Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 29:2
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
2. the glory due unto his name ] Lit. the glory of his name, particularising the general idea of glory in Psa 29:1. The glory of his name is His glory as He reveals Himself in the world (Psa 5:11 note); here, as the context shews, especially in Nature.
in the beauty of holiness ] Suggestive as this rendering is, it can hardly be right; and the true sense is that given in R.V. marg., in holy array. Cp. Psa 96:9 (= 1Ch 16:29); 2Ch 20:21 (R.V. marg.); Psa 110:3. The ideas of earth are transferred to heaven. As the priests in the earthly temple were clothed in “holy garments for glory and for beauty” (Exo 28:2), so even the ministrants in the heavenly temple must be arrayed befittingly.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name – Margin: the honor of his name. The honor of His name is that which is due to it, or which properly belongs to it. The name is put here, as it often is, for God Himself; and the meaning is, Ascribe to God the honor that is properly his due. This is a claim addressed to the angels; it is a claim certainly not less binding on people. It is practically a call upon all creatures in the universe to ascribe due honor to God.
Worship the Lord – This exhortation is made particularly in view of the manifestations of His power in the storm. The idea is, that one who is capable of putting forth such power as is displayed in a tempest, has a claim to adoration and praise.
In the beauty of holiness – Margin, in his glorious sanctuary. The Hebrew phrase would properly mean holy beauty. Some have supposed that it means in holy adorning, or in such consecrated vestments as were worn by priests in the sacred services of the sanctuary, or when they came into the presence of Yahweh. So DeWette understands it. But the more probable interpretation is that which refers it to the state of the heart – the internal ornament – with which we should approach God – to a holy and pure state of mind – that beauty or appropriateness of the soul which consists in holiness or purity. Of this the external clothing of the priesthood was itself but an emblem, and this is that which God desires in those who approach Him in an act of worship. It may be added that there is no beauty like this; that there is no external comeliness, no charm of person or complexion, no adorning of costly robes, that can be compared with this. It is this which God seeks, and with this He will be pleased, whether under a less or more attractive external form; whether under rich and costly raiment, or under the plain and decent clothing of poverty.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 29:2
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
The worship of holiness
Worship meant at first worth-ship, or the condition of being worthy, as friendship is the condition of being friendly. The best worship is not merely to thank God for what He has done for us, but to show ourselves worthy of this. It is very clear that this is the best kind of worship for us; for it results not in mere words, but in character. We are better for our religion, which cannot always be said of the outward kind; and surely it must be more acceptable to God. You would rather have your boy thank you for what you give him, and recognize your kindness, than not. But you would rather even than this have him use what you give him wisely. As between the boy who thanked you very profusely, and even sincerely, and then spent your money in some degrading way, and the boy who took your money carelessly and without a word, but spent it in a way that made you proud of him, you would surely choose the latter. But what is it that makes us worthy? It is the beauty of holiness. And what is holiness? Here we have another word that has lost its first and best meaning. Our dictionary tells us that holy is the same word, essentially, as heal, hale, whale. A man is physically holy when he is healed, or in health, when he is hale, when he is whole. Holiness is wholeness. No man is holy who is not a whole man; and, to be a whole man, he must care for his body as well as for his soul. What we shall be it doth not yet appear; but it is very certain that while we are here, the body is part of the man. Holiness is wholeness; and wholeness means a sound body and a sound soul together. But it means more than that: it means sound judgment, common sense. Good people are the salt of the earth. But it is possible to have too much salt in proportion to your porridge. It would be hard to say that anybody is too good; but it is very certain that many a mans goodness would be worth a great deal more if only he had a little practical judgment to direct it. The world needs its dreamers, its men and women of enthusiasm and ideals; but it needs also the calm, steady balance and ballast of the men and women of common sense. There are other things that one needs to be a whole man, as a warm heart and a strong will, without which he does not fulfil the Divine ideal, and so does not render back the worship that God loves. These are enough to show what is meant, so far, by the worship of wholeness. But we have yet to see that mere individual wholeness is not possible unless the individual recognizes larger wholes than himself, of which he is a part. In the first place, in so far as a man is a body, he is a part of the great whole of matter, or the universe. The man who does not realize that he is so far a part of the world cannot be a whole, cannot be holy. The farmer must put his work into line with the material laws of soil and season; the engineer must put his work into line with the laws of steam, and the physician with the laws of the human frame. If either tries to do otherwise, to set up a world of his own invention or imagination, the great universe calmly sweeps over it and him, as the sea sweeps over the childs house of sand on the beach. Let a man in any way separate himself from this great universe, and he suffers. As a man faints when he shuts himself into a room, away from the atmosphere that clothes the world, so he faints if he shut himself into his own life and interests. Just as the value of his land grows, though he may do absolutely nothing to it himself, simply because other people come and settle near him, and make a city about him, so his life grows, though he may not try to cultivate it at all, simply because other people are about him, and with him day by day. There are things that a man can do better in solitude than in society. There are necessities that sometimes drive individuals away from their fellows. There are circumstances that sometimes compel men and women to live destitute of the companionship which makes life rich and deep for others. But, though there may be a gain on one side, there is loss on others. There is about the recluse something less than human. The great currents of thought and emotion that sweep through society and keep hearts and minds fresh, as the breezes keep the air fresh, are lost by the recluse. It is a great mistake for those who are in grief or misfortune to shut themselves away either from the fresh air of nature or the fresh air of human companionship. Health is wholeness with nature and with man. To-day, human sympathies are broadening out with the spread of commerce; and, as it slowly dawns upon us that the good of the world is the good of every nation, so into our hearts comes a thrill of pity and desire to help, when we hear of the suffering of any part of this variegated human race. This is the beauty of holiness that is the best worship. In old days, when the sacrifice was not of the soul, but of the body, it was counted an unworthy thing to bring to the altar of God a bullock that had spot or blemish. To-day, it is not a one-sided any more than a stained manhood that makes a man worthy of the Divine love. It must be a whole man, body, mind, heart, will, and soul, all rounded and complete, at one with the world of nature and the world of man,–that is the acceptable offering. (W. H. Lyon)
In holy attire
Do we really worship God?
I. We worship God in the beauty of holiness when worship is characterized by reality. We should act with the same propriety, feel as much awe, dread of vulgarity, entering the old meeting house, as into the court and presence of an earthly king. As much? Yea, how much morel
II. We worship God in the beauty of holiness when our worship is characterized by recollection. Let the soul withdraw its faculties from men and time and affairs, come face to face with God and His righteousness, His truth, and His love. Bring by the process of recollection, as Miss Havergal says, your sins for cleansing, your uninterpretable heart, the cares from which you cannot flee, griefs you cannot utter, the joys of love, and the life you would no longer know as your own.
III. We worship God in the beauty of holiness when our worship is characterized by receptivity. The open souls are not sent empty away.
IV. We worship God in the beauty of holiness when our worship is characterized by responsiveness. I mean, carrying the ideals, impressions, determinations of the sanctuary back into the world and allowing them to mould our temper, habits and sentiments in the labours and recreations of life. If worship be true, character shall grow in strength and gentleness, and influences shall stream from us, bearing no tardy fruits, to our fellow-men. (D. B. Williams.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 2. The glory due unto his name] Rather, the glory of his name. His name is Mercy; his nature is love. Ascribe mercy, love, power, and wisdom to him. All these are implied in the name Jehovah.
In the beauty of holiness.] behadrath kodesh, “the beautiful garments of holiness.” Let the priests and Levites put on their best and cleanest apparel; and let the whole service be conducted in such a way as to be no dishonour to the Divine Majesty. The Vulgate and others read, In the palace of his holiness. Let all go to the temple, and return thanks to God for their preservation during this dreadful storm. See on Ps 29:9.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The glory due unto his name, i.e. the honour which he deserves; which is to prefer him before all other gods, and to forsake all others, and to own him as the Almighty, and the only true God.
In the beauty of holiness; or, of the sanctuary, which is commonly called by this name; in his holy and beautiful house, as it is called, Isa 64:11, the only place where he will receive worship. So he exhorts them to turn proselytes to the Jewish religion; which was their duty and interest.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. nameas (Psa 5:11;Psa 8:1).
beauty of holinesstheloveliness of a spiritual worship, of which the perceptible beauty ofthe sanctuary worship was but a type.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Give unto the Lord the glory due to his name,…. Or “the glory of his name” x: which is suitable to his nature, agreeable to his perfections, and which belongs unto him on account of his works;
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; the Lord is only to be worshipped, and not any creature, angels or men; not Jehovah the Father only, who is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth; but the Son of God, and the Holy Ghost also, being of the same nature, and possessed of the same perfections; and that with both internal and external worship; and in true holiness, in which there is a real beauty: holiness is the beauty of God himself, he is glorious in it; it is the beauty of angels, it makes them so glorious as they are; and it is the beauty of saints, it is what makes them like unto Christ, and by which they are partakers of the divine nature; and in the exercise of holy graces, and in the discharge of holy duties, should they worship the Lord; unless this is to be understood of the place of worship, the sanctuary, or holy place in the tabernacle; or rather the church of God, which holiness becomes; but the former sense seems best.
x “gloriam nominis ejus”, Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) In the beauty of holiness.Better, in holy attire; an image borrowed from the splendid vestments of the priests and Levites (2Ch. 20:21; Psa. 110:3). So the presences that attend the courts of heaven are bidden to be robed in their most magnificent attire, as for a high and sacred ceremony.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Ver. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name ] Which yet you cannot do, for his name is above all praise, Nominatissimam et celeberrimam (Jan.), Psa 148:13 , but you must aim at it. The Rabbis observe that God’s holy name is mentioned eighteen different times in this psalm; that great men especially may give him the honour of his name, that they may stand in awe and not sin, that they may bring presents to him who ought to be feared, and those also the very best of the best, since he is a great King, and standeth much upon his seniority, Mal 1:14 .
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
His name = Himself. See note on Psa 20:1.
Worship = Bow down.
the beauty of holiness = His glorious Sanctuary. Compare 2Ch 20:21. 2Ch 96:9. Exo 28:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Give: 1Ch 16:28, 1Ch 16:29
glory: etc. Heb. honour of his name, Psa 96:6, Psa 96:8, Psa 97:9, Psa 113:3-6, Psa 145:3-7
worship: Psa 27:4, Psa 96:9, 2Ch 20:21
the beauty of holiness: or, his glorious sanctuary, Psa 90:17
Reciprocal: Exo 20:3 – General Deu 32:3 – Because 1Ch 29:20 – bowed down 2Ch 6:12 – he stood Psa 68:34 – Ascribe Psa 96:7 – Give Mal 3:8 – a man Luk 17:18 – to give Rom 11:36 – to whom Eph 3:21 – be Rev 4:11 – to receive