Read: Psalm 29:1–11 [Matthew 8:23–27]
The Seven Thunders
Psalm 29:3 – “The God of glory thunders.”
Psalm 29 is often called “the psalm of the seven thunders” because “the voice of the Lord” is mentioned seven times in the verses 3 to 9. The psalm is well-loved because of the way it describes the majestic power of God displayed in a thunderstorm that moves in from the sea and sweeps over the land, wreaking havoc among mountains and forests.
The psalm is also a beautiful piece of poetry. Just reflect on the way it begins: “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.” The phrase “ascribe to the Lord” is repeated several times but it does not become monotonous because every time a new aspect is added, until a climax is reached: “Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness” (v. 2).
The same happens with the phrase “the voice of the Lord,” for example in verse 5: “The vo
ice of the Lord breaks the cedars, the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.” The repetition of the phrase “voice of the Lord” resembles the repeated peals of thunder.
It is interesting to note that the thunderstorm never does any damage to homes or farmland in Israel. The storm shakes the mountains and destroys trees in the forest, but God’s people are safe. They are awestruck by the power of the storm but they do not need to be terrified. It reminds us of Christ’s power in calming the storm to protect his disciples and remove their fear. The psalm ends serenely with the Lord sitting enthroned among his people (v. 10). The storm has passed through and God’s people worship the Lord in his temple. The last word of the psalm is “peace.”
Do you still hear the voice of God in a thunderstorm? The next time a thunderstorm moves through your area, take time to reflect on the awesome power of God in heaven, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that he is able and willing to use his immense power to bless his people with peace on earth and peace in heaven.
The psalm ends with a worship setting. When the storm has passed, in God’s temple all cry “Glory!” (v. 9) Let it be your desire to join the choir of heavenly beings (v. 1) and believers on earth (v. 9) as they praise him for being the Lord of creation and the Lord of grace.
Photo by ™ Pacheco 