Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.
Psalm 93 declares the reign, majesty, strength, throne, and everlasting dominion of Jehovah. The psalm begins, “The LORD reigneth” (v.1), and everything that follows rests upon that truth. He is clothed with majesty and strength, His throne is established of old, and He is from everlasting (vv.1-2). The floods lift up their voice and waves, yet the LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters and the mighty waves of the sea (vv.3-4). Verse 5 then gives the proper conclusion: since Jehovah reigns above all creation and all roaring waters, His testimonies are very sure, and holiness becometh His house for ever.
“Thy testimonies.” The testimonies are God’s declarations, commandments, promises, warnings, judgments, and revealed truth. They are called “testimonies” because God Himself bears witness by them. He testifies of Himself, His will, His works, His holiness, His mercy, His judgments, and His way for man. The word of God is not man’s opinion about God, but God’s own witness concerning Himself. David wrote elsewhere, “The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). Since Jehovah reigns, His testimonies carry the authority of the King.
The placement of this phrase is important. The floods have lifted up their voice (v.3). In KJV usage, “floods” can refer to rivers or flowing waters, as when Joshua speaks of Abraham dwelling on the other side of the flood, meaning the river Euphrates (Joshua 24:2-3). Psalm 98 says, “Let the floods clap their hands” (Psalm 98:8), where the sense is also rivers or flowing waters. Here in Psalm 93, the floods are roaring waters, rivers, streams, or swelling waters lifting up their voice, and verse 4 broadens the picture to “many waters” and “mighty waves of the sea” (v.4). The waters make great noise, but God’s testimonies are surer than all their roaring. Creation may sound powerful, but the word of Jehovah stands above it.
“Are very sure.” God’s testimonies are not uncertain, weak, changing, or doubtful. They are “very sure.” This is certainty upon certainty. Because Jehovah’s throne is established, His word is established. Because He is from everlasting, His truth does not age, fail, or require correction (v.2). “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Christ said, “the scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). No river, sea, storm, king, council, scholar, church, devil, or age can overthrow what God has spoken.
This also rebukes the unbelief of men. Fallen men treat God’s testimonies as doubtful when they dislike them, outdated when they oppose their lusts, and negotiable when they cross their interests. But the Spirit says they are very sure. The righteous man does not judge the word by the noise of the age. He judges the age by the word. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but Christ said His words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35).
“Holiness.” The psalm now moves from the sureness of God’s word to the proper character of God’s house. Holiness is separation from sin, purity before God, reverence for His name, and obedience to His revealed will. Since God is holy, His worship must be holy. Since His testimonies are very sure, His people must not invent their own approach to Him. The God Who reigns in majesty and strength must not be approached with careless, common, or corrupt worship. “I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified” (Leviticus 10:3).
“Becometh.” This means holiness is fitting, proper, suitable, and comely for God’s house. It is not an optional ornament, but the very thing that belongs there. Certain things are unbecoming in God’s house: irreverence, worldliness, false doctrine, fleshly display, disorder, pride, and man-made worship. Holiness “becometh” His house because it agrees with His nature, His throne, His testimonies, and His name. A holy God must have a holy house.
“Thine house.” In the Old Testament setting, this refers to the place of God’s worship, His sanctuary, and the dwelling He appointed among His people. The house belonged to Him. It was not Israel’s stage for display, nor man’s room for invention, but the LORD’s house. Therefore, it had to be governed by His testimonies and adorned with holiness. David desired to dwell in the house of the LORD and behold the beauty of the LORD (Psalm 27:4). The beauty of God’s house is not fleshly decoration, entertainment, or earthly splendor, but holiness before Jehovah.
The principle reaches all worship offered unto God. Paul called the church “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Peter wrote that saints are built up a spiritual house to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). Therefore, holiness still becometh God’s house. The church must not take its pattern from the world, its music from the flesh, its doctrine from men, or its government from convenience. God’s testimonies are very sure, and His house must conform to them.
“O LORD.” This is Jehovah, the self-existent and living God. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah. The holiness required belongs to His house because the house belongs to Him. He is the reigning God of verse 1, the everlasting God of verse 2, the mighty God above the floods and many waters of verses 3-4, and the holy God of verse 5. His name demands reverence. His throne demands submission. His testimonies demand trust. His house demands holiness.
“For ever.” Holiness is not fitting for God’s house for one age only. It becometh His house for ever. Men change their fashions, tastes, customs, and religious inventions, but God’s nature does not change. What belongs to His house belongs there permanently. God never outgrows holiness. His worship never becomes common. His testimonies never lose authority. His people never receive permission to make His house like the world.
This verse joins two truths that must never be separated: the certainty of God’s word and the holiness of God’s worship. Because His testimonies are very sure, His house must be holy. Because He reigns, His people must bow. Because He is mightier than rivers, many waters, and the mighty waves of the sea, they must not be moved by earthly noise. Because He is Jehovah, they must keep His house according to His will.
Here the Spirit gives the proper answer to a world of roaring waters. Let the saints trust God’s testimonies, for they are very sure. Let them keep His house in holiness, for holiness becometh it for ever. The LORD reigns, His throne stands, His word is settled, His power is above all waters, and His worship must be marked by reverence, purity, and obedience until time shall be no more.
Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.
Psalm 93 declares the reign, majesty, strength, throne, and everlasting dominion of Jehovah. The psalm begins, “The LORD reigneth” (v.1), and everything that follows rests upon that truth. He is clothed with majesty and strength, His throne is established of old, and He is from everlasting (vv.1-2). The floods lift up their voice and waves, yet the LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters and the mighty waves of the sea (vv.3-4). Verse 5 then gives the proper conclusion: since Jehovah reigns above all creation and all roaring waters, His testimonies are very sure, and holiness becometh His house for ever.
“Thy testimonies.” The testimonies are God’s declarations, commandments, promises, warnings, judgments, and revealed truth. They are called “testimonies” because God Himself bears witness by them. He testifies of Himself, His will, His works, His holiness, His mercy, His judgments, and His way for man. The word of God is not man’s opinion about God, but God’s own witness concerning Himself. David wrote elsewhere, “The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). Since Jehovah reigns, His testimonies carry the authority of the King.
The placement of this phrase is important. The floods have lifted up their voice (v.3). In KJV usage, “floods” can refer to rivers or flowing waters, as when Joshua speaks of Abraham dwelling on the other side of the flood, meaning the river Euphrates (Joshua 24:2-3). Psalm 98 says, “Let the floods clap their hands” (Psalm 98:8), where the sense is also rivers or flowing waters. Here in Psalm 93, the floods are roaring waters, rivers, streams, or swelling waters lifting up their voice, and verse 4 broadens the picture to “many waters” and “mighty waves of the sea” (v.4). The waters make great noise, but God’s testimonies are surer than all their roaring. Creation may sound powerful, but the word of Jehovah stands above it.
“Are very sure.” God’s testimonies are not uncertain, weak, changing, or doubtful. They are “very sure.” This is certainty upon certainty. Because Jehovah’s throne is established, His word is established. Because He is from everlasting, His truth does not age, fail, or require correction (v.2). “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Christ said, “the scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). No river, sea, storm, king, council, scholar, church, devil, or age can overthrow what God has spoken.
This also rebukes the unbelief of men. Fallen men treat God’s testimonies as doubtful when they dislike them, outdated when they oppose their lusts, and negotiable when they cross their interests. But the Spirit says they are very sure. The righteous man does not judge the word by the noise of the age. He judges the age by the word. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but Christ said His words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35).
“Holiness.” The psalm now moves from the sureness of God’s word to the proper character of God’s house. Holiness is separation from sin, purity before God, reverence for His name, and obedience to His revealed will. Since God is holy, His worship must be holy. Since His testimonies are very sure, His people must not invent their own approach to Him. The God Who reigns in majesty and strength must not be approached with careless, common, or corrupt worship. “I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified” (Leviticus 10:3).
“Becometh.” This means holiness is fitting, proper, suitable, and comely for God’s house. It is not an optional ornament, but the very thing that belongs there. Certain things are unbecoming in God’s house: irreverence, worldliness, false doctrine, fleshly display, disorder, pride, and man-made worship. Holiness “becometh” His house because it agrees with His nature, His throne, His testimonies, and His name. A holy God must have a holy house.
“Thine house.” In the Old Testament setting, this refers to the place of God’s worship, His sanctuary, and the dwelling He appointed among His people. The house belonged to Him. It was not Israel’s stage for display, nor man’s room for invention, but the LORD’s house. Therefore, it had to be governed by His testimonies and adorned with holiness. David desired to dwell in the house of the LORD and behold the beauty of the LORD (Psalm 27:4). The beauty of God’s house is not fleshly decoration, entertainment, or earthly splendor, but holiness before Jehovah.
The principle reaches all worship offered unto God. Paul called the church “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Peter wrote that saints are built up a spiritual house to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). Therefore, holiness still becometh God’s house. The church must not take its pattern from the world, its music from the flesh, its doctrine from men, or its government from convenience. God’s testimonies are very sure, and His house must conform to them.
“O LORD.” This is Jehovah, the self-existent and living God. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah. The holiness required belongs to His house because the house belongs to Him. He is the reigning God of verse 1, the everlasting God of verse 2, the mighty God above the floods and many waters of verses 3-4, and the holy God of verse 5. His name demands reverence. His throne demands submission. His testimonies demand trust. His house demands holiness.
“For ever.” Holiness is not fitting for God’s house for one age only. It becometh His house for ever. Men change their fashions, tastes, customs, and religious inventions, but God’s nature does not change. What belongs to His house belongs there permanently. God never outgrows holiness. His worship never becomes common. His testimonies never lose authority. His people never receive permission to make His house like the world.
This verse joins two truths that must never be separated: the certainty of God’s word and the holiness of God’s worship. Because His testimonies are very sure, His house must be holy. Because He reigns, His people must bow. Because He is mightier than rivers, many waters, and the mighty waves of the sea, they must not be moved by earthly noise. Because He is Jehovah, they must keep His house according to His will.
Here the Spirit gives the proper answer to a world of roaring waters. Let the saints trust God’s testimonies, for they are very sure. Let them keep His house in holiness, for holiness becometh it for ever. The LORD reigns, His throne stands, His word is settled, His power is above all waters, and His worship must be marked by reverence, purity, and obedience until time shall be no more.