Psalm 93
Psalm 93 is the 93rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, generally known in English by its first verse, in the King James Version, "The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty". The Book of Psalms is part of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. It is Psalm 92 in the slightly different numbering system of the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate versions of the Bible. Its Latin title is Dominus regnavit, decorem indutus est. It is the first of a series of psalms which are called royal psalms as they praise God as King.
The psalm is a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Anglican and Protestant worship. It has been set to music often throughout centuries. The Latin version was set by Hildegard of Bingen, Josquin des Prez, Jean-Joseph de Mondonville and Jules Van Nuffel, among others. Heinrich Schütz and Ferdinand Hiller composed settings in German. Handel used verses from the psalm for his Chandos Anthem No. 4 for use in the Anglican Church.
Background and themes
The two main themes of Psalm 93 are God's kingship and a connection with Friday, the sixth day of the week. The Zohar notes that in Hebrew, this psalm contains 45 words, which is the gematria of the word adam. Adam was created on the sixth day of Creation and went on to proclaim God as King. Psalm 93 was also designated as the Song of the Day for Friday, to be sung by the Levites in the Temple in Jerusalem. According to Rabbi Yaakov Emden, the connection with the sixth day is reinforced by the psalm's description of God "in His full grandeur and power as He was when He completed the six days of Creation", and the reference to donning grandeur further alludes to the way Jews dress up in their nicest garments on Friday to greet the approaching Shabbat. Psalm 93 also hints to the future Messianic Age, when the entire world will acknowledge God as King.Spurgeon notes that the Septuagint connects Psalm 93 with the sixth day of the week by titling it "On the day before the Sabbath, when the earth was founded: A Psalm of thanksgiving to David". This wording was similarly adopted by the Vulgate.
Spurgeon adds that the theme of God's sovereignty is clear from the first line of the psalm. Henry notes how the psalm reinforces God's kingship by comparing him to earthly kings, stating:
Concerning God's kingdom glorious things are here spoken.
I. Have other kings their royal robes? So has he.
II. Have they their thrones? So has he.
III. Have they their enemies whom they subdue and triumph over? So has he.
IV. Is it their honour to be faithful and holy? So it is his.
Text
Hebrew Bible version
Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 93:| Verse | Hebrew |
| 1 | יְהֹוָ֣ה מָלָךְ֘ גֵּא֪וּת לָ֫בֵ֥שׁ לָבֵ֣שׁ יְ֖הֹוָה עֹ֥ז הִתְאַזָּ֑ר אַף־תִּכּ֥וֹן תֵּ֜בֵ֗ל בַּל־תִּמּֽוֹט |
| 2 | נָכ֣וֹן כִּסְאֲךָ֣ מֵאָ֑ז מֵ֖עוֹלָ֣ם אָֽתָּה |
| 3 | יְהֹוָ֗ה נָֽשְׂא֣וּ נְהָר֣וֹת קוֹלָ֑ם יִשְׂא֖וּ נְהָר֣וֹת דָּכְיָֽם |
| 4 | מַ֚יִם רַבִּ֗ים אַדִּירִ֣ים מִשְׁבְּרֵי־יָ֑ם אַדִּ֖יר בַּמָּר֣וֹם יְהֹוָֽה |
| 5 | נֶֽאֶמְנ֬וּ מְאֹ֗ד לְבֵֽיתְךָ֥ נָֽאֲוָה־קֹ֑דֶשׁ יְ֜הֹוָ֗ה לְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמִֽים |
King James Version
- The reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved.
- Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
- The floods have lifted up, O, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
- The 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, for ever.
Uses
Judaism
Psalm 93 is the Song of the Day for Friday, recited in that day's morning prayer service. Some communities also recite this psalm as the ma'amad for Friday. Additionally, Psalm 93 is the eighth and final psalm said during the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday night, acting as a summation of the preceding seven psalms. It is also recited in its entirety during Pesukei dezimra on Shabbat, Yom Tov, and Hoshana Rabbah.Verse 1 is quoted in Mishnah Tamid 7:4.
Verse 1 is also one of the ten verses in the section of Malkhuyot which is recited in the Mussaf Amidah on Rosh Hashanah.
Verse 4 is said by the seas in Perek Shirah.
Psalm 93 is said as a prayer for success in a court case.
Musical settings
Catholic
"Dominus regnavit" is Psalm 92 in the Vulgate; it was set by Hildegard of Bingen. A motet setting it for choir a cappella, with an added doxology, is attributed to Josquin des Prez.Jean-Joseph de Mondonville set the psalm in 1734 as a Grand Motet in several movements, Dominus regnavit decorum. Jules Van Nuffel, founder and conductor of the choir at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen, Belgium, set the psalm in Latin, Dominus regnavit, for four-to-six-part choir and organ, Op. 49, in 1935.
Protestant
The Lutheran Baroque composer Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 93 in German, "Der Herr ist König herrlich schön", for choir as part of his composition of the Becker Psalter, SWV 191. Handel used verses from the psalm for his Chandos Anthem No. 4 in 1717 or 1718, intended for use in the Anglican Church.Ferdinand Hiller wrote a setting in German for men's choir and orchestra, published in Leipzig, 1864.
In the Free Church of Scotland's 2003 psalter, Sing Psalms, Psalm 93 starts "The Lord is king; his throne endures." Set to the common meter, the recommended melodies are St. Magnus, Southwark and Stroudwater.