Rabbi Roodyn

ו) הוֹד וְהָדָר לְפָנָיו עֹז וְתִפְאֶרֶת בְּמִקְדָּשׁוֹ:

[They ascribe] beauty and majesty before Him; might and glory in His sanctuary.

The meaning of this somewhat cryptic verse is discussed and debated by the commentators.

Rashi does not comment on this verse, but the Radak says that the first part of the verse is referring to  the stars and their recognition of Hashem’s glory and they are the ones who ascribe beauty and majesty to Hashem. The Seforno says that it is the Angels who ascribe beauty and majesty to Hashem and the planets and the stars declare His might and glory.

The Ibn Ezra however is more straightforward and explains this verse in the light of the previous ones. Beauty and majesty are before Him, and not before any other god or power. The sanctuary referred to at the end of the pasuk is either a reference to the heavens or to the aron in the Beis HaMikdash.

The Ibn Ezra says that the heavens and the Beis HaMikdash are both considered to be a בית זבול, a house for Him to dwell in. Of course Hashem is not a physical being that He should need a house, rather these are places where Hashem’s presence is more readily felt. Hence the pasuk says, ‘might and glory in His sanctuary’.