Christianity
Psalms 93The LORD Is Clothed with Majesty
Summary
Psalm 93 is a short hymn proclaiming that the LORD reigns, robed in majesty and girded with strength, his throne established of old and the world made firm. The floods lift up their voice and their roaring waves, but the LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters. It closes by affirming that his testimonies are very sure and that holiness becomes his house forever. Scholars group it with Psalms 95 to 99 as hymns celebrating God's kingship.
Key verse
“The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.”
Psalms 93:1
Themes
- God's Kingship
- Power over Chaos
- Stability of Creation
- Holiness
Text
The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.
Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.
Across traditions
Judaism
Psalm 93 in the JPS 1917 TanakhIn Jewish tradition this is the psalm for Friday, recited in the morning service, and it also follows Psalm 92 in the Friday evening service welcoming the Sabbath.
Christianity
Mark 4: Wind and Sea ObeyWhen Jesus calms the storm in Mark 4:39 to 41, the disciples ask who this is that even the wind and the sea obey him, a question that recalls the psalms' picture of the LORD ruling the raging waters.
Islam
Surah Al-Baqarah (2): The Throne VerseThe Throne Verse, Quran 2:255, describes a God whose throne includes the heavens and the earth and who never wearies of preserving them. It is a different text with the same emphasis on unshaken divine sovereignty.
Questions about Psalms 93
What are the floods in Psalm 93?
Psalm 93:3 to 4 pictures floods and waves lifting up their roar. Many scholars hear an echo of ancient Near Eastern imagery of the sea as chaos, while traditional readers also take the waters as hostile nations, both mastered by God.
Why is Psalm 93 called an enthronement psalm?
It begins with the declaration that the LORD reigneth, a phrase that also opens Psalms 97 and 99. Scholars therefore classify it among the kingship or enthronement psalms that celebrate God as king over the world.