(1) A psalm of David.
Ascribe to the Eternal, O divine beings,
ascribe to the Eternal glory and strength. (2) Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name;
bow down to the LORD, majestic in holiness. (3) The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the LORD, over the mighty waters. (4) The voice of the LORD is power;
the voice of the LORD is majesty; (5) the voice of the LORD breaks cedars;
the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon. (6) aLit. “He makes them skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion, etc.”He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,-a
Sirion, like a young wild ox. (7) The voice of the LORD kindles flames of fire; (8) the voice of the LORD convulses the wilderness;
the LORD convulses the wilderness of Kadesh; (9) the voice of the LORD causes hinds to calve,
bOr “brings ewes to early birth.”and strips forests bare;-b
while in His temple all say “Glory!” (10) The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood;
the LORD sits enthroned, king forever.
(11) May the LORD grant strength to His people;
may the LORD bestow on His people wellbeing.
Kabbalat Shabbat: immediately before Lecha Dodi (only non-90s Psalm)
Shacharit on Shabbat: when putting the Torah away
Psalm 29: last line
Shacharit on Shabbat: near the start of the Torah service
Musaf on Shabbat: immediately before Kaddish de'Rabbanan (excerpted from Berakhot 64a)
Birkat HaMazon: final line
In biblical studies, inclusio is a literary device based on a concentric principle, also known as bracketing or an envelope structure, which consists of creating a frame by placing similar material at the beginning and end of a section... The purpose of an inclusio may be structural - to alert the reader to a particularly important theme - or it may serve to show how the material within the inclusio relates to the inclusio itself.
- The psalm is framed by an inclusio; it begins and ends with four-line unit containing the key term "strength" (עז) and the four-fold mention of YHWH's name.
- vv. 1-2 are bound together by similar syntax (imperatives).
- vv. 3-9 are bound together by the sevenfold repetition of the phrase קול ה'. This large unit is also framed by an inclusio; it begins and ends with a tricolon that contains the word "glory".
- Within the unit of vv. 3-9, there are three sub-units, each of which is 5 lines long.
- vv. 3-4 are bound together by similar syntax (קול ה' followed by prepositional phrases) and similar content (description of YHWH's battle against the waters).
- vv. 5-7 are bound together by similar syntax (קול ה' followed by participles) and similar content (description of YHWH building his temple out of cedar and stone).
- vv. 8-9 are bound together by similar syntax (קול ה' followed by finite verbs [yiqtols]), similar sounds (ח + ל), and similar content (description of creation responding to YHWH's voice).
- The final section (vv. 10-11) corresponds to the first and is further bound together by similar syntax (indicative verbs) and word order (fronting of YHWH).
The basic effect of this pattern is "to increase tension in the listener."[4]. In Ps. 29, the pattern also has a structural effect. Each of the five strophes in the psalm opens with some form of this pattern (vv. 1, 3, 5, 8, 10). This is consistent with the fact that elsewhere this pattern appears at the beginning of poems or sections within a poem (e.g., Gen, 49:22; Num. 24:3; Jdg. 5:3, 12; Eccl. 1:2).[5] The pattern may also be associated with a particular genre: that of the victory song (cf. Judges 5; Exodus 15). If so, then the pattern gives psalm 29 a triumphant feel. It may that Ps. 29 functioned at one time as a victory song (cf. Psalm 29 Story behind the Psalm).
The psalm seems to describe God's arrival amidst a storm coming in off the sea. First He is "over the waters," "thundering... over the deep"; then the storm hits land, "shattering the cedars" and making the whole earth tremble.
Certainly this is a fearsome spectacle; "sparks" (lightning) shoot forth from the clouds as He arrives, and the storm's ferocious winds strip the forest bare.
But with His arrival comes the precious rain of which Canaan never seems to have enough.
After scholars came to know the literature of biblical Israel's northern neighbor Ugarit, this psalm took on a new look. To put it bluntly, Psalm 29 seemed to many like a cheap knockoff of an originally northern Canaanite hymn, in which the name of Baal had simply been scratched out and replaced with the name of Israel's national deity.' Thus, the psalm opens with a summons to the "sons of the mighty" (benei 'elim) to praise the LORD. But to scholars, the phrase benei 'elim suggested the cognate phrase (bn 'ilm) found at Ugarit; there, the "sons of the mighty" are other, minor gods less powerful than Baal. If this is what these same words mean in Hebrew, then the opening lines of this psalm would seem to be calling on the lesser gods to give glory to the chief or most powerful deity, the LORD. Needless to say, such an opening would not sit very well with later Israelite monotheism, but it might indeed be the sort of thing that ninth-century Israelites could unreflectively take over from a hymn originally composed to honor Baal.' The geographic location evoked in the mention of the mountain range "Lebanon" as well as of "Sirion" (Mount Hermon) places us squarely in northern Canaan. To be sure, this is not nearly as far north as Ugarit, but it is on the very northern edge of the Kingdom of Israel--by all accounts, Baal country in the ninth century (1 Kings 18-19). Given this background, the psalm's whole presentation of Israel's God thundering forth out of rain clouds and making the wilderness tremble was likewise seen by scholars as strikingly reminiscent of the descriptions of Baal in Ugaritic poetry:
So now may Baal enrich with his rain, may he enrich with rich water in a
downpour.
And may he give forth his voice in the clouds, may he flash lightning-
bolts to the earth.
Baal opens a break in the clouds, Baal gives forth his holy voice;
Baal gives forth the utte[rance?] of his [li?]ps, his ho[ly?] voice
conv[ulses?] the earth.
The high places of the Earth] shake."
Other scholars read the same evidence slightly differently, however. They believe it would be more accurate to view this psalm not as a bowdlerized Baal hymn, but as a northern Israelite polemic, and one that fits rather well with the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel. In both cases, the God of Israel is being pointedly portrayed in Baal's traditional garb--rain clouds, lightning shooting down from the sky, supernal power. Wasn't the point of Psalm 29 to say to northern Israelites -just as Elijah had in his challenge on Mount Carmel-"You don't need Baal anymore"?
(18) Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke, for God had come down upon it in fire; the smoke rose like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled violently. (19) The blare of the horn grew louder and louder. As Moses spoke, God answered him in 'voice'.
By the middle of the nineteenth century, however, scholars began to have their doubts. To begin with, they realized that the expression ledawid could mean many things: "for David," "about David," or "belonging to David" are equally acceptable understandings. Perhaps someone else wrote these psalms about David or on David's behalf. Moreover, the Bible sometimes uses personal names to refer to an office "Aaron" to mean any high priest, for example. So ledawid could actually refer to any Davidic king:* this psalm might have been written for the Davidic king Josiah, that one for some other Davidic descendant.' Perhaps ledawid was a simple fraud, added in by editors to help legitimate the role that psalmody came to play in later times. To these was added yet another possibility: since ledawid was found specifically in the psalm's heading, it seemed reasonable that this might originally have been some sort of scribal note indicating where the psalm had come from, that is, it belonged ledawid, to the Davidic (or royal) collection of psalms, as opposed to some other source or collection?
Considering all these possibilities, there no longer seemed to be any good reason to understand the phrase ledawid as an indication of authorship."
MISHNA: Rabban Gamliel says: Each and every day a person recites the prayer of eighteen blessings. Rabbi Yehoshua says: an abridged version of eighteen blessings. Rabbi Akiva says: If he is fluent in his prayer, he recites the prayer of eighteen blessings, and if not, an abridged version of eighteen blessings.
GEMARA: To what correspond these eighteen? Rabbi Hillel, son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, said: Corresponding to the eighteen mentions of God’s name that King David said in the psalm: “Give unto the Lord, O you sons of might” (Psalms 29). Rav Yosef said: Corresponding to the eighteen mentions of God’s name in Shema. Rabbi Tanḥum said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Corresponding to the eighteen vertebrae in the spine.
Corresponding to what were these seven blessings of the Shabbat Amida prayer instituted? Rabbi Ḥalafta ben Shaul said: Corresponding to the seven “voices” which David mentioned on the waters [in Psalm 29]
Rabbi Levi said: According to Rabbi Hillel, son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, corresponds to: “The God of glory thunders” (Psalms 29:3). According to Rav Yosef, corresponds to the word one that is in Shema. According to what Rabbi Tanḥum said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, corresponds to the small vertebra that is at the bottom of the spine.
שמעון הפקולי הסדיר שמונה עשרה ברכות לפני רבן גמליאל על הסדר ביבנה אמר רבי יוחנן ואמרי לה במתניתא תנא מאה ועשרים זקנים ובהם כמה נביאים תיקנו שמונה עשרה ברכות על הסדר ת"ר מנין שאומרים אבות שנאמר (תהלים כט, א) הבו לה' בני אלים ומנין שאומרים גבורות שנאמר (תהלים כט, א) הבו לה' כבוד ועוז ומנין שאומרים קדושות שנאמר (תהלים כט, ב) הבו לה' כבוד שמו השתחוו לה' בהדרת קדש
Shimon HaPakuli arranged the eighteen blessings of the Amida prayer before Rabban Gamliel in their fixed order in Yavne. Rabbi Yoḥanan said, and some say that it was taught in a baraita: A hundred and twenty Elders, i.e., the Men of the Great Assembly, and among them several prophets, established the eighteen blessings of the Amida in their fixed order. The Sages taught in a baraita: From where is it derived that one says the blessing of the Patriarchs? As it is stated: “Ascribe to the Lord, mighty ones” (Psalms 29:1). And from where is it derived that one then says the blessing of mighty deeds? As it is stated: “Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength” (Psalms 29:1). And from where is it derived that one then says the blessing of holiness? As it is stated in the next verse: “Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psalms 29:2).
Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i says: [Yitro] heard about the giving of the Torah and came. As when the Torah was given to the Jewish people, the voice of the Holy One, Blessed be He, went from one end of the world to the other end, and all of the kings of the nations of the world were overcome with trembling in their palaces and recited a song of praise, as it is stated: “The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve…and in his palace all say: Glory” (Psalms 29:9).
All of the kings gathered around Balaam the wicked and said to him: What is the tumultuous sound that we have heard? Perhaps a flood is coming to destroy the world, as it is stated: “The Lord sat enthroned at the flood” (Psalms 29:10)? Balaam said to them: “The Lord sits as King forever” (Psalms 29:10), the Holy One, Blessed be He, already took an oath never to bring a flood to the world.
The kings said to him: He will not bring a flood of water, as he vowed, but perhaps He will bring a flood of fire, as it is stated: “For by fire will the Lord contend, and by His sword with all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many” (Isaiah 66:16). Balaam said to them: He already took an oath that He will not destroy all flesh.
They asked: And what is this tumultuous sound that we have heard? Balaam said to them: He has a good and precious item in His treasury, that was hidden away with Him for 974 generations before the world was created, and He seeks to give it to his children, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people” (Psalms 29:11). Immediately, they all began to say: “The Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11).
Psalm 29 is an important psalm in the Jewish liturgy. It is recited on various occasions, but has particular prominence on the Sabbath as the psalm which we sing as we accompany the scroll back to the ark after it has been read. How precisely this ritual developed and when the psalm was chosen to be sung at that point in the service is rather a mystery...
The language of Psalm 29 is magnificent as a celebration of God's might and power. Some would say that it belongs to a genre of nature poetry. The whole of creation shudders with God's power and glory; God's 'voice' thunders over the majesty of nature; it resounds above the waters, shatters the cedars of Lebanon and breaks up the mountains of Lebanon, swirling the sands of the desert, stripping the forests bare and inducing the birth of young wild deer. But it is an extraordinary
choice for this moment in the service...
What kind of projection of God are we dealing with? Noise is one of the curses of modern life. The images of nature are destructive - God seems to trample over nature, breaking the trees, startling the animals. Even in God's temple, all cry 'Glory!'
This image of God, immensely powerful and noisy, is alienating for those who have already begun to 'reimage the unimaginable', to take Judith Plaskow's expression. We would prefer Elijah's 'still small voice' over this victorious war hero, who is probably related (albeit on a literary level) to the ancient Canaanite god Baal, or the Babylonian god Marduk coming home from war victorious. Translations, however neutral in their language about God, still cannot escape from the
sheer power and terror exerted by the great warrior stampeding over creation. And of course, the Hebrew stands with all its literary echoes of Ugaritic mythology... The problem with the psalm, as a vehicle for our own worship, is that there appears to be nothing to counter the image of God as a powerful, dominant war-hero...
Not to write the psalm off completely, it has a remarkable redeeming feature to it. The last verse ends with an invocation to God - the first time in the psalm that there is some engagement between the worshipper and God: 'Eternal God: grant strength to Your people; Eternal God: bless Your people with peace'. We note, initially, that the Psalmist asks only for oz ('strength'), which is precisely the theme of the psalm as stated at the beginning: 'Praise, you hosts of heaven, praise the Eternal God's glory and strength' (oz). Has nothing emerged from this display of power? This is what the Psalmist wishes us to think, that what we seek most of all in God's world is strength. Yet the psalm concludes most remarkably, by going further. It is not brute force and strength that is needed, but peace: 'Eternal God: bless Your people with peace'. The function of this invocation is not to increase our sense of God's power, but to understand it differently. As the midrash to this verse
explains: 'Let God give us the goodly strength of the Torah, as it is said: "Behold: a good doctrine has been given to you: do not forsake it" it is as though the poet is saying: true, God's voice is earth-shattering, God's power beyond our imagination, but the only way that we can engage with God is when we perceive God's protective, rather than victorious power, and when we ourselves are ready to open ourselves to that protection and peace.