.

I think we all find ourselves in such a state quite often. For me, it’s fatigue, stress, worry, and the pull of worldly pleasures (i.e., TV and food mainly). Often it is a chore to make myself sit down and study. It takes work to research all the commentaries, dictionaries, grammars, and various translations at my disposal. Poor time management also is a factor when one of the worldly pleasures, as mentioned above, distracts me. All these factors have a deleterious effect on my heart.

Another major factor is lack of prayer before I begin to study. I tend to rush right into it without prayer. Like I did tonight. I do pray every day before I go to bed. I will also pray spontaneously during my waking hours as the need arises. All this is good when done in the right spirit. Often, however, I feel disoriented, tired, or even lack the desire to pray. The desire to pray for the same people, often for the same things - because there is no change yet in their situation – is discouraging. I frequently feel like God is just plain tired of my prayers.

Yet for the love of God and those I am praying for, I press on. The evil one often whispers that I am not heard because God is weary of my prayers, or doesn’t love me, or won’t listen to me because my faith is so weak. I regularly put on the “helmet of Salvation” to guard my mind against the hiss of the serpent’s lies. Like Christian in Pilgrims Progress, I must stop my ears to all that would dissuade me from my Christian journey, crying, “Life! Life! Eternal life!” (from Chapter 3). And warry of the demonic minions that stalk me and in hushed tones whisper things that would confuse and discourage me “when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps. 23:4). I am so grateful for God’s “rod and staff” that “comfort me.” For His Word and Spirit guide, encourage, and instruct me through it all. My prayers have not gone unheard, and He is not wearied by them (see Luke 11:5-12; 18:1-8).

So when I am wordless, prayerless, joyless, or even faithless, may the Lord guard my heart and strengthen me. May He lift my spirit just as he is doing now as Michael W. Smith is singing “Healing rain is falling down,” and now,

‎Singin' Majesty, Majesty

Your grace has found me just as I am

Empty handed but alive in Your hands

We're singing Majesty, we're singing Majesty

Forever, forever I am changed by Your love

In the presence of Your Majesty

https://genius.com/Michael-w-smith-majesty-lyrics

As usual God, You are right on time. Thank-you!

An excerpt from Pilgrim’s Progress:

One thing I would not let slip. I took notice that now poor Christian was so confounded that he did not know his own voice; and thus I perceived it. Just when he was come over against the mouth of the burning pit, one of the wicked ones got behind him, and stepped up softly to him, and whisperingly suggested many grievous blasphemies to him, which he verily thought had proceeded from his own mind. This put Christian more to it than any thing that he met with before, even to think that he should now blaspheme Him that he loved so much before. Yet if he could have helped it, he would not have done it; but he had not the discretion either to stop his ears, or to know from whence these blasphemies came.

When Christian had travelled in this disconsolate condition some considerable time, he thought he heard the voice of a man, as going before him, saying, Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Ps 23:4.

Then was he glad, and that for these reasons:

First, Because he gathered from thence, that some who feared God were in this valley as well as himself.

Secondly, For that he perceived God was with them, though in that dark and dismal state. And why not, thought he, with me? though by reason of the impediment that attends this place, I cannot perceive it. Job 9:11.

Thirdly, For that he hoped (could he overtake them) to have company by and by.

So he went on, and called to him that was before; but he knew not what to answer, for that he also thought himself to be alone. And by and by the day broke: then said Christian, "He hath turned the shadow of death into the morning." Amos 5:8.

Worship in Song Psalm 29: Heartsong by Cedarville Univerity Worship Team

The voice of the Lord is over the waters.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars.

The voice of the Lord, glory thunders.

And in His temple, all cry,

Everyone cries!

The voice of the Lord strips the forest.

The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness.

The voice of the Lord, lightning flashes.

And in His temple, all cry,

Everyone cries-

Glory!

Everyone cries,

Glory!

The voice of the Lord is full of power.

The voice of the Lord is full of splendor.

The voice of the Lord is full of thunder.

And in His temple, all cry,

Everyone cries-

Glory!

Everyone cries

Glory!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Glory!

Everyone cries

Glory!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Lyrics: https://www.google.com/search?q=Lyrics+to+Psalm+29+heartsong&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-x9nY8-fiAhUEA6wKHa-YA4QQBQgtKAA&biw=1366&bih=635

Video: https://youtu.be/J4jWCrk8chc

Journal for Christ

Sunday, June 16, 2019

All Must Bow!

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