This psalm was probably composed on the occasion of a thunderstorm. It is a solemn charge from heaven, to great men to worship and glorify God; who (1.) In his magnificence and power thundereth in the most terrible, alarming, and destructive manner, ver. 1-9. (2.) Who is supreme Governor of the world, and bestoweth strength and peace on his peculiar people, ver. 10-11.
While I sing, let me by faith behold the glory of God in Christ, and be filled with reverential awe of his power and grace. And while I adore his perfections, admire and praise his excellencies, let Jerusalem come into my mind; and let me apprehend the promise, and pour forth a prayer for the remnant which is left.
1 A Psalm of David. 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.
1 Give ye unto the Lord, ye sons
that of the mighty be,
All strength and glory to the Lord
with cheerfulness give ye.
2 Unto the Lord the glory give
that to his name is due;
And in the beauty of holiness
unto JEHOVAH bow.
3 The Lord's voice on the waters is;
the God of majesty
Doth thunder, and on multitudes
of waters sitteth he.
4 A pow'rful voice it is that comes
out from the Lord most high;
The voice of that great Lord is full
of glorious majesty.
5 The voice of the Eternal doth
asunder cedars tear;
Yea, God the Lord doth cedars break
that Lebanon doth bear.
6 He makes them like a calf to skip,
ev'n that great Lebanon,
And, like to a young unicorn,
the mountain Sirion.
7 God's voice divides the flames of fire;
8 The desert it doth shake:
The Lord doth make the wilderness
of Kadesh all to quake.
9 God's voice doth make the hinds to calve,
it makes the forest bare:
And in his temple ev'ry one
his glory doth declare.
10 The Lord sits on the floods; the Lord
sits King, and ever shall.
11 The Lord will give his people strength,
and with peace bless them all.
Mighty Lord, to whom all glory and honour do justly appertain, since it hath pleased thee to cause us [to] understand thy will by thy holy word. Grant likewise, that we may receive the same with all reverence, and that we may have a feeling of the force and strength thereof, that thereby we may be reformed in all holiness of life, that in the end we may enjoy the heritage promised to all them, that are adopted in thy wellbeloved Son Christ Jesus.