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
Ever heard of Mother Nature? Many people use the phrase quite innocently, but others believe that nature is manipulated by a plethora of gods. Millennia of human history offer no shortage of religious rituals to these unknown deities. But Psalm 29, written by King David to the tune of thunderbolts, as cleverly stated by C. H. Spurgeon, sets the record straight. God is the One who acts powerfully in nature.
In King David’s day, pagan belief held that gods were responsible for the forces of nature unleashed across the earth. This Psalm may have been written in response to such views. So, the Psalmist fittingly summons all angelic beings to give praise and glory to God alone.
Reading this Psalm reminds us of several key faith-building events – God created the entire universe with his word, his powerful voice (Genesis 1-2); the great flood came over the earth at his command (Genesis 6-8); Jesus quieted a furious squall on the Sea of Galilee, demonstrating that he is the God worshipped by the Psalmist (Mark 4:35-41).
There is a second and powerful message for the child of God in Psalm 29. Our God is not a passive observer but an active participant in this world. David brings together the voice of the Lord and a storm that travels great distances – from the mighty sea to Lebanon inland, and as far as the desert of Kadesh. Everywhere the storm passes its effects are visible. And so are the effects of the voice of the Lord in our lives when we welcome him. Nothing stays the same! David mentions the voice of the Lord 7 times in this Psalm because it is the “central character”, the true star in this great display of transforming power and might!
Respond
Dear Lord, strong and powerful; your voice is able to transform everything it touches! I welcome your life-giving word into every area of my life and ask you to lovingly breakdown any resistance in me to your word and Spirit; with faith in the strong name of Jesus. Amen.
Jacqueline Dugas
Jacqueline Dugas is Vice President and Director of Ministries at Every Home for Christ International/Canada (EHC), where she has served on the executive leadership team for more than two decades. Her ministry work involves speaking and writing for a trans-denominational and international audience on the broad topic of knowing God and making Jesus known everywhere. Jacqueline has authored 7 Days with Jesus, written as a follow up resource for Finding the Hope, EHC’s evangelism outreach in Canada and abroad. She has co-authored the widely used evangelism booklet, Finding the Hope, and the Finding the Hope Personal Kit, both published in multiple languages. She is co-producer of EHC’s monthly publication, Harvest Partner.