This article originated as an exegetical paper written for the purpose of my studies with The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Summer 2022.
"Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?" That is the question the disciples were left asking after Jesus calmed a storm with his voice (Luke 8:25 ESV). His complete control over the wind and water that day caused them to consider who he was and how they should respond. This paper argues that David does something similar in Psalm 29, reflecting on Yahweh’s voice causing the flood of Genesis 6–9 and how to respond to this.
The paper begins by establishing that the most important context for interpretating Psalm 29 is the biblical context, particularly that of the Psalms and the narrative of Genesis 6–9. It argues that this provides a more accurate understanding of Psalm 29 than trying to primarily interpret it against an historical context of Canaanite mythology or Ugaritic poetry, as many have proposed. The paper then goes on to demonstrate that both the overall structure and each section of the text show that David is meditating on the flood of Genesis 6–9 throughout Psalm 29. It will attempt to establish that both the context and the text of Psalm 29 make clear that David is commanding Yahweh’s enemies to give him glory and Yahweh’s people to receive strength and peace because of the glorious strength that Yahweh displayed through the flood of Genesis 6–9.
THE CONTEXT OF PSALM 29
Historical Context
It is helpful to briefly consider historical context at the beginning of this paper, even before the biblical context, because of the significant amount of investigation into this and the implications that many draw from it for interpretation.[1] While not universally accepted, the majority of commentators argue that Psalm 29 is similar to the mythology of Baal in the Ugaritic Baal texts.[2] For example, Theodor Gaster argues that it follows the clear pattern of Babylonian, Hittite and Canaanite poems, where a "god of the weather defeats a rebellious dragon or monster, thereby acquires dominion and is installed in a new palace".[3] Based on this, Gaster concludes that Psalm 29 is a typical Babylonian, Hittite or Canaanite hymn taken from its original mythic context and "Yahwized".[4] He suggests that "zealous propagandists" of the Jerusalem "cult of YHWH" probably hijacked a popular hymn to attract followers of "primitive folk religion" into the worship of Yahweh.[5] If such an historical context did exist, it would clearly have dramatic implications for the interpretation of the text, compared to the approach adopted by this paper. However, even proponents of this view ultimately admit that no single parallel poem has been found in historic texts, but rather only similar language and themes in multiple poems across a range of different traditions and locations. As a result, "hard evidence" for the suggestion that Psalm 29 was originally a hymn composed for "a Baal-type storm god...is lacking."[6]
Despite this, these similarities have resulted in a revised view being adopted by many. Rather than Psalm 29 being of "Canaanite origin", and thereby written by a worshipper of Baal and merely redirected to Yahweh, it is suggested that it is of "Canaanite background", written by a Yahweh worshipper using Canaanite language and imagery.[7] For example, Goldingay suggests the similarities show that Psalm 29 is a polemical statement against the surrounding religion that Israel was tempted to adopt.[8] While this is possible, the argument often depends on denying the author is David and dating the work around the eighth century BC.[9] As shown below, there are greater connections between Psalm 29 and other texts within the Old Testament than with any Babylonian, Hittite, or Canaanite poems. Further, as argued in this paper, a far more likely origin story than proposed above is that of David, Yahweh’s anointed king, writing it as a meditation on Genesis 6–9, Yahweh’s Torah. Dale Ralph Davis put it well when he said, "Biblical writers had sufficient theological sophistication that they had no need for Canaanite ghost-writers to express their theology for them."[10]Rather than copying from the Canaanites, this paper will argue that Psalm 29 was a result of its author, King David, being taught by the tempest of Genesis 6–9.
Biblical Context
As suggested above, there are strong connections between Psalm 29 and several other poems within the Old Testament, particularly that of Moses in Exodus 15 and Deborah in Judges 5. Both of these have a similar repetitive style and also employ flood-like imagery to reflect on God’s power and judgement.[11] Further, the song in 1 Chronicles 16:28–29, which David gave Asaph and his brothers to sing when the ark of God was settled in its tent, has almost identical language to that of Psalm 29:1–2, with the minor differences discussed below. Even outside the Psalter, therefore, Psalm 29 corresponds to other similar biblical literature. Far from turning to Canaanite poems for inspiration, it is possible David wrote it in this style to help Israel "recall the old battle-hymns of God’s salvation."[12] Rather than Psalm 29 following the pattern of songs of surrounding nations, it is more likely it was written in a thoroughly traditional Israelite style.
When the context of Psalm 29 within the whole Psalter is considered, this conclusion becomes even stronger. As clearly argued and demonstrated by O. Palmer Robertson, the Psalms is a carefully curated collection, ordered and structured in a particular way in order to present an overall theological message through the arrangement and flow of its five internal books.[13] The contribution that the first book (Pss 1–41) makes to this message is charting the "confrontation" between Yahweh’s righteous and royal king (Pss 1–2) and his surrounding enemies.[14] In the first book, these enemies are generally personal rather than national and the confrontation is usually recorded through prayers to God rather than interaction with the enemies. It is only in the second book (Pss 42–72), that these enemies increasingly take on more of an international character and the dominant theme becomes that of "communication", as Yahweh’s king speaks directly to them to express confidence in Yahweh’s ultimate victory.[15] In this way, while in the first book, Psalm 29 previews the main emphases of the second book. However, rather than this indicating that it has been wrongly located, this only strengthens the conclusion that it has been deliberately placed at this point. This is because of the role it plays in relation to the psalms surrounding it.
Robertson demonstrates Psalm 29 sits at the center of a "poetic pyramid" that covers Psalms 26–32, which all refer to Yahweh’s "regal dwelling place".[16] However, James Hamilton convincingly expands this proposal by showing it actually sits within a larger chiasm that covers Psalms 25–33, with Psalms 25 and 34 linked through almost identical organization as acrostics.[17] By this, they divide the surrounding psalms into units, with Hamilton arguing the unit of Psalms 25–33 is both "chiastic and progressive" in structure.[18] Psalms 25–28 are personal prayers, which aligns with the general character of psalms within the first book described above, and the unit is chiastic as the same themes and styles appear in Psalms 30–33.[19] In contrast, Psalm 29 stands at the center of the chiasm as a command addressed to creation rather than a prayer directed to Yahweh. Hamilton also argues the unit is progressive, with David articulating fear of his enemies in Psalm 25, crying for vindication from them in Psalm 26, expressing confidence of salvation in Psalm 27, and calling for Yahweh to judge them in Psalm 28. Hamilton suggests this "culminates in the call for rebels in the heavenly realms to ascribe to Yahweh the glory due his name" in Psalm 29.[20] As a result, in context, Psalm 29 shows "David's fear of shameful defeat has resolved into confident expectation of Yahweh's victory based on the triumph over rebels at the flood."[21]
This progressive structure shows that Psalm 29 helps to move us forward in the overall theological message of the Psalter. While both sides of the chiasm speak about the confrontation with enemies common throughout the first book, as the pinnacle of this pyramid, Psalm 29 points toward the emphases of the second book: communication with these enemies and the confident expectation of Yahweh’s ultimate victory. This corresponds with other ‘structural’ psalms in the first book. For example, of the 27 attributed to David in the first book, only four others have no singular personal pronoun.[22] This includes Psalm 12, central in the chiasm of Psalms 10–14, as well as Psalms 15 and 24, which both act as pillars of a chiasm stretching between them.[23] Given other nearby ‘pinnacle’ psalms also major on the theme of Yahweh’s word and glory (e.g. Pss 12; 19), Psalm 29 clearly has a carefully crafted structural and thematic role to play in this part of the Psalter. As a result, the idea that it is a crudely modified version of a popular poem, or even primarily a polemical statement against religious opponents, becomes increasingly unlikely.
However, while all the biblical context discussed above must inform the interpretation of Psalm 29, it is Genesis 6–9 that is its most revealing context. This connection is made explicit in 29:10, with the term translated "flood" used throughout Genesis 6–11 to refer to the historic event in Noah’s day.[24] Flood-like imagery depicting God’s power and judgement can be found throughout the Old Testament (Job 22:16; Jonah 2; Nah 1:8), including in the Psalms (18:16; 46:1–3; 65:5–8; 93:3–4). However, outside of its twelve uses in Genesis 1–11, in the rest of the Old Testament this term only ever appears again in Psalm 29:10. The significance of this should not be understated. Perhaps a modern analogy is that of the word ‘holocaust’, which existed prior to the historic event but has now been so deeply connected to it that its use could only refer to it.
This direct link causes the reader to investigate implicit connections in the rest of the psalm. These are explored more fully below, but include an allusion to "sons of God" in Genesis 6:2 (29:1) and the imagery of destructive flood waters sweeping across the earth (29:3–9).[25] As a result, agreeing with Hamilton, this paper argues Psalm 29 is David’s meditation on and response to the flood of Genesis 6–9.[26] This is exactly what biblical authors tell us to expect, instructing Israel’s future king to write and read his own copy of God’s law "all the days of his life" (Deut 17:18–20). Further, the Psalter itself opens with this same righteous royal man meditating on God’s law day and night (Ps 1–2).[27] Therefore, based on this biblical context, and the details of the text discussed below, the most reasonable conclusion regarding the origin of Psalm 29 is that it stems from King David’s meditations on a particular portion of God’s law, Genesis 6–9, which he has turned into a psalm to call others to reflect and respond to it as discussed in this paper.
THE TEXT OF PSALM 29
If the context of Psalm 29 suggests that David is using it to reflect on Genesis 6–9, this is confirmed by the text itself, including its structure, superscription, and each individual section. These all show that David is commanding Yahweh’s enemies to give him glory and calling his people to receive strength and peace in light of his glorious strength in the flood of Genesis 6–9.
Structure
There is clear consensus that Psalm 29 has three main sections: an introduction (29:1–2), a main body (29:3–9), and a conclusion (29:10–11).[28] This has been confirmed by detailed structural analysis, which helpfully highlights the identical metrical pattern and syllables in the introduction and conclusion.[29] However, this structure is apparent even for English readers, with themes such as strength and temple bracketing the main body of 29:3–9, which is itself set apart as a separate section through the introduction and repetition of "the voice of the LORD". In the same way, the repeated command in 29:1–2 to "ascribe" and the closing consolation of 29:10–11 identifies these as separate sections that first introduce and then finally conclude the psalm. As a result, the structure of Psalm 29 itself clearly demonstrates that David is commanding God’s enemies to give glory to God (29:1–2) because of his glorious strength revealed in the flood (29:3–9) and calling on his people to receive strength and peace because of the same (29:10–11).
Superscription
As convincingly argued by Hamilton, superscriptions are authentic and authoritative indicators of both the authorship and interpretation of individual psalms, likely inserted by the author or editor to provide such assistance.[30]For Psalm 29, it reads "A Psalm of David". This strongly supports the argument of this paper, as David was to function as a king who meditated on God’s law (Deut 17; Ps 1), and it is clear that he wrote many songs and psalms. As a result, it is reasonable to conclude that such lifelong mediation was a source of many of these songs, with Psalm 29 in particular inspired by David’s reflections on Genesis 6–9 as explored further below.
Introduction (Verses 1–2)
Psalm 29 begins by David addressing his initial target audience, "heavenly beings", commanding them to ascribe glory to Yahweh. He does this three times in 29:1–2a through the style of "staircase parallelism, where each line takes the thought further".[31] This is achieved by the first three lines beginning with the same second-person plural imperative: "Ascribe".[32] The stairway comes to end in 29:2b, when David uses a different imperative: "Worship". From both the layout of these verses, and the basic meaning of these imperatives, it is evident that David is calling his audience to give glory to Yahweh, later going on to give the reason for this in 29:3–9.
Verse 1–2a. These opening lines bear a strong resemblance to Psalm 96:7–9, which is only a slightly altered form of the song mentioned above in 1 Chronicles 16. In that song, David also commands an audience to ascribe three times. The basic sense of ascription is that of giving. The call to give "glory and strength" in 29:1b is an order to honor Yahweh in the way he is due because of both who he is, see the reference to the "glory due his name" in 29:2a, and what he has done, likely the victorious achievements often associated with Yahweh’s "strength".[33] In this, Psalm 29:1–2a matches both Psalm 96:7–9 and 1 Chronicles 16:28–29 exactly. However, it is only in Psalm 29 that David goes on to provide the flood as evidence of Yahweh’s strength.
There is one difference between the text in 29:1–2a and that of both Psalm 96:7 and 1 Chronicles 16:28. In the latter, David addresses the "families of the peoples", whereas in 29:1 it is the "heavenly beings". This term is literally "sons of gods", but the exact identity of this group has been debated. As the first appearance of "gods" in the Psalms, Goldingay argues they are the same beings referenced in Job 1:6 and 2:1, who assembled as the court of heaven.[34] Such a link is perhaps made later in Psalm 89:5–7, where these beings are said to assemble around Yahweh but not be comparable to him. Based on this, Kidner concludes 29:1 is a summons to heavenly angels.[35] However, as Job 1:6 and 2:1 makes clear, with Satan also among this number, it may not be as straight forward. It is possible to understand this reference to a more generic group. Goldingay shows it corresponds to terms in other related languages, connoting anything that is not "regular humanity", including "not only major deities but also a wide variety of other phenomena: monstrous cosmic enemies; demons, some living kings; dead kings or the dead".[36]
While the possibilities appear to be potentially endless, the context explored in this paper helps to identity the exact group that David addresses. Given the underlying connections with the flood narrative of Genesis 6–9, the example of Yahweh’s strength that David is about to provide to them as a reason for worship, Hamilton argues this reference in 29:1 is to the "sons of God" in Genesis 6:2.[37] This is the group who triggered the flood by taking human wives. While the exact nature of this group is debated, with some understanding them to be powerful humans rather than angelic beings,[38] it seems likely that David is addressing them here, regardless of their ultimate metaphysical nature. While the phrase used to refer to them in Genesis 6:2 varies slightly from that in 29:1, they are sufficiently similar for the context to confirm that here David is addressing the very enemies of Yahweh who caused the flood to consider the strength that they can see in that historic judgement and give Yahweh the glory he is due because of it.[39]
Verse 2b. As outlined above, the stairway finishes with a command to "worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness." Kidner suggests the use of "ascribe" and "worship" in these verses sound the two "main notes of true adoration", with ascription being that of giving and worship of "bowing down", that is taking "the humble attitude of a servant".[40] However, the way in which this worship is to take place is at first unclear, with the meaning of "in the splendor of holiness" debated. Kidner and Goldingay argue the holiness referenced here belongs to Yahweh, and so acts as a supplementary reason for his worship.[41] However, the use of the term elsewhere suggests it refers to the "holy garments" (Ps 110:3) or "holy array" (2 Chron 20:21) to be worn in worship.[42] The only other difference between the text of 29:1–2 and that of Psalm 96:7–9 and 1 Chronicles 16:28–29 supports this view, for in those passages the command of 29:2b is preceded by the additional command to "bring an offering, and come into his courts!" While this insertion may simply reflect the Tabernacle context of 1 Chronicles 16, the fact that such a command can seemingly be seamlessly inserted into the song suggests that there are likely allusions to temple worship in 29:2b, with this holy splendor being the dress that priests wore on special occasions. This implicit reference to temple worship helps to create a bracket around the main body of the psalm, setting up an expectation David will fulfil in 29:9c, when he declares Yahweh receives the same worship in his temple that he commands these rebellious beings to give to him here.[43]
Main Body (Verses 3–9)
In the main body, David describes the strength of Yahweh that should cause the rebels to give him glory. Its central feature is the sevenfold repetition of the "voice of the LORD", with Barbiero suggesting this is "deeply symbolic", recalling "the days of creation so that the ‘voice’ refers to the creative word of Genesis 1".[44] Alternatively, Craigie argues connections with other Hebrew victory hymns, such as Exodus 15, mean Psalm 29 is not just another generic hymn of praise for creation like that of Psalms 8 and 19.[45] Instead, he identifies it as a victory hymn and suggests this makes sense of David’s emphasis on Yahweh’s voice, which functions like a battle cry against his enemies. This adds further support the conclusion of this paper, with David reminding these rebellious beings of the great victory Yahweh won over the world in the flood.
In this section, Yahweh’s voice seems to thunder as randomly as the lightning David is trying to describe.[46]This irregularity means the structure of the section is less clear. However, it has been shown there are likely three strophes separated by the tone of the text.[47] Further, it has been suggested these three sections chart the geographical movement of this storm: building up over the Mediterranean in 29:3–4, making landfall in the northern territory of Lebanon in 29:5–6, and moving into the southern area of Kadesh in 29:7–9. As discussed below, this is possible but not certain. Nevertheless, in each section it is clear the storm causes great destruction and leaves a trail of devastation behind it, with David using this to demonstrate Yahweh’s glorious strength.
Verses 3–4. David begins to consider the power of Yahweh’s voice by highlighting its command over "many waters" and its ability to cause thunder in 29:3. Craigie shows how water is also used in Exodus 15:8 as a weapon in Yahweh’s victorious conquest.[48] While thunder and Yahweh’s voice can occur together in special revelation (Exod 19:16), they can also just show his great power (Job 37:1–5).[49] This is evidently the emphasis here, as it is his "power" and "majesty" that David highlights in 29:4. These two terms are equivalent to "strength" and "splendor" in 29:1–2, tying the sections together and showing that it is this power over the flood that is the reason that Yahweh should be worshiped.[50] The language of "the God of glory" does not reoccur in the rest of the Old Testament. Stephen later uses it in Acts 7:2 to emphasis who it was who came and spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12. I. Howard Marshall suggests that Stephen picked this "unusual phrase" from 29:3 simply because it is "majestic language".[51] However, it is possible that the proximity of Genesis 12 to the flood in the narrative of Genesis meant Stephen chose this particular phrase to remind his audience that the God who called Abraham was the "God of glory" who had just previously presided over the flood. If so, it demonstrates Stephen read Psalm 29 as proposed in this paper: as a mediation of David on the flood of Genesis 6–9.
Verses 5–6. Having described Yahweh’s complete control over the storm, David turns to its consequences. As above, here the storm may move from being over the "many waters" of the Mediterranean (29:3–4) to make landfall in "Lebanon" and "Sirion". Sirion is Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9), the tallest mountain in Israel and located on its northeast boundary.[52] In these verses, David takes two symbols of earthly strength, the famously large trees and mountainous region of Lebanon and Sirion,[53] and shows they are weak when compared to Yahweh’s voice. As Craigie says: "The famous cedars of Lebanon are easily broken by the Lord’s voice; the immobile mountains of Lebanon skip like calves frightened at the sound of a voice." This same imagery is picked up later in Isaiah 2:12–14 to speak of the future judgement that will come and shatter the impressive, yet ultimately insufficient, strength of Yahweh’s enemies. While Goldingay suggests David invites readers "to imagine a vision or a scene in [his] imagination",[54] given the context in this paper, it would be better to say David is retelling the story of the flood, when even the cedars of Lebanon snapped, and the region’s tallest mountain was swept away in the torrential tempest.
Verse 7–9. David finishes describing the devastation this storm brings, noting in 29:7 that lightening has now joined thunder and highlighting in 29:8 its impact on "the wilderness of Kadesh". If this is Kadesh-Barnea, which the mention of wilderness makes likely, then it marks the southernmost boundary of Israel and concludes the southern movement described above.[55] However, as it is possible the Kadesh in 29:8 is a location north of Lebanon, such a move cannot be certain.[56] Regardless, the fact that David continues to describe this storm of judgment falling around, rather than on the land of Israel, halting at the northeastern and potentially southernmost boundaries of Sirion and Kadesh, naturally leads to David’s reference to the peace of Yahweh’s people in 29:11. In light of the psalm’s context, it may also cause readers to reflect on the peace of Noah’s family, who were safe from the judgment of the flood that was falling all around them.
In 29:9, David provides a final description of the effects of this storm, which not only strips forests bare but also "makes the deer give birth". This is a repetition of the same verb used in 29:8 to describe Kadesh shaking, but applied to animals it likely means that they "writhe" in panic just as they do in childbirth.[57] This same response is also seen in humans suffering God’s destroying judgment (Ps 48:6; Isa 13:8). Hamilton suggests these animals panic in the face of the overwhelming wall and weight of water that Yahweh has summoned on the earth in the flood.[58]
The final line of 29:9 is the "peak" of the psalm,[59] showing the proper response to this demonstration of Yahweh’s strong voice is "in his temple [to] all cry, "Glory!"" It should not go unnoticed this is the exact response that David commands in 29:1–2, and so returns us to the start of the composition. Written before Solomon’s Temple was built, at first it seems this temple can only be the house of God connected to the Tabernacle or the temple of God’s heavenly dwelling. The theme of the chiasm (Pss 25–33), and reference to "heavenly beings" (29:1–2), may suggest the latter. However, Hamilton argues this is one of several implicit references in the Psalter to the whole of creation being Yahweh’s cosmic temple, which the rest of the Bible makes explicit.[60] The worldwide nature of the flood in Genesis 6–9 supports this conclusion, for after all of God’s enemies are washed away, the whole of creation worships him. Regardless, due to the strength of his voice in 29:3–9, Yahweh is clearly worshipped just as David demanded at the start (29:1–2).
Conclusion (Verses 10–11)
Having addressed the rebels, David closes by giving timeless teaching for his readers from the tempest of Genesis 6–9. By saying Yahweh blesses and gives strength to his people, David revisits the themes of 28:8–9, reinforcing Psalm 29 as integral to the surrounding psalms.
Verse 10. As above, the reference to a flood is almost certainly the historical event of Genesis 6–9, grounding this psalm within that context and so guiding the interpretation proposed in this paper. Yahweh’s enthronement not only has implications of kingship, but also of sitting to render the judgment we see throughout the psalm.[61] However, Robertson argues different tenses in the two lines, first perfect and then imperfect, means that the first line is better translated "sat enthroned", thereby functioning as a backward look over the events of Genesis that David has just retold.[62] The second line is a confident expression that Yahweh will continue to be enthroned in the same way forever, leading to the comfort and consolation for his people David describes in 29:11, where Yahweh’s glorious strengthen is given to them and they are blessed with peace.
Verse 11. Kidner and Craigie both argue that while these lines could be prayers, as in the ESV, they are more likely to be simple future assertions that Yahweh will give strength and bless his people.[63] If so, the psalm closes on a "note of supreme confidence".[64] However, even if these lines are prayers, in light of the demonstration of Yahweh’s strength and the salvation of Noah during the flood, David’s reader can be left in no doubt of their future deliverance. Davis perceptively points out "after all the fireworks of verses 3–9, it is fascinating that the last word of the psalm is ‘peace’."[65] While Yahweh’s strength guarantees judgment for his enemies, it secures peace for his people. In this, Psalm 29 reflects the end of the flood narrative in Genesis 9, where Yahweh also blessed his people and guaranteed peace, the shalom symbolized by the rainbow.
CONCLUSION
This paper has demonstrated Psalm 29 is a meditation on the flood of Genesis 6–9, in which David commands Yahweh’s enemies to give him glory and calls his people to receive strength and peace because of the glorious strength he displayed in that day and still has today. As above, this is clear from both the context and text of Psalm 29. Rather than copying from the Canaanites, Yahweh’s king was taught by the tempest as he read and meditated on Yahweh’s Torah, just as he was told to do (Deut 17; Pss 1–2). It should be noted Peter does the very same in 2 Peter 2:4–9, using the flood to show that the Lord knows how to judge the unrighteous and rescue the godly. Further, in declaring Yahweh’s victory to these rebellious beings, David is only foreshadowing what the Son of David later did in proclaiming Yahweh’s greater judgment and victory to them (1 Pet 3:19–20). As the disciples learnt that day when Jesus provided peace to his people at the command of his voice (Matt 8:26), the tempest teaches us who Yahweh is and how we should respond. What David commands here in Psalm 29, the disciples would later do in Matthew 14:33, bowing down and worshiping the one who can both cause and calm the storm.
[1] For a brief history of this now popular method of interpretating Psalm 29, see Peter C. Craigie and Marvin E. Tate, Psalms 1–50, 2nd ed, World Biblical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 243.
[2] J. Toyraanvuori, "Psalm 29 and Methodological Triangulation: What Can Ugaritic Parallels and Iconographie Motifs Add to the Interpretation of a Psalm?" Biblische Notizen 2020, no. 186 (2020): 53.
[3] Theodor H. Gaster, "Psalm 29," The Jewish Quarterly Review 37, no. 1 (1946): 56, https://doi.org/10.2307/1452551.
[4] Gaster, "Psalm 29," 57. Such conclusions often depend on underlying presuppositions of the Psalms’ composition, and are only necessary because scholars do not accept the truth claims and embrace the interpretative framework of the biblical authors, the approach this paper advocates. See Richard J. Clifford, "Book Review: Psalm 29. Kanaanäische El- Und Baaltraditionen Jüdischer Sicht." Journal of Biblical Literature106, no. 1 (1987): 120.
[5] Gaster, "Psalm 29," 65.
[6] Toyraanvuori, "Psalm 29 and Methodological Triangulation,"54. After extensive work, Yitzhak Avishur also concluded there is no justification for assuming that there are Cannanite psalms in the Psalter. Yitsḥaḳ Avishur, Studies in Hebrew and Ugaritic Psalms, Publications of the Perry Foundation for Biblical Research, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, Hebrew University, 1994).
[7] Brian G. Toews, "A Discourse Analysis of Psalm 29: Presenting a Model for Analyzing Hebrew Poetry," Evangelical Theological Society Papers, Ets-4415 (1992): 4.
[8] John Goldingay, Psalms, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Wisdom and Psalms (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 413–414. See the same interpretation advocated in Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014), 155.
[9] Dennis Pardee and Nancy Pardee, "Gods of Glory Ought to Thunder: The Canaanite Matrix of Psalm 29," in Psalm 29 through Time and Tradition, ed. by Lowell K. Handy, Princeton Theological Monograph Series 110 (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2009), 124.
[10] Dale Ralph Davis, In the Presence of my Enemies: Psalms 25–37 (Fearn, Great Britain: Christian Focus, 2020), 83.
[11] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 141–42.
[12] Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, 141–42.
[13] This is the convincing argument made throughout O. Palmer Robertson, The Flow of the Psalms: Discovering Their Structure and Theology (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2015).
[14] Robertson, The Flow of the Psalms: Discovering Their Structure and Theology, 53–83.
[15] Robertson, The Flow of the Psalms: Discovering Their Structure and Theology, 84–121.
[16] Robertson, The Flow of the Psalms: Discovering Their Structure and Theology, 241, 247.
[17] James M. Hamilton, Psalms, vol. 1, Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic, 2021), 313.
[18] Hamilton, Psalms, 341.
[19] Hamilton, Psalms, 313.
[20] Hamilton, Psalms, 241.
[21] Hamilton, Psalms, 241.
[22] Robertson, The Flow of the Psalms: Discovering Their Structure and Theology, 62.
[23] Hamilton, Psalms, 57.
[24] Robertson, The Flow of the Psalms: Discovering Their Structure and Theology, 34. Hamilton, Psalms, 341–42.
[25] Hamilton, Psalms, 341–42.
[26] Hamilton, Psalms, 342.
[27] Hamilton, Psalms, 98.
[28] David Noel Freedman and C. Franke Hyland, "Psalm 29: A Structural Analysis," The Harvard Theological Review 66, no. 2 (1973): 242. G. Barbiero, "The Two Structures of Psalm 29," Vetus Testamentum 66, no. 3 (2016): 384–89.
[29] Freedman and Hyland, "Psalm 29: A Structural Analysis," 240.
[30] Hamilton, Psalms, 41–50.
[31] Geoffrey W. Grogan, Psalms, The Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2008), 81.
[32] Goldingay, Psalms, 414.
[33] Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, 142–43.
[34] Goldingay, Psalms, 415.
[35] Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, 142.
[36] Goldingay, Psalms, 415–16.
[37] Hamilton, Psalms, 342.
[38] D. A Carson, "2 Peter," in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007), 1049.
[39] Hamilton, Psalms, 342.
[40] Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, 142–43.
[41] Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, 143, Goldingay. Psalms, 416.
[42] Allan Harman, Psalms: A Mentor Commentary, vol. 1 (Great Britain: Mentor, 2011), 256–57.
[43] Freedman and Hyland, "Psalm 29: A Structural Analysis," 240–41
[44] Barbiero, "The Two Structures of Psalm 29," 383
[45] Craigie and Tate, Psalms 1–50, 245–6.
[46] See these comments in Grogan, Psalms, 81–82.
[47] Freedman and Hyland, "Psalm 29: A Structural Analysis," 242–43
[48] Craigie and Tate, Psalms 1–50, 247.
[49] Andreas J. Köstenberger, "John," in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007), 474–75.
[50] Harman, Psalms: A Mentor Commentary, 257.
[51] I. Howard Marshall, "Acts," in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007), 556.
[52] Brandon Ridley, "Hermon, Mount," in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry, et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
[53] Davis points out these cedars of Lebanon could grow to be 70–80 feet in height and 30–40 feet in circumference. Davis, In the Presence of my Enemies: Psalms 25–37, 82.
[54] Goldingay, Psalms, 418.
[55] Chet Roden, "Kadesh-Barnea," in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry, et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
[56] Harman, Psalms: A Mentor Commentary, 258. Davis, In the Presence of Enemies: Psalms 25–37, 83.
[57] Hamilton, Psalms, 343.
[58] Hamilton, Psalms, 343.
[59] Toews, "A Discourse Analysis of Psalm 29: Presenting a Model for Analyzing Hebrew Poetry," 51.
[60] For example, in both Psalm 78:69 and Psalm 104:2. See Hamilton, Psalms, 343.
[61] Toews, "A Discourse Analysis of Psalm 29: Presenting a Model for Analyzing Hebrew Poetry," 52.
[62] Robertson, The Flow of the Psalms: Discovering Their Structure and Theology, 35.
[63] Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, 145. Craigie and Tate, Psalms 1–50, 249.
[64] Craigie and Tate, Psalms 1–50, 249.
[65] Davis, In the Presence of Enemies: Psalms 25–37, 86.
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ALEXANDER ARRELL