Read
(A psalm by David.)
The Voice of the Lord
1 All you angels in heaven,
honor the glory and power
of the Lord!
2Honor the wonderful name
of the Lord,
and worship the Lord
most holy and glorious.
3The voice of the Lord
echoes over the oceans.
The glorious Lord God
thunders above the roar
of the raging sea,
4and his voice is mighty
and marvelous.
5The voice of the Lord
destroys the cedar trees;
the Lord shatters cedars
on Mount Lebanon.
6God makes Mount Lebanon
skip like a calf
and Mount Hermon
jump like a wild ox.
7The voice of the Lord
makes lightning flash
8and the desert tremble.
And because of the Lord,
the desert near Kadesh
shivers and shakes.
9The voice of the Lord
makes deer give birth
before their time.
Forests are stripped of leaves,
and the temple is filled
with shouts of praise.
10The Lord rules on his throne,
king of the flood forever.
11Pray that our Lord
will make us strong
and give us peace.
Reflect
As a father, a high school teacher, a sports coach or a preacher I often spoke – but only sometimes with results. But when God speaks things always happen! David writes here of some of the effects of God’s voice. The “voice of the Lord” is repeated over and over in this psalm!
From the beginning the word of God has created and formed. Genesis 1 says God said “Let there be –, and there was–.” John writes “In the beginning was the Word.” Secularism today explains and analyzes everything purely from man’s ideas with no reference to God’s will and word. This is a seriously limited view of reality. At the moment there is a serious drought in my home town of Cape Town. The church is praying for rain. Is that a naïve way of thinking? No, not if God is the God of weather patterns.
David knew God as an almighty creator and writes of the power of God’s voice in creation and the glory we give to him because of his strength (vv 1-2). Whether it is the mighty seas or the trees or the lightning, it is God’s word that overrules. Once we lose this view of God as creator and sustainer of this world, we will fall into the unbelieving view that only mankind can save the planet and change the weather. Yes, we do need to have responsible stewardship over the earth, but finally all things are in God’s hands. He is able!
Respond
Lord of all creation, you are able to hold all things in heaven and earth in order and harmony. Your word is powerful. Lord Jesus, you are enthroned as King forever – give greater strength to your people and bless your people with peace. Speak, Lord, over and through the storms of this life. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
George Anderson
George is a retired Presbyterian minister who resides in Binbrook Ontario, Canada with his wife, Audrey. George & Audrey emigrated from South Africa to Ile Perrot, Quebec, in 1989 with their four daughters all of whom are now married and living in Ontario with their nine grand-children. After teaching high school Math and working in SU in South Africa, George pastored two churches there and four churches in Canada, the last being in the beautiful Muskoka town of Huntsville. The main focus of George’s ministry has been building up congregations through the renewing grace and power of the Spirit of Jesus as expressed in Acts 2 v 42 – teaching, fellowship, eating together and prayer. George enjoys bird-watching and hiking with Audrey and the occasional tennis and golf.