Ascribe greatness
by Ruth Olsen
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Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name (Psalm 29:2a).
The footnote in my NIV Study Bible describes this psalm as a hymn of praise for the King of Creation, whose majesty and power are trumpeted by the thunderbolts of the rainstorm!
We have had a few thunderstorms this year. What do you tend to do when there is thunder rolling in? I wonder what David the young shepherd did when thunder was around, both for his sheep and wellbeing out there in nature. Can you imagine him finding a cave to shelter in and then simply watching and listening to the power on display in the thunderstorm?
A lightning strike and responding thunder can make things shake and rattle! Wind and rain in the storms can flatten trees or strip them bare. My Study Bible footnote says the glory of the Lord is not only visible in the creation; it is also audible in creation’s most awesome voice.
The power on display is beyond our control! The best thing is to find shelter and watch in awe and wonder. David calls the ‘mighty ones’ – perhaps referring to the angelic host or to any thought to be gods – to ascribe to the Lord glory and strength (verse 1). And for all of us to recognise and acknowledge the Lord who holds all things in his hands, not just ‘the whole world’ as the old song goes, but the expanding universe! Not just the galaxy our home is in but also the new galaxies continually being discovered. It all proclaims the Lord’s glory!
David reminds us that, amid his majestic display, the Lord cares for us. He is ‘enthroned as King forever’, above the thunderstorm, while at the same time, his heart is always towards us. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace (verses 10,11). He is our shelter, and we can find our ‘safe place of peace’ in him, our dwelling place (Psalm 91:1; Matthew 11:28–30).
Lord God – Abba Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit – we give you glory, honour and praise. You are amazing – always! Amen.
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