Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 93:5

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 93:5. Thy testimonies are very sure — Thou wilt as surely fulfil thy word as thou wilt keep possession of thy throne.

Holiness becometh thine house — Thy nature is holy, all thy works are holy, and thy word is holy; therefore, thy house - thy Church, should be holy. The building itself should be sanctified - should be so consecrated to thy worship alone, that it shall never be employed in any other service. The ministers of this Church should be holy, the members holy, the ordinances holy; its faith, its discipline, and its practice holy. And this at all times, and in all circumstances; for holiness becometh thine house - for ever," לארך ימים le-orech yamin, for length of days. During the whole lapse of time; till the sun and moon shall be no more. The old Psalter says the house of God is man's saule; and of this house holiness is נאוה naavah, "the ornament;" it produces that meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price. No decoration of person nor simplicity of dress can supply the place of this heavenly clothing.

ANALYSIS OF THE NINETY-THIRD PSALM

In this Psalm it is the purpose of the prophet to comfort the Church, oppressed by tyrants and persecutors; and yet she shall not utterly fail. The gates of hell shall not prevail against her; because Christ sits in his Church as King. The sum of it is, -

I. The magnificence and power of Christ our eternal King, Psalms 93:1-2.

II. That he defends his Church in the day of a storm, Psalms 93:3-4.

III. That his laws are holy, and his Church also, Psalms 93:5.

I. The prophet in the first verse describes our King:

First. From his office: -

1. "He reigns." He is the great and chief Monarch; he is no idle spectator of things below; but wisely, and justly, and powerfully administers all things.

2. He is a glorious King: "He is clothed with majesty."

3. He is a potent King: "The Lord is clothed with strength."

4. He is a warlike King: "He hath girded himself," buckled his sword upon his armour; for offence towards his enemies, for defence of his kingdom.

Secondly. From his kingdom: -

1. It is universal: "The world."

2. It is fixed, firm, and stable: "The world is also established, and cannot be moved."

3. It is an everlasting kingdom: "From everlasting to everlasting; thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting."

II. But in this his kingdom there are those who raise tumults, commotions, and rebellions. These he compares to swelling waters and foaming waves.

1. "The floods," that is, tyrants, persecutors, c., "have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice the floods lift up their waves." The Church dwells in the sea; and the waves of tyranny, ambition, and malice, beat furiously upon it.

2. Well, be it so; yet "the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters; yea than the mighty waves of the sea." He wonderfully and strangely hath showed his might in getting himself the victory over all persecutors, and propagating and enlarging his kingdom over all the earth in despite of his enemies.

III. 1. And as his kingdom is immovable, so are the laws by which it is governed fixed and unalterable also: "Thy testimonies are very sure." The Gospel is an eternal Gospel; the doctrine thereof is holy and inviolable; by which God hath declared his good will to man, and what he requires of all his loving subjects; which is, that they be a holy people. For,

2. "Holiness becomes thy house for ever." The temple, the priests, the people, must be a holy nation; for ever correspondent to the holiness of his law and testimonies: "Be ye holy, for I am holy." "Holiness becomes thy house, O Lord, for ever."

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 92-93 God’s rule in an evil world

According to the title, Psalms 92:0 was for use on the Sabbath. God is pleased when people cease their ordinary work for a day in order to engage in worshipping him and proclaiming his love (92:1-4). As they meditate upon the nature of God, their thinking will be changed. They will see from God’s point of view and will understand things that are misunderstood by the ordinary person. They will see, for instance, that they need not puzzle over why the wicked prosper. God is the supreme ruler and judge, and he is always in control. In the end the wicked will be destroyed and their prosperity lost for ever (5-9).

By contrast, those who remain true to God will prosper. As a wild ox grows powerful, so the righteous will be strengthened. As privileged people are anointed with oil, so the righteous will be blessed (10-11). As magnificent trees flourish, so the righteous will be strong and fruitful. As a house built on a rocky hill is safe, so the righteous will be secure (12-15).
God is the sovereign Lord and he reigns in majesty. He existed before the universe and he rules over it (93:1-2). The opposition of the ungodly world is like a raging flood that tries to overturn his throne, but it is powerless to move him (3-4). His glory is displayed not only in his power but also in his holiness. People should therefore obey and worship him (5).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Thy testimonies are very sure: Holiness becometh thy house, O Jehovah forevermore."

Here the psalm moves from the turbulent and rebellious nations of mankind and the absolute control over them by the reigning Jehovah to the calm security of eternal truth. Two tremendous lessons appear in this verse.

(1)    First, is the absolute trustworthiness and truth of the Word of God. No matter what considerations may seem to point in another direction, God's Word is always right. As an apostle stated it, "Let God be true, and every man a liar."

The "testimonies" here mentioned are of many kinds. There are warnings, instructions, commandments, promises, ordinances, prohibitions, prophecies and axioms of eternal truth; and all of them are to be trusted implicitly.

(2)    The second great lesson here is that "holiness" or sanctity is alone appropriate for the house of God. The sacred fellowship of the family of God must not be defiled by wanton, lustful behavior. No person whomsoever can remain within the periphery of the grace of God who does not strive continually "to walk worthily of the saints." Holiness is that quality, "without which no man shall see God." The "cheap grace" featured in modern pulpits today seems to contradict this, but God's Word can be trusted.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Thy testimonies are very sure - All that thou hast borne witness to; all that thou hast affirmed or declared to be true. This would embrace “all that” God has spoken, whether his law, his promises, his commands, his prophecies, or his statements of what has occurred and of what will occur. See the notes at Psalms 19:7.

Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord - The psalm seems to have been intended to be used in the sanctuary, as a part of public worship, and the word “holiness” here would seem to mean a proper respect for God; confidence in him; a state of mind free from all doubt, and from all that is impure. Perhaps there may be here, also, the idea that in all the convulsions of the world; in all that threatens to overthrow truth and righteousness; in all the attacks which are made on the divine government; in all the efforts of the defenders of error, and in the midst of abounding iniquity, the church should maintain a firm adherence to the principles of “holiness,” to that which is right and true. There should be one place - the church - where there would be no wavering in regard to truth and holiness; one place, where the truth would be defended whatever commotions might be abroad. The main idea, therefore, in the psalm is, that, in view of the fact that God reigns, and that nothing can frustrate his plans, or disturb his throne, we should approach him with reverence, with humble trust, with sincere and pure hearts.

In a larger sense, also, in the largest sense conceivable - it is true that “holiness,” purity, freedom from evil thoughts, from a wanton eye and a wanton imagination, from unholy plans and purposes, should prevail in the house of God, and should be regarded as indispensable to proper worship. As heaven is pure, and as there shall enter there nothing “that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie” Revelation 21:27, so in the place where we seek to prepare for that holy world - the sanctuary of God - nothing should be allowed to enter that is impure and polluting; nothing that tends to corrupt or defile the soul. It may be added, that attendance in a place of public worship is calculated to make the heart pure, and to banish unholy thoughts and purposes from the soul. A man who feels that he is in the presence of a holy God, will not be likely to welcome into his soul polluted images and unholy desires.

Forever - Margin, as in Hebrew, “to length of days.” The idea is, that it is always appropriate. See the notes at Psalms 23:6.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

5Thy testimonies ⁽⁹⁾ are singularly true As yet the Psalmist has insisted upon the excellency of God in the work of creation, and the providential government of the world. Now he speaks of his distinguishing goodness to his chosen people, in making known to them the doctrine which bringeth salvation. He begins by commending the absolute trust-worthiness and truthfulness of the law of God. This being a treasure which was not extended to all nations promiscuously, he adds immediately that the house of God would be adorned with a glory which should last for ever. The Divine goodness is displayed in every part of the world, but the Psalmist justly considers it as of all others the most inestimable blessing, that God should have deposited in his Church the covenant of eternal life, and made his glory principally to shine out of it. Some translate the Hebrew word נאוה , naävah, desirable, ⁽¹⁰⁾ as if the Psalmist had said that the adorning of the temple was precious; but the grammatical construction will not admit of this. By length of days is meant perpetual succession, ⁽¹¹⁾ and to this we find Isaiah referring in striking terms, that the Divine truth might be preserved in faithful custody through successive ages.

“Behold, I have put my word in thy mouth, in the mouth of thy seed, and of thy seed’s seed,” (Isaiah 59:21.)

(9) “The testimonies of God, when taken generally, are the truths which he has testified or declared, inclusive not only of moral precepts, but of gracious and unchangeable promises. The combined result of which is, to impress on the minds of men the weighty consideration, that those who trust in the mercy of God must not, in a lower degree, venerate and adore his sanctity in all their converse with him.” — Walford.

(10) “Quidam, נאוה, pro desiderabili accipiunt: acsi dixisset propheta, Templi decus esse pretiosum,” etc. — Lat. The French version follows this exactly. But the sentence is unsatisfactory; and there would seem to be some mistake, or omission, in the original text. If the Hebrew word referred to be rendered desirable, then when joined to קדש, the clause would read, holiness is desirable, or becoming, to thy house, etc. — and not the adorning of thy house is desirable, or precious

(11) “‘Holiness becometh thine house — for ever,’ לארך ימים, le-orec yamim, ‘for length of days:’ during the whole lapse of time; till the sun and moon shall be no more.” — Dr Adam Clarke

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 93:1-5

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. Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting ( Psalms 93:1-2 ).

From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God. Here, "Thou art from everlasting." The prophecy of Micah concerning the birth of Jesus, and Bethlehem the birthplace, "And thou, Bethlehem, though thou be little among the provinces of Judea, yet out of thee shall come he who is to rule my people Israel; whose going forth is from everlasting" ( Micah 5:2 ). Lord, Thou art from the vanishing point.

The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The LORD 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 LORD, for ever ( Psalms 93:3-5 ). "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 93

The psalmist rejoiced in the Lord’s reign in this psalm. This is one of the "enthronement" or "theocratic" psalms that depict the righteous rule of God on earth (cf. Psalms 47, 95-99). They focus on God’s sovereignty over His people Israel, but they also point prophetically to the future reign of David’s greatest Son during the Millennium. Psalms 47, 93-100 all affirm Yahweh’s rule over the earth.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. The holiness of Yahweh 93:5

In contrast to Baal’s morally corrupt sanctuaries, the Lord’s house was holy. What transpired in the temple contrasted strongly with what took place where the Canaanites worshipped their god. This behavior reflected the character of the two deities. God’s holiness guarantees the trustworthy nature of His words. Unblemished holiness manifests itself in unlimited power. [Note: See Allen, Rediscovering Prophecy, pp. 55-68.]

This psalm teaches the reader that God’s power demonstrates that He is alive and active. Consequently, everyone should submit to Him and obey His commands.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Thy testimonies are very sure,.... Meaning not the works of God, of nature, and providence, which testify of his power and Godhead, and other perfections of it; rather the word of God, the Scriptures of truth, the law and Gospel; the one being a testimony of his will to be done by men, the other a testimony of his good will to men; which are sure and true, and to be believed; though it seems best of all to understand them of the promises of God, which testify what he will do, or shall be done hereafter, and which are all yea and amen in Christ; and especially those that respect his kingdom and interest, the glory, stability, and eternity of it, things which are the principal subjects of this psalm; all which promises are sure and certain, true and faithful, firm, and to be believed; see Genesis 19:9,

holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever; or "unto length of days" d: holiness is a dress or clothing; though it is not the robe of a justifying righteousness, yet it is an inner garment, which makes the saints all glorious within; it is a very beautiful and becoming dress; it is called "the beauty of holiness", and it is always becoming; it becomes the church and people of God, all that are of the household of God, both now and for evermore; it will never be out of use; it will be more and more in use, both in the spiritual reign of Christ, and in the New Jerusalem church state, and in heaven to all eternity; see Zechariah 14:20.

d לארך ימים "in longitudinem dierum", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 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.   2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.   3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.   4 The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.   5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.

      Next to the being of God there is nothing that we are more concerned to believe and consider than God's dominion, that Jehovah is God, and that this God reigns (Psalms 93:1; Psalms 93:1), not only that he is King of right, and is the owner and proprietor of all persons and things, but that he is King in fact, and does direct and dispose of all the creatures and all their actions according to the counsel of his own will. This is celebrated here, and in many other psalms: The Lord reigns. It is the song of the gospel church, of the glorified church (Revelation 19:6), Hallelujah; the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Here we are told how he reigns.

      I. The Lord reigns gloriously: He is clothed with majesty. The majesty of earthly princes, compared with God's terrible majesty, is but like the glimmerings of a glow-worm compared with the brightness of the sun when he goes forth in his strength. Are the enemies of God's kingdom great and formidable? Yet let us not fear them, for God's majesty will eclipse theirs.

      II. He reigns powerfully. He is not only clothed with majesty, as a prince in his court, but he is clothed with strength, as a general in the camp. He has wherewithal to support his greatness and to make it truly formidable. See him not only clad in robes, but clad in armour. Both strength and honour are his clothing. He can do every thing, and with him nothing is impossible. 1. With this power he has girded himself; it is not derived from any other, nor does the executing of it depend upon any other, but he has it of himself and with it does whatsoever he pleases. Let us not fear the power of man, which is borrowed and bounded, but fear him who has power to kill and cast into hell. 2. To this power it is owing that the world stands to this day. The world also is established; it was so at first, by the creating power of God, when he founded it upon the seas; it is so still, by that providence which upholds all things and is a continued creation; it is so established that though he has hanged the earth upon nothing (Job 26:7) yet it cannot be moved; all things continue to this day, according to his ordinance. Note, The preserving of the powers of nature and the course of nature is what the God of nature must have the glory of; and we who have the benefit thereof daily are very careless and ungrateful if we give him not the glory of it. Though God clothes himself with majesty, yet he condescends to take care of this lower world and to settle its affairs; and, if he established the world, much more will he establish his church, that it cannot be moved.

      III. He reigns eternally (Psalms 93:2; Psalms 93:2): Thy throne is established of old. 1. God's right to rule the world is founded in his making it; he that gave being to it, no doubt, may give law to it, and so his title to the government is incontestable: Thy throne is established; it is a title without a flaw in it. And it is ancient: it is established of old, from the beginning of time, before any other rule, principality, or power was erected, as it will continue when all other rule, principality, and power shall be put down, 1 Corinthians 15:24. 2. The whole administration of his government was settled in his eternal counsels before all worlds; for he does all according to the purpose which he purposed in himself; The chariots of Providence came down from between the mountains of brass, from those decrees which are fixed as the everlasting mountains (Zechariah 6:1): Thou art from everlasting, and therefore thy throne is established of old; because God himself was from everlasting, his throne and all the determinations of it were so too; for in an eternal mind there could not but be eternal thoughts.

      IV. He reigns triumphantly, Psalms 93:3; Psalms 93:4. We have here, 1. A threatening storm supposed: The floods have lifted up, O Lord! (to God himself the remonstrance is made) the floods have lifted up their voice, which speaks terror; nay, they have lifted up their waves, which speaks real danger. It alludes to a tempestuous sea, such as the wicked are compared to, Isaiah 57:20. The heathen rage (Psalms 2:1) and think to ruin the church, to overwhelm it like a deluge, to sink it like a ship at sea. The church is said to be tossed with tempests (Isaiah 54:11), and the floods of ungodly men make the saints afraid,Psalms 18:4. We may apply it to the tumults that are sometimes in our own bosoms, through prevailing passions and frights, which put the soul into disorder, and are ready to overthrow its graces and comforts; but, if the Lord reign there, even the winds and seas shall obey him. 2. An immovable anchor cast in this storm (Psalms 93:4; Psalms 93:4): The Lord himself is mightier. Let this keep our minds fixed, (1.) That God is on high, above them, which denotes his safety (they cannot reach him, Psalms 29:10) and his sovereignty; they are ruled by him, they are overruled, and, wherein they rebel, overcome, Exodus 18:11. (2.) That he is mightier, does more wondrous things than the noise of many waters; they cannot disturb his rest or rule; they cannot defeat his designs and purposes. Observe, The power of the church's enemies is but as the noise of many waters; there is more of sound than substance in it. Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise,Jeremiah 46:17. The church's friends are commonly more frightened than hurt. God is mightier than this noise; he is mighty to preserve his people's interests from being ruined by these many waters and his people's spirits from being terrified by the noise of them. He can, when he pleases, command peace to the church (Psalms 65:7), peace in the soul, Isaiah 26:3. Note, The unlimited sovereignty and irresistible power of the great Jehovah are very encouraging to the people of God, in reference to all the noises and hurries they meet with in this world, Psalms 46:1; Psalms 46:2.

      V. He reigns in truth and holiness, Psalms 93:5; Psalms 93:5. 1. All his promises are inviolably faithful: Thy testimonies are very sure. As God is able to protect his church, so he is true to the promises he has made of its safety and victory. His word is passed, and all the saints may rely upon it. Whatever was foretold concerning the kingdom of the Messiah would certainly have its accomplishment in due time. Those testimonies upon which the faith and hope of the Old-Testament saints were built were very sure, and would not fail them. 2. All his people ought to be conscientiously pure: Holiness becomes thy house, O Lord! for ever. God's church is his house; it is a holy house, cleansed from sin, consecrated by God, and employed in his service. The holiness of it is its beauty (nothing better becomes the saints than conformity to God's image and an entire devotedness to his honour), and it is its strength and safety; it is the holiness of God's house that secures it against the many waters and their noise. Where there is purity there shall be peace. Fashions change, and that which is becoming at one time is not so at another; but holiness always becomes God's house and family, and those who belong to it; it is perpetually decent; and nothing so ill becomes the worshippers of the holy God as unholiness.