Psalm 29—Everything in the wide home of the world flings Godward, crying, “Glory!”
God’s high heaven is choired With singers ringing back, Ranks of bright light in song. Praise him! His voice troubles over the sea, And the waters writhe and surge. The voice of God towers and crests And rises up and up and up. His voice topples tall empires like timber, And rattles proud cedars down. The rock beneath my feet, The ground I thought was steady, Skipped and bucked like a calf When his clarion call sounded. The voice of the Lord gouges flames of fire. It shakes the weary wastes like a sheet. The wind of his words Strips the trees bare and everything In the wide home of the world Flings Godward, crying, “Glory!” Though the sea and the world rage, God is enthroned above the flood. Lord, strengthen your people. Lord, come be king and bring us peace!
Psalms: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 46, 50, 51, 53, 54, 62, 63, 65, 66, 73, 74, 75, 84, 86, 88, 90, 91, 100, 107, 110, 114, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 137, 139, 140, 142, 147, 148.
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I only recently discovered your translations of the Psalms (couldn't be more than two weeks ago), and I happened to have read Psalm 29 in the ESV one morning and the line about "The voice of God makes the deer give birth and strips the forest bare" made me pause and say "This is my new favorite Psalm" (I've been reading the Psalms my entire life and somehow that line never hit me until now).
I immediately checked to see if you had made a translation and was pleased to see you had. With a few exceptions, the old translation was fairly on pace with the ESV. This new one feels much more poetic and forceful (that's a compliment).
I especially like the move away from the specific (and perhaps not relatable for modern readers) mention of Lebanon.
Given that it was half of my favorite line of the Psalm, I couldn't help noticing "makes the deer give birth" was missing. Could you talk about the translation choice that led to omitting (or rendering differently) that line? I really enjoyed the notes that accompanied your original translation.
Beautiful, Andy! I needed a beautiful voice to remind me of God. I've given way to despair with these ever pounding present headaches. Then he dwindles down to an uncaring unlistening God and my demoniac mind runs rampant. Your words ig nited within me again a mighty God who is not silent. Even creation knows this. As to the beautiful comment about his voice pushing the deer to give birth, having done this 6 plus 3 times, I'm reminded of that power needed outside of myself to bring it all forth. Thinking hecsees that mama deer all alone out there is really precious , too, like he speaks of in Job as well. I wish I had a bit of your insight into seeing such beauty in these! I can't wait for the book!!! Thank you so much again for your mighty love for him!