Psalm 29 - (Part 2) - Verses 1-2

Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones,

Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

Psalm 29:1-2

Who are the "mighty ones"?

From James Montgomery Boice:

The phrase which the New International Version (NIV) translates "O mighty ones" (beni elim)is an unusual one, occurring in the psalms only here and in Psalm 89:6. The phrase is similar to the more common beni elohim which refers to angels in the Book of Job.

So this psalm opens with an admonition to angels to praise God!

"This might strange to us...for, of course, praising God is what the angels do constantly...

"Strictly speaking, it is human beings, not angels, who need to be urged to praise God, as we see in other psalms.

"Why does David now call on the angels to praise God?

"As soon as we think of this psalm poetically the reason is obvious: It is because he feels that his praise and that of other mere human beings is not adequate.

"David is overwhelmed with the majesty of God revealed in the storm that he has witnessed and is going to describe (verses 3-9).

"He feels he needs help to praise God properly.

"To praise God adequately the entire created order must join in, and even then sufficient praise will be lacking.

"David's appeal to the angels does indicate something significant about worship however, something we must keep in mind.

(The angels already know it.)

"The appeal describes the praise of God as consisting of two things: ascribing glory to Him; that is, acknowledging His supreme worth with our minds, and worshipping or bowing down (the Hebrew word used means to bow down), which means subordination of our wills and minds to His."


How we worship God....

The two belong together, and each is essential: (1) acknowledging His supreme worth and (2) bowing down humbly before Him.

So what the angels do naturally we also must learn to do if the glory of God is to make its proper impact upon us and we are to worship Him properly -- with the glory due His Name and in the splendor of His holiness.