Psalm 29
A Psalm of David.

Nicknamed “The Psalm of the Seven Thunders,” this Psalm, think some of the scholars, was written during a thunderstorm. The Hebrew word for “thundering voice” appears seven times though that is not obvious in our KJV where it is translated merely ‘voice.’

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.

David was obviously drawn into a place of worshipful wonder, overwhelmed with the might and strength of a very strong storm. He called upon the angels it seems (“O ye mighty”) to join him in this place of being overwhelmed with the glory and beauty of God.

Of course, we know that the most powerful storm on earth, for all its’ might, is not even measurable on any scale that would take Infinite Power into account. And the storms of earth, we are told, pale by comparison with storms we see in other places. Astronomers observe raging chemical storms on Jupiter, for example, that are larger in size than the earth itself.

But in our environment, we see great manifestations of power and it is good to stop, observe and be captivated by the realization that our God is in full control and His Power is indeed without measure. Many shrink in terror from violent displays of energy in the atmospheric disturbances of our earth. David chose to bow before his LORD (YHVH) and adore Him.

3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

Was he at a place near the Mediterranean where he could watch the storm as is raged over the sea, stirring up the ocean itself into mighty waves? We remember that in prophecy the ‘sea’ is an image often used to speak of humanity in general, but this does not seem to be a prophetic sort of piece of scripture.

As we go further in the Psalm we will see David mentioning other locations and all of them could not have been visible from one location. Maybe this particular storm he was watching called to mind other occasions when he had witnessed similar demonstrations of the might and strength of God Almighty.

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

‘The voice of the Lord is powerful, as appears by the effects of it; for it works wonders. Those that write natural histories relate the prodigious effects of thunder and lightning, even out of the ordinary course of natural causes, which must be resolved into the omnipotence of the God of nature.” (from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

It was not only the Strength of God that captured David’s mind but His Majesty, His Glorious Splendor, revealed in the might of the weather he was observing. How could one not worship such a Being as our Deity?

5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

If he was watching the story from an elevated place in northern Israel or Lebanon near enough to the sea to watch the impact of the storm he may have also been able to see the vast forest of cedars and observe how that the wind was shredding them as if they were nothing. Trees were often images of strength in the literature, and still are, but they were no match for the terrible strength and violence of the cataclysm of nature that
was unfolding before David’s eyes.

6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

He was observing here the trembling of the earth under the power of the mighty thunder that was going on. Sirion was the Sidonian name from Mt Hermon and this mountain was some distance from the sea. Was David at some place between Hermon and the sea where he could observe them both? We cannot tell but it is clear that the landscape of Lebanon was in his mind.

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.

Here the lightning associated with the thunder is described and he references the southernmost area of Judah, where he had no doubt spent time. In his minds eye he is seeing the storm ravaging the whole of
the coast of Israel, from north to south.

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.

Then, he thought of the great range of the effect of the Powerful and Thundering Voice of the LORD. On the one hand, it is gentle as the natural forces that move a deer to give birth to her you, strong enough to rip mighty trees from the ground and uncover the earth beneath them and then so majestic and wonderful that those who gather to worship Him are smitten in their hearts with His Glory.

10 The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.

Our God is not only Infinitely Mighty but is Eternally so.

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

And, He loves and strengthens (gives Grace to, enables) His people. He grants them Peace with Him through Faith in the Marvelous Work of His Son.

Rom 5:1-2
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of
the glory of God.

This YHVH Who Saves, is also Mighty.

— May 13, 2020