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Psalm 93[a]

93 The Lord reigns.
He is robed in majesty.
The Lord is robed;
he wears strength around his waist.[b]
Indeed, the world is established; it cannot be moved.
Your throne has been secure from ancient times;
you have always been king.[c]
The waves[d] roar, O Lord,
the waves roar,
the waves roar and crash.[e]
Above the sound of the surging water,[f]
and the mighty waves of the sea,
the Lord sits enthroned in majesty.[g]
The rules you set down[h] are completely reliable.[i]
Holiness[j] aptly adorns your house, O Lord, forever.[k]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 93:1 sn Psalm 93. The psalmist affirms that the Lord is the king of the universe who preserves order and suppresses the destructive forces in the world.
  2. Psalm 93:1 sn Strength is compared here to a belt that one wears for support. The Lord’s power undergirds his rule.
  3. Psalm 93:2 tn Heb “from antiquity [are] you.” As the context suggests, this refers specifically to God’s royal position, not his personal existence.
  4. Psalm 93:3 tn The Hebrew noun translated “waves” often refers to rivers or streams, but here it appears to refer to the surging waves of the sea (see v. 4, Ps 24:2).
  5. Psalm 93:3 tn Heb “the waves lift up, O Lord, the waves lift up their voice, the waves lift up their crashing.”
  6. Psalm 93:4 tn Heb “mighty waters.”sn The surging waters here symbolizes the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy the order he has established in the world (see Pss 18:17; 29:3; 32:6; 77:20; 144:7; Isa 17:13; Jer 51:55; Ezek 26:19; Hab 3:15). But the Lord is depicted as elevated above and sovereign over these raging waters.
  7. Psalm 93:4 tn Heb “mighty on high [is] the Lord.”
  8. Psalm 93:5 tn Traditionally “your testimonies.” The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (ʿedut) refers here to the demands of God’s covenant law. See Ps 19:7.
  9. Psalm 93:5 sn The rules you set down. God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
  10. Psalm 93:5 sn Holiness refers here to God’s royal transcendence (see vv. 1-4), as well as his moral authority and perfection (see v. 5a).
  11. Psalm 93:5 tn Heb “for your house holiness is fitting, O Lord, for length of days.”

Psalm 93

The Lord reigns,(A) he is robed in majesty;(B)
    the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;(C)
    indeed, the world is established,(D) firm and secure.(E)
Your throne was established(F) long ago;
    you are from all eternity.(G)

The seas(H) have lifted up, Lord,
    the seas have lifted up their voice;(I)
    the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.(J)
Mightier than the thunder(K) of the great waters,
    mightier than the breakers(L) of the sea—
    the Lord on high is mighty.(M)

Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
    holiness(N) adorns your house(O)
    for endless days.