Psalms 93 (NET)

Psalm 931

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.

2 Your throne has been secure from ancient times;

you have always been king.3

3 The waves4 roar, O Lord,

the waves roar,

the waves roar and crash.5

4 Above the sound of the surging water,6

and the mighty waves of the sea,

the Lord sits enthroned in majesty.7

5 The rules you set down8 are completely reliable.9

Holiness10 aptly adorns your house, O Lord, forever.11

1sn 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. 2sn Strength is compared here to a belt that one wears for support. The Lord’s power undergirds his rule. 3tn Heb “from antiquity [are] you.” As the context suggests, this refers specifically to God’s royal position, not his personal existence. 4tn 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). 5tn Heb “the waves lift up, O Lord, the waves lift up their voice, the waves lift up their crashing.” 6tn 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. 7tn Heb “mighty on high [is] the Lord.” 8tn Traditionally “your testimonies.” The Hebrew noun עֵדוּת (’edut) refers here to the demands of God’s covenant law. See Ps 19:7. 9sn The rules you set down. God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands. 10sn Holiness refers here to God’s royal transcendence (see vv. 1-4), as well as his moral authority and perfection (see v. 5a). 11tn Heb “for your house holiness is fitting, O Lord, for length of days.”