Psalm 29

1 Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.
7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.
10 The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.
11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

Key Verse:
2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Key Outline:
1. v. 1-2 Give God Glory
2. v. 3-9 Voice of the Lord speaks of His Glory
3. v. 10-11 God will bring His people Glory

Key Observation:
This psalm might have been written during a storm David was watching.

Memory Verse:
11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

Devotion:
This psalm is the third “nature” psalm. Psalm 8 is a night time nature psalm, Psalm 19 is a day time nature psalm, and this psalm is a storm nature psalm. The phrase “The voice of the LORD” appears seven times, the number of completion, or perfection, signifying God himself.

I love harsh storms—at least in California. They don’t get too harsh here. I love listening to the thunder, watching the lightening, and the sheets of rain pounding down. My dog does not seem to share my enthusiasm for storms. He usually cowers by my side until they are through. I can imagine David in this storm, watching it and ascribing the great power of the LORD to it. I think I share that enthusiasm with David.

But I think of Elijah again, a man of prayer as James tells us. Do you remember the storm that Elijah looked at? At the direction of the Lord, Elijah came out of his cave and looked at the mighty wind, but the Lord was not in the wind. There was a mighty earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Where was the Lord? The Lord was in a gentle whisper, and when Elijah hears it, he covers his face.

I am so glad God is not a capricious being as the stories of Zeus were. Zeus was always losing his temper and exploding in fits of thunder and lightening. Our God has mercy towards us. If He were like unto Zeus, I am rather afraid mankind would have long ago been destroyed. He is tender-hearted towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. His gentle voice of the Holy Spirit will convict you of your sin and of the righteousness of Christ, if you will but just listen.

A day is coming—the metaphor of a great storm perfectly fits the Tribulation, a seven year period of terrible judgment, all sorts of storms venting upon mankind. But for now we can listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, cover our heads, and know we are in the very presence of a merciful God. But I think I will still look for the majesty and power in the next storm. How they remind me of the awesome God I serve!