Psalm 29 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 29 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Verse 2Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor.
Verse 3The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters.
Verse 4The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
Verse 5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
Verse 6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
Verse 7The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
Verse 8The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
Verse 9The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, "Glory!"
Verse 10The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
Verse 11May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!
Devotion
I love thunderstorms. For me, there are fewer experiences in nature that are more thrilling and awe-inspiring than to watch the fingers of lightning etch themselves across the sky, and to hear the rumble of thunder coming ever closer.
Thunderstorms can be incredibly destructive. But with a thunderstorm there is always the promise of rain. And if the land is parched and dry, if crops cry for moisture, a thunderstorm is a most welcome sight. With the awesome display of destruction comes the promise of life and hope.
The Psalmist described God’s presence like that of a thunderstorm, with a voice that thunders over the waters, whirls like a wind, and flashes forth flames of fire. Yet in the end, there is hope. “May the LORD bless his people with peace!”
Prayer
Awesome God, to a world that most often experiences only the thunder of war, the whirlwind of disaster and the high voltage atmosphere of hatred and distrust, bring the gentle rain of peace. Bring peace to our world and to our lives. Amen.