Psalm 29
Jehovah's voice is mighty. It sounds in the storms of
nature, in the outgoings of grace, in the terrors of the dissolving world.
May our listening ears be ever open!
1, 2. "Give unto the Lord, O you mighty, give unto the
Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name;
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."
The high ones of the earth are called to wisdom. They are
counseled to estimate rightly their real state; to lie in lowliness before
Jehovah's majesty; to acknowledge His high supremacy; to see in Him the
source of all their earthly greatness; to ascribe due glory to His
all-glorious name. Especially they are called to Gospel-worship, adoring
Christ in the sanctuary, where all is beauty, and all the beauty is pure
holiness. Would that each crown were placed at Jesus' feet!
3. "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God
of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many waters."
The rising of a storm is vividly portrayed. The eye of
the spectator rests upon the sea. From its waters a distant rumbling is
heard. The sound becomes exceeding loud. The thunder roars. The God of glory
speaks in dreadful tone. The God of glory still speaks terribly when the
roar of thunder proclaims the Gospel truth. The terrified conscience hears
and quakes. It was so on the day of Pentecost. It is so still in the
recesses of many hearts. The full consummation draws near. Then, in the
Prophet's words, "The Lord shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from
Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake."
4. "The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of
the Lord is full of majesty."
As the storm thickens, the majestic power of the Lord is
more appalling. When the Gospel-voice goes forth to subdue the heart, the
might is irresistible. It rides forth terrible in majesty. They who now
yield will calmly smile when this voice shakes terribly the earth.
5, 6. "The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon's mountains skip
like a calf and Mount Hermon to leap like a young bull."
The storm moves onward towards the north. It thickens
over the vast forests of Lebanon. It shatters the strong cedars of those
hills. The mountains seem to tremble in frightened agitation. The nimble
boundings of the calf and bull are figures of their trembling motion. Thus
the Gospel, working with power, lays low all lofty thoughts. Then the heart
trembles, and the conscience quakes. These emblems are weak to show the
terrors of the great day, when the earth shall reel to and fro, and its deep
foundations tremble in affright.
7. "The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire."
The forked lightning now flares. Divided flashes dart
fire on the earth. It is the voice of the Lord which sends them forth. Let
Jehovah's power be adored. Here the wonders of the day of Pentecost are
clearly seen. The Spirit comes in tongues of fire, and rests on the
Apostles' heads. Thus His rays penetrate the heart, give light, and purify.
May the Spirit enlighten all our darkness! May we be kept watching, for the
day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat; the earth, also, and the works in it shall be burned up.
8. "The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the
Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh."
The storm envelops the whole heavens from north to south.
It rages through the wilderness below Judea. There are no limits to its
fury. The voice of the Gospel has no boundaries. It goes forth into all the
earth. By the Spirit's power it will gather in converts from all lands.
Universal, also, will be the wonders of the great and terrible day of the
Lord.
9. "The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve,
and discovers the forests; and in His temple everyone speaks of His glory."
The effects of the storm are mighty. The frightened hinds
produce their young. The leaves fall thick, and show the stripped branches.
These, indeed, are glorious works. The storm proclaims God's glory. But the
Church is God's glory in the highest. All who are thus called, with one loud
voice, speak of the glories of His grace, His love, His righteousness, His
truth. Oh, may the Lord be ever glorified in us!
10. "The Lord sits upon the flood; yes, the Lord sits
King forever."
After the storm, torrents descend. The waters of Noah
seem to drown the earth. As in the deluge, the Lord sat in calm majesty upon
His throne in serenity surveying the scene; so now He reigns forever King of
kings and Lord of lords.
11. "The Lord will give strength to His people; the
Lord will bless His people with peace."
Amid all storms of nature now, and troubles within, and
in the final crash of worlds, God's people are undismayed. Strength for all
trials is their portion. His blessing, which conveys all joy, is on them.
Christ's legacy is peace. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give unto
you."