THE LORD IS GLORIOUS
Opening Prayer
Father God, thank You that You are Lord of all. You are a God of sovereign power and awesome might.
Read Psalm 29
A psalm of David.
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion[b] like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks[c]
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
Footnotes:
a Psalm 29:2 Or Lord with the splendor of
b Psalm 29:6 That is, Mount Hermon
c Psalm 29:9 Or Lord makes the deer give birth
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Think about the most powerful things you have seen in nature. How did you feel as you witnessed these events?Eighteen times the name “Lord” is repeated in this psalm. David is proclaiming the majesty and might of the Lord of heaven and earth. He does this by giving us snapshots of God’s impact on his creation. We start in the heavenly realms where angelic beings are commanded to ascribe glory to the Lord (1,2). Then we move to the storm and the power the Lord has over it (3,4). Next is the forest and how with simply his voice the Lord shatters the great cedars (5). He is sovereign over nations (6) and over nature (7,8). God brings forth life but also lays it bare (9).
The only rightful response when faced with a God like this is to join the chorus of the “all” at the end of verse 9 and declare, “Glory!’ The clouds separate, revealing the Lord enthroned as the sovereign eternal ruler over all things (10). Yet he is not just a powerful God “up there,” but a personal God to his people, giving them strength and peace (11).
Apply
Does God seem near or distant to you? Take time today to start a “character sketch” of God. Write down the characteristics you discover about him as you study over the next few weeks.
Closing prayer
Almighty God, help me lean on You for strength and know Your peace in my life. Help me cry “Glory!” when I contemplate how great You are!
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