King Above All Kings (2)

Psalm 93 Verse 1 to 5 King Above All Kings October 4, 2026 Lesson 14

Psalms The Believer’s Prayer Book Class Presentation Notes AAAAA

Background Scriptures:

· Revelation 19:6–7 (NASB95)

          6        Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

          7        “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

Revelation 11:15 (NASB95)

15     Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdomof our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

Luke 1:33 (NASB95)

33     and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

Main Idea:

· The Lord God is mightier than any human or natural power.

Study Aim:

· To understand that while earthly powers may rise and fall, the eternal sovereignty of God remains unchallenged, offering hope and stability to believers in a volatile world.

Create Interest:

· Psalm 93 emphasizes the sovereignty and majesty of God, declaring His eternal kingship over all creation, particularly in contrast to the chaos and uncertainty of earthly rulers and nations.

· This passage helps Christians understand that despite the turmoil and unpredictability of political powers and institutions, they can take comfort in the fact that God is always in control. This truth combats anxiety and insecurity, reminding believers that they serve a King whose reign is everlasting.

· The lesson teaches that God's sovereignty is unshakeable and immutable, serving as a foundation for our faith amid the changing tides of human authority. It emphasizes His power and authority over nature, nations, and time itself, encouraging believers to place their trust in Him rather than transient powers.

How this passage could point to Christ:

· In the broader biblical narrative, Christ is revealed as the ultimate King, fulfilling the promise of God’s eternal reign. Jesus' death and resurrection secured His sovereign rule over sin and death, offering a glimpse of the kingdom that will be fully realized at His return.

Lesson in Historical Context:

· Psalm 93 emerges from a period when Israel grappled with a fundamental tension: Israel possessed a unique theocratic form of government directed by God from its beginning until Samuel’s time[1], yet the people demanded a king to resemble surrounding nations, which God interpreted as a rejection of His direct reign[1]. This psalm represents Israel’s theological response to that paradox.

· The historical backdrop involves Israel’s volatile political trajectory. While the monarchy retained a theocratic character in theory, with the ideal king viewing David’s throne as God’s throne and serving as His temporary viceregent[1], the reality often diverged sharply. His character and calling were to be that of a shepherd, pastoring the people of God. Certainly, David viewed the throne in that way. The nation was not a private preserve upon which the king could prey, but a pasture to be kept and cultivated for the flock of God.[1]

· Israel experienced moments when Yahweh asserted kingly power against Egypt, Canaan, and Babylon, yet even under foreign domination by Babylonians, Persians, and Greeks, Yahweh exercised sovereignty by divine permission[2]. This created cognitive discord—how could God reign when earthly powers seemed dominant?

· Psalm 93 addresses this by shifting focus from political history to cosmic order. Rather than emphasizing Israel’s historical experience, the psalm speaks of sovereignty in the created world itself, raising whether its stability can be assumed when the sea’s dynamic power crashes on shore and storms potentially overwhelm the land[2]. The raging sea represents ancient attempts at chaos; Yahweh asserted kingly authority by setting limits on the waters, and the world remains secure not through inherent stability but because Yahweh imposed such stability upon it[2].

· With its opening phrase, the Lord reigns (yhwh mālāk), Psalm 93 identifies itself as the first of a series of hymns proclaiming the Lord’s kingship (see also Pss 95; 96; 97; 98; 99)[2][3]. By anchoring God’s kingship in creation’s permanence rather than Israel’s fluctuating political fortunes, the psalm offers reassurance during instability—a theological strategy particularly resonant for a people experiencing exile or foreign domination.

[1] John Phillips, Exploring Psalms 89–150: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2012). [See here, here, here.] [2] John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalms 90–150, ed. Tremper Longman III (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 71–72. [3] Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014), 334.

Bible Study:

· Psalm 93:1–2 (NASB95) Establishing Eternal Kingship

               1 The Lordreigns, He is clothed with majesty;

The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength;

Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.

               2   Your throne is established from of old;

You are from everlasting.

· This psalm just begins by stating this as a universal fact, and there is tremendous power in this statement. In Scripture, God’s sovereignty is not the stuff of controversy; it’s the stuff of worship.

· At the absolute bottom, what are those bedrock truths on which everything else stands? God’s self-existence. His “I AM-ness” (see Exod 3:14–15).

· That’s a big and important truth in Scripture.

o  Having established that God is, the next thing we might say is that God reigns.

o A massively comprehensive statement about the message of the entire Bible might go like this: “The God who is, reigns.” There’s certainly more to it, but we’re onto something really big in that simple statement[3].

· As presented in this psalm, Yahweh’s superiority to “the seas” demonstrates his kingship; it does not establish it.[4]

·

Let’s talk about God’s “I AM-ness”

God’s “I am-ness” refers to His self-existent, self-sufficient nature—a quality that fundamentally distinguishes Him from all creation. The divine name YHWH reveals God’s aseity(the state or quality of being self-derived, self-existent, and completely independent of any cause or support outside oneself), communicating that His existence is not contingent on but intrinsic to His character.[1] God simply is, depending on no other power or source for His being and is-ness.[2]

This concept carries profound theological weight. The name designation carries the idea of God being “the self-existent one”—the eternal now existing in a state of eternal “is-ness.”[3] Unlike creation, which requires an external source for existence, God owes His existence to no one and nothing other than Himself, remaining uncaused, self-subsisting, and self-sufficient.[1] In a cultural context where names denoted descent and genealogy, the fact that God’s name fails to indicate where He came from speaks volumes—God is without ancestry and without cause.[1]

· God’s “am-ness” also embodies absolute freedom. The declaration “I Am Who I Am” proclaims God’s absolute freedom, with an alternative translation “I Will Be What I Will Be” hinting even more strongly at this notion of freedom.[2] Yet this freedom operates within the framework of God’s proven character: while we cannot have absolute certainty about God’s actions, we can have supreme confidence because God has proven supremely trustworthy and faithful.[2]

· Believers participate in this reality derivatively. Our “am-ness” is based on God’s “am-ness,” and as Paul wrote, his own “am-ness” was not attributed to his own industry but purely to God’s grace.[3]

[1] Bernie A. Van De Walle, Rethinking Holiness: A Theological Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2017), 52–53. [2] Robert S. Turner, Our Father Who Aren’t in Heaven: Subversive Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2015), 49. [3] Robert Smith Jr., Exalting Jesus in Joshua, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Brentwood, TN: Holman Reference, 2023), 26.

What is the significance of God being ‘robed in majesty’?

· The declaration that God reigns announces divine sovereignty, emphasizing not merely a future expectation but God’s present rule over creation.[1] When Scripture describes God as robed in majesty, it employs royal imagery to communicate fundamental truths about divine authority and control.

· The Hebrew term for majesty (geʾuth) carries connotations of dominion over chaos—in ancient mythology, the sea symbolized chaotic forces in conflict with deity, so depicting God robed in majesty declares that God maintains absolute control.[2] The image is that of God dressed in the magnificent regalia of a reigning monarch. The point is that God’s creating and governing of the universe was and is the activity of a king.[5] [3]

· Because God functions as king, believers experience security: the world stands established, firm and secure.[2] Yet this stability carries deeper meaning. The world’s firmness is derivative—it remains stable only because its Creator sustains it.[4] The Lord robed in majesty and armed with strength makes believers His subjects,[1] establishing a relationship where human destiny rests not in political powers but in divine sovereignty.

· The psalmist employs three rapid metaphors—the Lord robed in majesty, armed with strength, and enthroned eternally—to characterize God’s nature.[1] Rather than merely displaying symbols of majesty, God embodies majesty itself; His sovereignty is not semblance but reality, infinite in nature, providence, and salvation.[1] This imagery connects Old Testament psalmody with New Testament revelation: the vision of one clothed in a robe with a golden sash parallels the apostle John’s description of the risen Christ, with both apostle and psalmist invoking royal and priestly imagery to shape understanding of divine majesty.[1]

[1] Douglas D. Webster, The Psalms: Jesus’s Prayer Book (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2023), 3:165–167. [2] Federico G. Villanueva, Psalms 73–150, ed. Andrew B. Spurgeon, Asia Bible Commentary Series (Carlisle, Cumbria; Manila, Philippines: Langham Global Library; Asia Theological Association, 2022), 116–117. [3] M. D. Futato, “Hymns,” in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, ed. Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns (Downers Grove, IL; Nottingham, England: IVP Academic; Inter-Varsity Press, 2008), 303. [4] NIV Bible Speaks Today: Notes (London: IVP, 2020), 793.

What does ‘the world is firmly established’ mean in Psalm 93:2?

· The phrase indicates that God’s sovereignty ensures stability throughout the created order—encompassing not just the physical planet but the moral, social, and spiritual laws governing reality.[1] Everything occupies its divinely ordained position and remains fixed; God’s providential governance cannot be displaced by human or national opposition.[1]

· Because the Lord has anchored the world, it resists disruption, and this divine stability extends to God’s kingdom and subjects.[2] Even when nations rebel against divine rule, they cannot break free from Yahweh’s control.[2] The statement functions as a declaration of confidence in the face of chaos—asserting God’s reign despite circumstances that appear to contradict it.[3]

· This language draws on ancient Near Eastern creation imagery. God has subdued chaotic waters and thereby demonstrated sovereignty[3]—a motif connecting Psalm 93 to the Song of the Sea in Exodus 15, where divine power over both historical enemies and cosmic forces culminates in the proclamation of God’s kingship. The “firmness” of the world, then, represents not merely geological stability but the triumph of divine order over chaos and the assurance that no earthly power can overturn God’s eternal purposes.

[1] Steven J. Lawson, Psalms 76–150, ed. Max Anders, Holman Old Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2006), 12:101. [2] Daniel J. Estes, Psalms 73–150, ed. E. Ray. Clendenen, New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2019), 13:197. [3] J. Clinton Mccann Jr., “The Book of Psalms,” in New Interpreter’s Bible, ed. Leander E. Keck (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994–2004), 4:1053.

What does Psalm 93 say about God’s reign?

· The psalm emphasizes that God’s throne has existed since ancient times and extends into eternity, grounding divine kingship not in recent events but in timeless reality. God’s majestic power transcends the raging forces of nature and chaos,[1] which the psalm depicts through vivid imagery. The flooding waters lift their voices and pounding waves, yet the Lord on high proves mightier than these turbulent forces.

· The psalm celebrates God’s sovereignty over the whole earth as king of the universe.[2] Using distinctly Canaanite perspectives, the psalmist denies the false god Baal and praises God instead.[3] This theological move is significant: Yahweh’s superiority to the seas demonstrates his kingship rather than establishing it,[4]meaning his reign exists independent of any conflict or conquest.

· The psalm progresses from celebrating God’s kingship over the world, to proclaiming victory over chaos and destruction, and concludes with praise for God’s laws and house—moving from God’s being and person, to God’s sustaining action in the world, to the provisions God makes for God’s people.[2] The psalm ends by affirming that God’s testimonies are fully confirmed and that holiness befits God’s house forever.

[1] Daniel J. Estes, Psalms 73–150, ed. E. Ray. Clendenen, New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2019), 13:199. [2] Donald K. McKim, “Theological Perspective (Psalm 93),” in Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Additional Essays, Feasting on the Word (Westminster John Knox Press, 2012), 52:7. [3] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997). [See here.] [4] Robert L. Jr. Hubbard and Robert K. Johnston, “Foreword,” in Psalms, ed. W. Ward Gasque, Robert L. Hubbard Jr., and Robert K. Johnston, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012), 367.

Thoughts to Soak On:

· Note that verses 1-2 establish the eternal and unshakeable nature of God's reign, contrasting with the fleeting nature of human dominion.

· The robe imagery signifies His majesty and strength, reassuring believers that even when earthly stability wavers, God's kingship is perpetual.

· This truth invites Christians to find rest and confidence in His rule, knowing their foundation does not rest on shifting human powers.

Psalm 93:3–4 (NASB95) Overcoming Chaotic Forces

   3          The floods have lifted up, O Lord,

The floods have lifted up their voice,

The floods lift up their pounding waves.

   4          More than the sounds of many waters,

Than the mighty breakers of the sea,

The Lord on high is mighty.

How do the floods relate to God’s voice in Psalm 93?

· In Psalm 93, the floods function as a counterpoint that amplifies God’s supremacy rather than a direct expression of His voice. The floods themselves “lift up their voice” and “lift up their pounding waves,” creating a cacophony of competing sounds. Yet God’s might transcends these waters—the Lord “on high is mighty” beyond “the sounds of many waters” and “the mighty breakers of the sea.”

· This contrast reveals the psalm’s theological core: amidst the roaring floods, “God’s voice must be heard amidst the roar of other voices.”[1] The floods represent chaos and opposition—the sea functions as “the symbol of rebellious opposition and of ungoverned force”[2]—yet they paradoxically serve to demonstrate divine authority. The psalmist employs “the thunder of mighty floodwaters as a way to evoke all that is outside human control,” and “it is God’s power over these waters which establishes God’s greatness and majesty.”[3]

· The relationship between the floods and God’s voice operates on multiple levels. Literally, the floods produce noise that must be overcome. Symbolically, they embody the chaos and suffering that threaten God’s people—the “flood” functions as “an ancient metaphor for the chaos that intrudes upon God’s children.”[1] Yet God’s “decrees are very sure,” and “the Lord’s decrees provide a power of life that is claimed in the midst of torrential floods.”[1] The floods do not silence God’s voice; rather, God’s sovereignty becomes audible precisely through the confrontation with overwhelming opposition.

[1] Thomas L. Are Jr., “Pastoral Perspective on Psalm 93,” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year A, ed. David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010), 502–504. [2] Gregory A. Lint, ed., Psalms, The Complete Biblical Library: Study Bible (World Library Press, 1996). [See here.] [3] Nathan Eddy, Fresh from the Word 2019: The Bible for Change (Oxford, England: Monarch Books, 2018), 257.

· No matter how stormy the nations on earth may become, God is still on His throne and is not frustrated by the foolish words and deeds of “great leaders” who are only made of clay. Do not focus on the threats around you; focus on the throne above you (see 29; Isa. 6; Rev. 4–5).[6]

Thoughts to Soak On:

· Consider how verses 3-4 poetically depict the chaotic might of nature, symbolizing the unpredictable rise of political and societal upheaval.

· However, God's voice is mightier, affirming His ultimate control over these tumultuous forces.

· By understanding that God's authority transcends nature's ferocity, believers are encouraged to maintain hope in His superiority, even when confronted by life’s storms, underscoring His protection over His people.

Psalm 93:5 (NASB95) Declaring Divine Decrees

   5          Your testimonies are fully confirmed;

Holiness befits Your house,

O Lord, forevermore.

Let’s look and God’s power and reign.

· God reigns clothed in majesty and strength, and through His power the world stands firm and immovable. This declaration of reign uses the present tense to emphasize God’s ongoing, unending kingship[1], not merely a past or future dominion.

· God’s eternal reign connects directly to His role as Creator—He established the world and exists from eternity past[1]. His throne is ancient, predating all earthly powers , which carries particular significance in the psalm’s impassioned context. Unlike Baal in Canaanite mythology, who was a recent deity, God’s rule extends from antiquity, making Him the truly eternal God.[2]

· The psalm demonstrates God’s supremacy through His mastery over chaos. While floods and mighty waters surge with tremendous force, the LORD on high proves mightier still. This imagery proclaims God’s victory over forces of chaos and destruction[3]—a theological assertion that despite the world’s apparent instability and turbulent forces, ultimate authority belongs to God alone.

· The psalm traces a movement from God’s being and person, to His sustaining action in the world, to the provisions He makes for His people through direction and worship.[3] God’s testimonies are confirmed, and holiness befits His house forever, anchoring divine sovereignty not in abstract power but in God’s reliable character and the worship He receives.

[1] Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, eds., “Psalms,” in The Moody Bible Commentary(Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 836. [2] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997). [See here.] [3] Donald K. McKim, “Theological Perspective (Psalm 93),” in Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Additional Essays, Feasting on the Word (Westminster John Knox Press, 2012), 52:7.

Roger Ellsworth shares some thought to muse on:

· There were forces that sought to resist Yahweh’s sovereignty or could have done so—forces that had a dynamic power of their own, epitomized in the terrifying force of churning oceans and flooding rivers—but Yahweh insisted on asserting authority over them. And Yahweh did so in a way that has been truthful and reliable over the millennia and has ensured that Yahweh’s holiness has been acknowledged in his palace in the heavens by all other would-be powers.

· Yes, the world is secure; it will not be vulnerable to other supernatural powers because Yahweh has determined to force their submission[7]

· the testimonies of the lord are true (v. 5) The storms of life may very well suggest otherwise. But God has demonstrated again and again that his word can be trusted.

· In the end, it will be plain to all that not one of God’s testimonies has failed in any respect. We would do well, then, to go back to Martin Luther, taking these words as our own:

That word above all earthly powers,

No thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours

Thro’ Him who with us sideth:

Let goods and kindred go,

This mortal life also;

The body they may kill:

God’s truth abideth still,

His kingdom is forever.[8]

Thoughts to Soak On:

· Think about the significance of verse 5, which affirms God's decrees and the holiness of His house. This could lead to teaching that His commandments are reliable amidst an unpredictable world, offering wisdom and guidance.

· By uniting God's unchanging truth with His trustworthy nature, Christians are urged to live in alignment with His word, knowing His reign is not only eternal but also governed by righteousness and holiness.

Closing thoughts:

· As Christians we know that in the fullness of time God sent his Son into the world. Paul speaks of the progression from Jesus’s incarnation, to his suffering and death on the cross, to his triumphant resurrection and ascension to God’s right hand.

· For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(Phil 2:9–11)

· There will be a worldwide, almost liturgical response on the day of Christ’s return; a confession will rise from the lips of every creature. The angels—along with every human being on earth, every person who has ever lived, and even the demons in hell—all with one voice, acknowledge, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” And Psalm 93 tells us, “The Lordreigns!”[9]

 Scriptures:

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

   1          The Lordis my shepherd,

I shall not want.

   2          He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

   3          He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

   4          Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

   5          You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

   6          Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Reflect and Discuss

    1.  How does God’s sovereignty in the life of his people give us hope in our own life stories?

    2.  Some people condescendingly say that belief in God is a crutch to support believers in times of weakness. However, how can belief in a sovereign God bring doubt of his goodness in times of weakness?

    3.  Think about a time in your life when you questioned God’s sovereignty. Why is trusting his character essential in times of doubt? How can we lay a foundation secured in the character of God?

    4.  Why do we want to give God credit for his blessed sovereignty when things are well but question him when circumstances are painful?

    5.  How can you document the faithful sovereignty of God throughout circumstances in your life? Consider making a timeline and marking significant times when God’s sovereign hand was clearly at work in your life.

    6.  Even when our circumstances do not change, why can we still trust in God’s sovereign promises to deliver us eternally?[10]

[1]John Phillips, Exploring Psalms 89–150: An Expository Commentary, vol. 2, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2012), Ps 93.

[2]Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 15–16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014), 334.

[3]David Platt, Matt Mason, and Jim Shaddix, Exalting Jesus in Psalms 51-100 (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2020), 382.

[4]Robert L. Jr. Hubbard and Robert K. Johnston, “Foreword,” in Psalms, ed. W. Ward Gasque, Robert L. Hubbard Jr., and Robert K. Johnston, Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012), 367.

[5]M. D. Futato, “Hymns,” in Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, ed. Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns (Downers Grove, IL; Nottingham, England: IVP Academic; Inter-Varsity Press, 2008), 303.

[6]Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Exultant, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 22.

[7]John Goldingay, Psalms for Everyone, Part 2: Psalms 73–150, Old Testament for Everyone (Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press; Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2014), 73.

[8]Roger Ellsworth, Opening up Psalms, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2006), 206.

[9]David Platt, Matt Mason, and Jim Shaddix, Exalting Jesus in Psalms 51-100 (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2020), 383.

[10]David Platt, Matt Mason, and Jim Shaddix, Exalting Jesus in Psalms 51-100 (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2020), 388.