Psalms 93:1-5

Psalm 93 ¹ 

93:1 The Lord reigns!

He is robed in majesty,

the Lord is robed,

he wears strength around his waist. ² 

Indeed, the world is established, it cannot be moved.

93:2 Your throne has been secure from ancient times;

you have always been king. ³ 

93:3 The waves ⁴  roar, O Lord,

the waves roar,

the waves roar and crash. ⁵ 

93:4 Above the sound of the surging water, ⁶ 

and the mighty waves of the sea,

the Lord sits enthroned in majesty. ⁷ 

93:5 The rules you set down ⁸  are completely reliable. ⁹ 

Holiness ¹⁰  aptly adorns your house, O Lord, forever. ¹¹ 

[93:1]  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.

[93:1]  ² sn Strength is compared here to a belt that one wears for support. The Lord’s power undergirds his rule.

[93:2]  ³ tn Heb “from antiquity [are] you.” As the context suggests, this refers specifically to God’s royal position, not his personal existence.

[93:3]  ⁴ 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).

[93:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “the waves lift up, O Lord, the waves lift up their voice, the waves lift up their crashing.”

[93:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “mighty waters.”

[93:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “mighty on high [is] the Lord.”

[93:5]  ⁸ tn Traditionally “your testimonies.” The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to the demands of God’s covenant law. See Ps 19:7.

[93:5]  ⁹ sn The rules you set down. God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.

[93:5]  ¹⁰ sn Holiness refers here to God’s royal transcendence (see vv. 1-4), as well as his moral authority and perfection (see v. 5a).

[93:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “for your house holiness is fitting, O Lord, for length of days.”