Embrace the Word for Wednesday, July 22, 2026
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Psalm 93 declares God’s rule. Psalm 93 begins a subunit of eight Psalms within Book 4 of the Psalter that focus on the supremacy of God’s Kingship over creation. The context of Book 4 of the Psalter pertains to Israel being in exile. The nation has been destroyed and under the control of the Babylonians, but the reinforcing theme throughout the opening segment of the Psalms in Book 4, is that God is in control. The world may be in turmoil, but God is on his throne. Everything seems to be collapsing, but God steadies the universe that He holds in His hands, and His Word can be trusted. There is no superscription for Psalm 93. Psalm 93 shares some links with Psalm 92 as each Psalm uses common terms such as “exaltation” (92:8,10; 93:4), the house of God (92:13; 93:5), and the faithfulness of God (92:2; 93:5). Psalm 93 begins with a celebration of God’s rule (93:1-2), proceeds to address the chief threat to God’s rule (93:3-4), before closing with a note about the trustworthiness of the Word of the God who rules (93:5).
Psalm 93 begins with a declaration of God’s reign: “The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt” (93:1a). The opening words are more that a mere statement of what is absolutely true, these opening words are meant to express joyful celebration for what is profoundly true. While the term is not explicitly stated here, nevertheless, to say that the LORD reigns is to announce that He is King. The vision of the LORD that the Psalmist is supplying to an exiled nation highlights the majesty and the strength of the LORD. The LORD is clothed with majesty and is girded with strength. The LORD’s qualities of majesty and strength are depicted through the language of the King’s attire, but it is the LORD Himself and not the attire that is actually majestic and strong. Such qualities highlight the truth that the LORD is supreme and strong. Grandeur and greatness exudes from the LORD.
An implication of the LORD’s reign is that this reality is stable: “Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting” (93:1b-2). All command and control over the world resides with the LORD, for all command and control rests in the LORD who is on His throne. There never was, there never is, and there never will be any notion of instability concerning the establishment of the LORD’s presence on His throne; and therefore, there never was, there never is, and there never will be any instability concerning the establishment of the world. The world has no autonomy, no notions of stability of its own; it’s stability is inseparably tied to the stability of the One on His throne. The establishment of God’s reign has always been—from eternity’s past and on into eternity’s future. The fact that God reigns is a forever fact—it never had a beginning and it will never end.
Not only does the LORD’s reign cover the world, it also extends to the seas: “The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring” (93:3). The Psalmist acknowledges that this world is a dangerous place. There are hostile forces creating chaos and turmoil, which appear to be an ever growing threat. The “floods,” that is the rivers or the seas rise up their voices and roar. Rivers and seas don’t talk, but they are heard as their raging waters rise and their terrifying waves crash against the shore. Certainly nature itself is dangerous, but it is most likely that the Psalmist’s imagery of rivers and seas is a metaphor for all that rises against him in rebellion, particularly wicked nations (See Psalm 2). Sometimes the language of rivers and seas are used of powerful nations who threaten and even overtake God’s people (See Isaiah 8:7; Jeremiah 46:7-8). But the LORD Himself, as well as His plans and purposes, are never threatened: “Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!” (93:4). In His majesty and strength, the LORD is always mightier. The rising of the roaring voices, creating whatever chaos and turmoil that they are able to muster, will never reach the LORD who is on high! The LORD’s throne is a “place” of unreachable security and operates with a sphere of an unbreakable stronghold.
The celebration of the LORD’s majesty and strength, coupled with the affirmation of the LORD’s might, all point to one vital reality: “Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore” (93:5). God’s “decrees” in this context are not what He secretly ordains to do, but another term for His revealed Word. What God says in His Word is always and only true and reliable; it can always be trusted. For God’s Word is simply an expression of who He is—He is holy, that is eternally set apart from and infinitely distinct from mankind. While the Temple had been destroyed and the nation in exile; nevertheless, there is still a heavenly Temple that is fittingly adorned and arraigned in holiness, for the Holy One Himself resides in it. It is these core aspects of God’s being, which truly account for the stability of creation. And it is in fact through the agency of His Word that creation is sustained.
As we reflect on Psalm 93, we can consider a particular episode from the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Psalm 93 spoke of the majestic strength and powerful might of God concerning the seas: “Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!” (93:4). Jesus illustrated His might in the midst of a stormy sea: “And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (See Mark 4:37-41). The disciples, who wavered in their faith, nevertheless, asked the right question (even though they might not have fully grasped at that moment the answer): “Who is this?” No one can control the wind and sea–no one but God. Yes, Jesus is fully God and has complete authority over the raging seas of this world and over the upheavals of our lives. He is greater than the chaos and turmoil.
That’s all for Embrace the Word for Wednesday, July 22, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Friday, July 24, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 94.