Psalm 29: Hashem's Voice/2

Psalm 29: Hashem's Voice

Exegetical Approaches

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Fierceness of God in Nature

The psalm highlights God's fierce and awesome power as evidenced by His controlling of natural phenomena.

Sources:Ibn EzraTehillim Second Commentary 29:3-11About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, opinion in RadakTehillim 29About R. David Kimchi, MalbimTehillim Beur HaInyan 29Tehillim Beur HaInyan 48:1About R. Meir Leibush Weiser,

Historical event?

Revelation at Sinai

The psalm reflects the frightening atmosphere of the events surrounding the revelation at Sinai.

Sources:Mekhilta DeRashbi Shemot19:16About Mekhilta DeRashbi Shemot, Sifre Devarim33:2About Sifre Devarim, Bavli ZevachimZevachim 116aAbout the Bavli, RashiTehillim 29:3-11About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, opinion in RadakTehillim 29About R. David Kimchi

Parallel descriptions – Though at first glance one might question whether the imagery of the psalm relates at all to the revelation at Sinai, elsewhere, too, the event is described in a similar manner:

• Shemot 19:16-19 speaks of lightning and thunder, fire, loud blasts, and a trembling mountain matching the fiery flames, thundering voice of Hashem, and "skipping" mountains of this chapter.
• Shofetim 5:4-5 speaks of storming clouds and dripping rain, matching the flooding waters mentioned here.
• Tehillim 114 describes mountains "skipping like rams" and the "land writhing" in the presence of Hashem, similar to the images in verses 6 and 8 here.

Hashem's voice – The emphasis on Hashem's voice throughout the psalm might reflect the importance of sound (rather than visuals) during revelation. Throughout Devarim 4, Hashem emphasizes how the people heard Hashem's voice at Sinai but did not see His image.¹ It was His voice which inspired fear in the people. Thus, here, too in describing the event, the focus is on God's voice and how it evokes fear and reverence.

"Upon the waters"

• According to Rashi the image of Hashem's presence in the waters refers to the supernatural crossing of the Sea of Reeds that preceded revelation.
• See Sifre and Bavli Zevachim, that during revelation Hashem was heard across the world and seas, understanding that Hashem's voice was literally "upon the waters". Radak explains that the goal was to weaken the power of Hashem's voice so that when it reached the nation, it would be heard in "glory" but not with full strength and thus be less frightening. [This is the import of "קוֹל י״י בַּכֹּחַ קוֹל י״י בֶּהָדָר". ]

"חֹצֵב לַהֲבוֹת אֵשׁ" – Rashi, following Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, suggests that this describes the hewing of the Tablets with Divine fire. Alternatively, this could refer to the smoking mountain and fiery flames that surrounded it, which might have made it seem that the mountain itself was hewn from fire (see Radak).

Lebanon and Siryon – This approach does not explain why these two mountains specifically are singled out.  As they are both in the north of Israel and not in the vicinity of Sinai, they would seem unconnected to the event. It is possible, though, that the psalmist wants to emphasize how far reaching was the reaction to Sinai.  Even the cedars and mountains of Lebanon and Siryon were affected.

Midbar Kadesh – Rashi, following Bavli Shabbat 89a  identifies the Wilderness of Kadesh with the Wilderness of Sinai, suggesting that it was so called since the people were sanctified there. If so, it is clear why it is singled out.

וּבְהֵיכָלוֹ כֻּלּוֹ אֹמֵר כָּבוֹד – This position assumes that God's temple refers to Sinai itself.

Mention of Flood – Rashi disconnects this from the description of revelation, suggesting that the psalmist is simply comparing God's solo reign during the Flood with His future solo reign over all in a period when idolaters will be destroyed and Israel will sit in peace and strength. According to him, the majority of the psalm focuses on revelation when Israel became Hashem's subjects, and ends with an image of the future salvation when Hashem will again reign.  God's initial coronation  instilled fear in all ; the future one will usher in peace.²

Victory Over Enemies

The images of the psalm are metaphors for the defeat of Israel's enemies, or perhaps a literal description of the demise of the nation's adversaries via some natural disaster.

Sources:RadakTehillim 29About R. David Kimchi, Hoil MosheTehillim 29About R. Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi 

Metaphor or Literal – Commentators disagree whether the descriptions in the psalm are meant to read literally or metaphorically:

• Metaphoric – Radak asserts that the psalm is metaphoric. The nation's enemies are compared to mountains, cedars, vast wildernesses, and mass waters due to their strength, and does due to their swiftness. Hashem's voice represents His vengeance upon them.
• Literal – Hoil Moshe, instead, suggests that the psalm speaks of  areal storm and flood and the dstruction it brings in its wake.  Hashem will defeat the nation's enemies, not via swrod in battle but by unleashing teh forces of nature.

Historical Overview: Punishment and Restoration

The psalm metaphorically describes a historical pattern of deterioration from an ideal state, necessitating punishment and a revised ideal, itself doomed to failure. Only in Messianic times will the original ideal state be restored.

Sources:SfornoShiurei Sforno Tehillim 29About R. Ovadyah Sforno

¹ See Devarim 4:12, 15, 33 and 36.

² Cf. the Midrash that suggests that at Sinai all the nations quaked in fear assuming that the noises they heard were a sign of another flood. Bilam explained to them that Hashem promised never to gain bring a flood, but that what they were hearing was the sound of Hashem giving "strength", i.e. the Torah, to His people. Upon hearing this, the nations stated, "May Hashem bless His people with peace".