What does it mean to say “God is king?”
Psalm 10:16 – “The Lord is King forever and ever; nations have perished from His land.”
Psalm 74:12 – “Yet God is my king from of old, Who works deeds of deliverance in the midst of the earth.”
For the author of the 93rd Psalm, to say that the “Lord reigns” is to say that He is strong, mighty, powerful. Let us study the five verses in the psalm 93 and be inspired and encouraged by the power of our heavenly King.
THE LORD REIGNS – 93:1-2:
The psalm begins with the two words: “Jehovah reigns.” That is a matter of fact that underlies the whole creation of man, this world, and the universe.
In “majesty” He is clothed. That word is used 19 times in the OT and often it is translated as “pride” or “arrogance” or “presumptuous.” When the word refers to God, He is the only one who has any reason to be proud of what He does because everything He does is good and right and perfect.
He is clothed and “girded with strength.” The emphasis of this psalm, as we will see, is the strength and power of God. To illustrate the power or strength of God, the psalmist talks of the world: “It is firmly established, it will not be moved.”
Not only is it the earth that is stable but God’s throne is also established (vs 2). This verb “established” is the same verb used in verse 1. But notice the emphasis here is on its eternal nature. First, God’s throne is established “from of old,” which puts God’s throne prior to the time of the author, but then he goes on to say that the throne of God is “from everlasting.” God has always been on His throne. God has always been King. God has always been reigning.
THE LORD ON HIGH IS MIGHTY – 93:3-5:
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This half of the psalm emphasizes that strength of God, His power.
The phrase “the rivers” is found three times in the one verse (vs 3). All three verbs are the same as well: the rivers have raised their “pounding waves.” It could be that the psalmist is referring to literal rivers or floods and praising God for saving him from a real flood. It is also possible, and I suggest likely, that the psalmist is using “floods” as a metaphor, referring to his enemies or even events in life that seem to be flooding over him. But God is still on His throne and everything is going to work out alright.
Verse 4 connects the idea behind the first two verses with what the psalmist has just said in verse 3. As powerful as these breaking waves are, the Lord is above that. The Lord stands above the floods but He is as mighty and powerful as those breaking waves. Regardless of what is happening on earth, turmoil does not affect God. It does not dethrone God; it does not weaken God or steal His strength or power.
Finally, in verse 5, we might say the psalmist makes his own application: “Your testimonies are fully confirmed.” What does it mean to say that Jehovah God reigns and His throne is established? That He is “on high and mighty”? It means that His testimonies are fully confirmed. The word “testimonies” would refer to the details of a treaty made between one nation or king and another. When it refers to God’s testimonies, it refers to the details or stipulations of God’s covenant with Israel.
The word is used 36 times in the OT and often it is used as a synonym for God’s commandments and ordinances. It is also largely a word confined to poetry. Out of the 36 times the word is used, 26 of those times are in the book of psalms and all but five of those times are in the 119th chapter of psalms. That chapter, the longest in the Bible, is written in praise of the Bible, the word of God, and “testimonies” is a synonym used 22 times for the Bible.
When the psalmist writes that Jehovah God’s testimonies are “fully confirmed,” he is talking about the words out of God’s mouth. The Bible. The Gospel message. The truth from God. It is “fully confirmed.” “Confirmed” means “sure, reliable, trustworthy.”
Along with strength, the psalmist describes God, and specifically His temple, as “holy.” “Holiness befits your house.” The idea here, I believe, is that God’s strength is able to keep His house holy, despite what is happening with the wicked here on earth. God’s strength is able to keep evil out and good in. That’s why holiness befits His house. Forever.
Having studied Psalm 93, now take a moment to see that psalm realized in the life of Jesus in Mark 4:35-41.
God is King. He defends. He leads. He provides.
Paul Holland
