The LORD Reigns
Psalm 93 summary: what it means
Psalm 93 is five verses long and says one thing from several angles: the LORD reigns. He is clothed with majesty and armed with strength, and because of that the world is established and cannot be moved. His throne was established long ago, and he himself is from everlasting. The psalm then brings in the one image that seems to challenge his rule: the floods.
The floods rise and lift up their voice and their waves, three lines in a row. The answer is that the LORD on high is mightier than many waters and the breakers of the sea. The last verse moves from power to character. His statutes stand firm, and holiness adorns his house forever.
Psalm 93: The LORD Reigns
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-93
Psalm 93 commentary: explained verse by verse
The LORD reigns!He is clothed with majesty!The LORD is armed with strength.The world also is established.It can’t be moved.
The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
The psalm begins with its main statement: the LORD reigns. He is pictured dressed as a king, clothed with majesty and armed with strength. Because he reigns, the world is established and cannot be moved.
Also read Daniel 4:32-34, Isaiah 49:8, Isaiah 45:18, Isaiah 51:9
Your throne is established from long ago.You are from everlasting.
Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
The throne is not new. It was established long ago, and God himself is from everlasting, so in this psalm his rule has no starting point.
Also read Daniel 4:34, Proverbs 8:22-23, Psalm 102:24-27, Revelation 1:17-18
The floods have lifted up, LORD,the floods have lifted up their voice.The floods lift up their waves.
The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
The floods rise in three repeated lines, lifting up their voice and their waves. The repetition makes the water sound louder with each line.
Also read Psalm 69:1-2, Psalm 98:7-8, Isaiah 17:12-13, Jeremiah 46:7-8
Above the voices of many waters,the mighty breakers of the sea,the LORD on high is mighty.
The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
Here the psalm answers the floods. Above the voices of many waters and the mighty breakers of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty. The KJV reads mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
Also read Psalm 89:6, Job 38:11, Psalm 65:7, Psalm 89:9
Your statutes stand firm.Holiness adorns your house,LORD, forever more.
Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.
The psalm ends by moving from power to reliability and holiness. God's statutes stand firm, and holiness adorns his house forever more.
Also read 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Psalm 119:138, Psalm 99:9, Psalm 5:4-7
A prayer from Psalm 93
LORD, you reign. You are clothed with majesty and armed with strength. Your throne was established long ago, and you are from everlasting. When the floods lift up their voice and the waves rise around me, remind me that above the voices of many waters, you on high are mighty. The world you established cannot be moved. Your statutes stand firm. Holiness adorns your house forever more. Let me stand on what you have made firm. Amen.
Psalm 93 Bible study questions
- In verse 1, what is the LORD said to be clothed with and armed with?
- In verses 3 and 4, how often are the floods and waters mentioned, and what is said to be mightier than them?
- What might the rising floods of verse 3 stand for in a reader's life today?
- Verse 5 moves from the sea to God's statutes and his house; why do you think the psalm ends there?
- Psalm 46:3 also pictures roaring waters; how does the response in Psalm 46:1 to 2 compare with Psalm 93:4?
Questions about Psalm 93
What does Psalm 93 mean?
It proclaims that the LORD reigns as king, that his throne is everlasting, and that he is mightier than the rising floods and the sea.
Who wrote Psalm 93?
The psalm does not name its author. It has no heading in the World English Bible or the King James Version.
What does Psalm 93:1 say in the KJV?
The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
What does Psalm 93:4 mean?
It says the LORD on high is mightier than the voices of many waters and the breakers of the sea. However loud the floods of verse 3, God is greater.
What does Psalm 93:5 mean?
It says God's statutes stand firm and that holiness adorns his house forever.
Psalm 93 KJV: the King James Version
The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.1
Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.2
The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.3
The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.4
Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.5
Psalm 93 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 יְהוָ֣ה מָלָךְ֮ גֵּא֪וּת לָ֫בֵ֥שׁ לָבֵ֣שׁ יְ֭הוָה עֹ֣ז הִתְאַזָּ֑ר אַף־תִּכּ֥וֹן תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל בַּל־תִּמּֽוֹט׃
2 נָכ֣וֹן כִּסְאֲךָ֣ מֵאָ֑ז מֵֽעוֹלָ֣ם אָֽתָּה׃
3 נָשְׂא֤וּ נְהָר֨וֹת ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה נָשְׂא֣וּ נְהָר֣וֹת קוֹלָ֑ם יִשְׂא֖וּ נְהָר֣וֹת דָּכְיָֽם׃
4 מִקֹּל֨וֹת ׀ מַ֤יִם רַבִּ֗ים אַדִּירִ֣ים מִשְׁבְּרֵי־יָ֑ם אַדִּ֖יר בַּמָּר֣וֹם יְהוָֽה׃
5 עֵֽדֹתֶ֨יךָ ׀ נֶאֶמְנ֬וּ מְאֹ֗ד לְבֵיתְךָ֥ נַאֲוָה־קֹ֑דֶשׁ יְ֝הוָ֗ה לְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמִֽים׃
Psalm 93 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 92 there.
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1 The Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded himself. For he hath established the world which shall not be moved.
2 Thy throne is prepared from of old: thou art from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord: the floods have lifted up their voice. The floods have lifted up their waves,
4 With the noise of many waters. Wonderful are the surges of the sea: wonderful is the Lord on high.
5 Thy testimonies are become exceedingly credible: holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, unto length of days.
Psalm 93 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 92.
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1 Laus cantici ipsi David, in die ante sabbatum, quando fundata est terra. Dominus regnavit, decorem indutus est: indutus est Dominus fortitudinem, et præcinxit se. Etenim firmavit orbem terræ, qui non commovebitur.
2 Parata sedes tua ex tunc; a sæculo tu es.
3 Elevaverunt flumina, Domine, elevaverunt flumina vocem suam; elevaverunt flumina fluctus suos,
4 a vocibus aquarum multarum. Mirabiles elationes maris; mirabilis in altis Dominus.
5 Testimonia tua credibilia facta sunt nimis; domum tuam decet sanctitudo, Domine, in longitudinem dierum.
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Psalm 93 at a glance
| Verses | 5 |
| Heading in the text | No heading |
| Attributed to | Not named in the text. Psalm 93 has no heading. |
| Type | Praise |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 92 |
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Psalm 93 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 93 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 93 belongs
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source