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.

Commentary

Verse 1

John Calvin Bible Commentary
Jehovah hath reignedWe here see what I have lately adverted to, that in the power of God there is exhibited to us matter of confidence; for our not investing God with the power which belongs to him, as we ought to do, and thus wickedly despoiling him of his authority, is the source of that fear and trembling which we very often experience. This, it is true, we dare not do openly, but were we well persuaded of his invincible power, that would be to us an invincible support against all the assaults of temptation. All admit in word what the prophet here teaches, That God reigns; but how few are there who oppose this shield to the hostile powers of the world, as it becomes them to do, that they may fear nothing however terrible? In this then consists the glory of God, that he governs mankind according to his will. It is said thathe clothes himself with majesty and strength; not that we ought to imagine that there is any thing in him which is derived from another, but it is intended by the effect and indubitable experience to show his wisdom and righteousness in the government of mankind. The Psalmist proves that God will not neglect or abandon the world, from the fact that he created it. A simple survey of the world should of itself suffice to attest a Divine Providence. The heavens revolve daily, and, immense as is their fabric, and inconceivable the rapidity of their revolutions, we experience no concussion — no disturbance in the harmony of their motion. The sun, though varying its course every diurnal revolution, returns annually to the same point. The planets, in all their wanderings, maintain their respective positions. How could the earth hang suspended in the air were it not upheld by God’s hand? By what means could it maintain itself unmoved, while the heavens above are in constant rapid motion, did not its Divine Maker fix and establish it? Accordingly the particleאף, aph, denotingemphasis, is introduced — Yea,he hath established it.
McArther Bible Commentary
Psalms 93 and 95-100 (cf. Ps. 47) are dedicated to celebrating God's sovereign kingship over the world. Psalm 93 glorifies God's eternal, universal kingdom which is providentially administered through His Son (Col 1:17). Nothing is more powerful than the Lord; nothing is more steadfast than His reign; and nothing is more sure than His revelation.
Bible Cross References
Revelation 19:6 1 Chronicles 16:31 Job 40:10 Psalm 65:6 Psalm 96:10 Psalm 97:1 Psalm 99:1 Psalm 104:1 Isaiah 51:9 Isaiah 52:7 Daniel 6:26

Verse 2

John Calvin Bible Commentary
Thy throne is stableSome read,is prepared, and this agrees well with the context. provided we take the two clauses as one sentence, meaning —O Lord, as thou art from eternity, even so thy throne is erected or prepared from that timeFor the sense which some have attached to the words, as if they contained a simple assertion of God’s eternity, is poor; and the Psalmist evidently intends to say that as God is eternal in essence, so he has always been invested with power and majesty. The termthrone signifies, by the figure synecdoche, righteousness, and office or power of government; it being customary to transfer such images taken from men to God, in accommodation to our infirmity.By this ascription of praise the Psalmist effectually disposes of all the absurd ideas which have been broached, tending to deny or disparage the power of God, and declares, upon the matter, that God may sooner cease to be, than to sit upon his throne in the government of this world.
Bible Cross References
Genesis 21:33 Psalm 45:6 Psalm 55:19 Psalm 90:2 Lamentations 5:19 Daniel 6:26

Verse 3

John Calvin Bible Commentary
The floods have lifted up, O Jehovah!Various meanings have been attached to this verse. Some think there is an allusion to the violent assaults made upon the Church by her enemies, and the goodness of God seen in restraining them.Others are of opinion that the words should be taken literally, and not figuratively, in this sense — Though the noise of many waters be terrible, and the waves of the sea more fearful still, God is more terrible than all. I would not be inclined to insist too nicely upon any comparison that may have been intended. I have no doubt the Psalmist sets forth the power of God by adducing one brief illustration out of many which might have been given,Intimating that we need not go farther for a striking instance of Divine power — one that may impress us with an idea of his tremendous majesty — than to the floods of waters, and agitations of the ocean; as inPsalm 29:4, the mighty voice of God is said to be in the thunder. God manifests his power in the sound of the floods, and in the tempestuous waves of the sea, in a way calculated to excite our reverential awe. Should it be thought that there is a comparison intended, then the latter clause of the verse must be understood as added, with this meaning, That all the terror of the objects mentioned is as nothing when we come to consider the majesty of God himself, such as he is in heaven. There is still another sense which may be extracted from the words, That though the world may to appearance be shaken with violent commotions, this argues no defect in the government of God, since he can control them at once by his dreadful power.
McArther Bible Commentary
The sea with all its power is nothing in comparison to the power of God. The doubling and tripling of expressions throughout this psalm (Psa 93:1, Psa 93:3-4) are poetic means of generating literary energy and emphasis.
Bible Cross References
Psalm 46:3 Psalm 65:7 Psalm 96:11 Psalm 98:7 Psalm 98:8 Psalm 107:25 Hosea 5:10 Jonah 1:15 Habakkuk 3:10

Verse 4

Bible Cross References
2 Samuel 22:5 Psalm 46:3 Psalm 65:7 Psalm 89:6 Psalm 89:9 Psalm 92:8 Psalm 107:25 Hosea 5:10 Jonah 1:15

Verse 5

John Calvin Bible Commentary
Thy testimonies are singularly trueAs 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 wordנאוה, naävah, desirable,as if the Psalmist had said thatthe adorning of the temple was precious; but the grammatical construction will not admit of this. Bylength of days is meantperpetual succession,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.)
McArther Bible Commentary
testimonies are very sure. As God's rule over the earth is stable, so His revelation given through Scripture is trustworthy (cf. Psa 19:7).
Bible Cross References
1 Corinthians 3:17 Psalm 19:7 Psalm 29:2 Psalm 96:9 Psalm 111:7