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
Life can be full of storms—storms that we can see coming and those that overtake us by surprise. Storms that are here for a moment and then, thankfully, are gone and others that just seem to go on and on. Though such storms of life can be frightening— as they are for King David, traditionally thought to be the writer of this psalm—if we listen we can hear God’s voice in the midst of them. We can witness the power and glory of that voice. No matter what kind of storm we may face, we long to hear the comforting voice of God in the midst of it. And as the psalmist confirms in a resounding conclusion, the “voice of the Lord” that sounds with an almost frightening power and majesty, in the end comes only to give us strength and peace—a blessing that can bring encouragement and hope and calm the most powerful storms of our lives.
Prayer
All Powerful God, you reign over all things and speak to us in the midst of all life’s storms. Give us ears to hear and hearts that are open to the hope that comes only from you. Amen.