Thursday, November 2, 2023
The Voice of the Lord in the Storm – Psalm 29 Submitted by Kay Crumley
Many of us are feeling like we are in a storm or perhaps fearing that we are in the beginning of a storm that might get much worse. That can be said because of the war in the middle east, or it could be because of something going on in our personal lives, economic, health, or relationship issues. Any of those can make us anxious and fearful of the future. We are told in Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Don’t worry, that never changes anything but our own peace of mind and heart.
Let’s look at Psalm 29 to see what David has to say about what to do, why we do that, and the hope we have.
David begins this chapter with reasons to Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, you angels in heaven.
Praise the Lord for his glory and strength.
Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him.
Worship the Lord because of his beauty and holiness.
The Lord deserves our praise because of His glory and strength and because of His beauty and holiness. Worship is not merely something created beings do for God; it is something we rightly owe Him. He is separate and unique because He is the God of creation.
Verses 3-9 list some of the reasons we are to declare His glory. The voice of the lord is the focus of these verses. The reference is to a thunderstorm whose spectacular display is the work of our Father God. His voice is heard over the waters like thunder. It breaks the mighty cedar trees into pieces. His voice makes mountains leap like calves. It strikes like lightning and shakes the deserts. His voice twists oak trees and strips them of their bark. We have seen that in tornadoes. His voice has that power and is to be honored and glorified. All those in His temple cry out GLORY!
Chapter 29 ends with these verses.
The Lord on his throne rules over the flood.
The Lord rules from his throne as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people.
The Lord blesses his people with peace.
We can recall that He used the flood to judge His people in the story of Noah but also used the waters to set His people free as they escaped slavery from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. He sits on the throne of Heaven and is in control of all His creation. He is the final authority and has the final Word. He provides strength to His people in our weakness. He gives peace even in the face of mighty storms. We can rest in His arms of strength and are blessed with the peace of His comfort.
Whatever storm you’re facing today, God remains in control. Our faith grows as we face trials and rely on Him to carry us through. Mark 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Live one day at a time, don’t borrow trouble by worrying. We are to live for God and be obedient to His commands in the moment. Only the Father knows what tomorrow will bring.
