Psalm 29
We serve an awesome God!
Intro
√ Storms
One of my favorite things about
The wind
The black clouds rolling in
The rain and hail
The awesome display of lighting
Can’t ignore a storm like that! It is both awesome and beautiful!
Reminds me of the awesome power and beauty of our God. He is not only the Creator, He is also the power behind all power in the universe and as such has control over Nature.
Well, here in this psalm David uses the description of a
powerful thunderstorm as it rolls in from the
Ap. How big is your God?
We asked this question last week as we studied psalm 28 and were reminded that we are to pray to God in faith – believing that He is able and willing to answer our prayers.
Psalm 29 is a great follow up to that question because sometimes we need a good storm to pass through our lives to remind us just how awesome our God is!
Let’s look at our God.
Praise before the storm (vs. 1-2)
Ps. 29:1 Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Ps. 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
√ Praise before the storm!
In view of the approaching storm David calls on the angels in heaven to praise the Lord.
“mighty ones” = lit. “sons of the mighty” an idiom for the angels of God.
Note, David then repeats 3 times the call to worship…
“Give unto the LORD” - lit. "ascribe"
…that is, in view of the approaching storm David calls on the angels to recognize the awesome power of God and to praise Him for His great strength!
Ap. We too should praise the Lord!
When a storm blows into our lives what do you do?
Do you find yourself like David marveling at the awesome power of God and then lifting your voice to praise Him?
My family and I still find the thunderstorms here in
Yet, God’s fireworks are always much more awesome!
Storms are a good reminder of just how insignificant and powerless Man is when compared to God.
Ex. Tornado vs. ICBM
With all of our modern weapons, even the atomic bomb, Man’s power is nothing compared to the Lord’s! While we might be able to stop a missile in flight, we are powerless to face down the storms that sweep across our land.
So, the next time you see a storm on the horizon take time to praise the Lord for His…
Strength
Glory
The beauty of His Holiness
…remembering that the God you serve is an awesome God!
Power in the storm (vs. 3-9)
Ps. 29:3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The LORD is over many waters.
Ps. 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
Ps. 29:5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
Ps. 29:6 He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
Ps. 29:7 The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.
Ps. 29:8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
Ps. 29:9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth, And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
√ Power in the storm
David watches in awesome wonder as the storm moves in from the sea, across the land…
Shaking the mountains
Breaking the cedars with a single bolt of lightning
Stripping the trees of their leaves
Even causing the animals to prematurely deliver their young!
David attributed the rise and the power of the storm over the waters (Mediterranean Sea) to the…
“voice of the Lord” – used 7 times
While we understand that “voice” as used here is poetic and can refer to the sound of the thunder, it is probably also meant to convey the truth that He Who created the universe by His Word…
…also controls nature by His Word!
Ex. Elijah & Jesus
The challenge to the prophets of Baal in I Kings 18 was meant to show who actually controlled the power of nature.
Baal was the storm god of the Sidonians and was supposed to be in control of the rain, the thunder and the lightning (fire from heaven).
God demonstrated that He is the ultimate power behind the powers of nature by sending fire to consume Elijah’s sacrifice so that the people acknowledged…
“The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
I Kings 18:39
Jesus demonstrated the same truth when He of His own authority calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee…
Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
The awesome display of God’s power in the storm causes all to worship Him!
Whether it be…
The Hebrews on Mount Carmel
The disciples in the boat with Jesus
…or the angels in heaven, note the end of vs. 9:
“And in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”
What about you?
Ap. The next time you see a storm roll in, take time to acknowledge the power of God and worship the Lord Him!
Peace after the storm (vs. 10-11)
Ps. 29:10 The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever.
Ps. 29:11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.
√ Peace after the storm
As the storm passes, David marvels at the peace and the quiet, which follows the deafening sound of the thunderstorm.
Haven’t you ever noticed the huge contrast between the noise and power of one our thunderstorms…
…then just as quickly as it came, the storm is gone leaving behind a brilliant blue sky and a peaceful calm!
Reminds us that in the midst of the storm that God is in complete control, or as David says…
“The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever.”
We must remember that truth so that when are frightened by the power and the noise of the storm (whether physical or spiritual)…
…we can rest in the peace that God is in control!
More than just peace, God also gives us His power, note vs. 11.
Ps. 29:11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.
The demonstration of God’s power in the storm is meant to also be an encouragement to His children!
That’s because God has promised that the same strength He uses to raise the storm…
…He grants to His people for their benefit!
The truth is that those who trust in the Lord will find that He makes His strength available to endure the storms of life!
Ap. How big is your God?
Remember that God can raise a storm, He can also calm the storm.
All of Creation bows before our God Who even now is seated upon His throne in heaven.
He has made His power available to you – have you tapped into His power to calm the storms in your life?
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