Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord, over many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
and Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
and strips the forests bare,
and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!
When I was a small boy, I was quite frightened thunderstorms. My older siblings and cousins would try to alleviate my fear by telling me that it was this was just the angels bowling in Heaven, but that did not help. I think it would have been a lot better if they had read me Psalm 29.
These days, many are still frightened of such storms, and with good reason. These storms can often wreak much havoc and destruction as they are often accompanied by high winds, hail, tornadoes, and flooding. Even so, as our Psalmist tells us, these storms possess an awesomeness that conveys the majesty of Almighty God. The Lord God Almighty is in control of the thunder, lightning, and wind. Though many fear their potential destructive force, such storms should, ultimately, cause us to stand in worship-filled awe of His might and majesty. Powerful storms immobilize humans and frustrate our plans. Yet they display the supreme might and power of God for all to see. Such events should force us to admit our weakness and our total dependence on the Lord for everything.
The voice of the Lord speaking should also strike us with awe. The voice of the Lord, like the thunder and power of the mighty storm which lays bare the trees and the earth, lays bare the hearts of men. The voice of the Lord has the power to bring many to acknowledge their weakness and sin and plead for God’s mercy.
The voice of the Lord calls the righteous to His service. The voice of the Lord speaks through the weak and simple men and women who have answered that call. The voice of the Lord is the voice of judgment and doom on the ungodly who have rejected His offer of mercy and love. They do not stand in awe of Him now, but, sadly, they will, on the last day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.