Psalms 29:9

“Mountains, and all hills, etc.] Which are originally formed by the Lord, and set fast by his power and strength; these are the highest parts of the earth, and are very ornamental and useful; they include all in them and upon them, the trees and herbage that grow upon them, gold, silver, brass, and iron in them; all very beneficial to mankind, and afford matter of praise to God for them; (see <235512>Isaiah 55:12); fruitful trees, and all cedars; trees bearing fruit are the fig trees, pomegranates, vines, and olives, with which the land of Canaan abounded; and such as bear lemons, oranges, plums, pears, apples, cherries, etc. which produce fruit for the use, pleasure, and delight of man, and…”

“Terror-stricken animals and denuded forests close the illustration. In view of this scene of awful sublimity, God's worshippers respond to the call of Psa 29:2, and speak or cry, "Glory!" By "temple," or "palace" (God's residence, Psa 5:7), may here be meant heaven, or the whole frame of nature, as the angels are called on for praise.”

“The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to calve - The deer. The object of the psalmist here is to show the effects of the storm in producing consternation, especially on the weak and timid animals of the forest. The effect here adverted to is that of fear or consternation in bringing on the throes of parturition. Compare Job 39:1, Job 39:3. No one can doubt that the effect here described may occur in the violence of a tempest; and perhaps no image could more vividly describe the terrors of the storm than the consternation thus produced. The margin here is, “to be in pain.” The Hebrew means “to bring forth,” referring to the pains of parturition. And discovereth the forests - The word used…”

“To calve - Through the terror it causes, which hastens the birth. He names the hinds, because they bring forth their young with difficulty, Job 39:1-2. Discovereth - Heb. maketh bare, of its trees, which it breaks or strips of their leaves. Glory - Having shewed the terrible effects of God's power in other places, he now shews the blessed privilege of God's people, that are praising God in his temple, when the rest of the world are trembling under the tokens of his displeasure. Psalms 29:10”

“maketh: Or as Bp. Lowth and others, "maketh the oaks to tremble and maketh bare the forests;" understanding ayyaloth, as denoting here, not hinds, but oaks, as it signifies in Syriac. Job 39:1-3 calve: or, be in pain discovereth: Psa 63:2; Isa 9:18, Isa 10:18, Isa 10:19; Eze 20:46-48 in his temple: Psa 46:2-5, Psa 48:9, Psa 134:1, Psa 134:2, Psa 135:1, Psa 135:2 doth: etc. or, every whit of it uttereth Psalms 29:10”