Tehillim 29-30

Tehillim Chapter 29 – “Render to the Lord Glory and Might”

Unlike most of the psalms we’ve seen so far, Psalm 29 is almost entirely devoted to praise. It appears to describe an exalted occasion in which people gather and are called upon to glorify God. The psalm opens with direct instructions to the congregation of worshippers: “Render to the Lord glory and might... Bow to the Lord in the splendor of holiness” (vv. 1–2). Most of the psalm portrays the power of God's revelation, primarily through the motif of the voice. The descriptions of revelation seem to recall the visions of God’s glory in Yechezkel’s prophecy of the Third Temple: “With a sound like the roar of vast waters, and the earth was lit up with His glory!” (Yechezkel 43:2; compare with v. 4 in our chapter). It is likely that the great praise and lofty atmosphere here are also connected to the Temple: “And in His Temple all say, ‘Glory!’” (v. 9).

Tehillim Chapter 30 – The Dedication of the House

The commentators debate whether this refers to the dedication of David’s private house (Ibn Ezra), or whether it is a psalm composed by David in advance for the future dedication of the Temple in the days of Shlomo (Rashi, Radak). The latter seems very reasonable, given the extensive preparations described in Divrei HaYamim I (Chapters 25–28), where David organizes every detail for the building of the Temple—materials, architectural plans, and the arrangements for the musicians.

Fitting for a psalm of dedication, the poet thanks God for answering his prayer, then turns to the community surrounding him and calls upon them to praise God. At that point, the psalm takes an interesting turn — the poet begins to plead again. But unlike in other psalms where the transition from thanksgiving to supplication is ambiguous, here the poet makes his rationale clear: “In my serenity I said, ‘I shall never be shaken’” (v. 7) — precisely in his moment of tranquility, he prays that this serenity may endure. This highlights an essential point: during times of salvation or success, one should not settle into gratitude and comfort alone. Even after he is delivered, the poet continues to pray and sees himself as still vulnerable. Why is this important? Perhaps if the poet had rested solely in his joy and gratitude, it could have led to complacency. Similarly, even in the midst of Hallel recited on festivals, we include the dramatic plea, “Lord, please, save us” — a request voiced from within praise itself. This reflects the same principle: even in times of peace and redemption, we continue to cry out to God, expressing our dependence on Him and acknowledging the fragility of human existence.