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
Voices have power! When Adolph Hitler spoke at Templehof Airfield in Berlin, one million people gathered to hear him. In 1965, more than 55,000 screaming fans squeezed into Shea Stadium to hear the Beatles sing. When a five-year-old child whispers a prayer before an audience of One, her voice is somehow heard. Voices have power.
But “the voice of the Lord” commands the attention of the whole earth. Trees wither, mountains quake, fire dances and the earth dissolves. Whether speaking to nations or angels, rulers or adversaries; whether speaking in thundering sounds, or with a still, quiet voice, the Lord commands attention.
So why don’t we listen to the voice of the Lord? What is it about the voices of the world that capture our attention and move us to action, while the voice of God seems archaic and out of step with our lives? Could it be that the immediate is more impressive than the eternal?
God wishes to speak to us…to you! Be still, be quiet; listen to what God would have you hear today.
Prayer
Gracious God, forgive me for my selective hearing. Speak to your servant and give me faith to follow your Word. Amen.