Our God Is an Awesome God

PSALM 29

Main Idea: God’s power over creation declares his status as King and calls all creatures in heaven and on earth to praise him.

I. Worship the Lord for His Glory (29:1–2).

A. Acknowledge his power (29:1).

B. Honor his name (29:2a).

C. Praise his holiness (29:2b).

II. Worship the Lord for His Sovereignty (29:3–9).

A. He is sovereign over the waters (29:3–4).

B. He is sovereign over the mountains (29:5–7).

C. He is sovereign over the wilderness (29:8–9).

III. Worship the Lord for His Majesty (29:10–11).

A. Our Lord is the King in his position (29:10).

B. Our Lord is the King by his promise (29:11a).

C. Our Lord is the King with his peace (29:11b).

One of the most beloved and well-known Christian hymns, popularized by George Beverly Shea who would sing it at Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusades, is “How Great Thou Art.” It is easy to imagine the writer of this magnificent hymn reflecting on Psalm 29 as he penned those words. Psalm 29 is “a grand hymn of praise” (VanGemeren, Psalms, 291), what James Boice calls “pure praise … pure poetry” (Psalms 1–41, 254).

The psalm praises the God of creation who sovereignly reigns as Lord over all things. Several literary and poetic features tie this majestic psalm together:

• The name “LORD” (Yahweh) occurs eighteen times.

• The phrase “the voice of the LORD” occurs seven times.

• The psalm uses the words of ancient Canaanite poetry, possibly as a polemic against the worship of Baal who was believed to be “lord of storms” (VanGemeren, Psalms, 292). Baal is not god; Yahweh is!

• The poem divides into three sections (vv. 1–2, 3–9, 10–11), with a movement from heaven to earth, as well as from west to east, and then possibly from north to south.

This psalm celebrates the God who is King, the God who is omnipotent, and the God who is the Lord above the storm. The psalm contains no prayer or petition, no lament or confession. Instead, it challenges us to acknowledge and worship with the mind and the heart our God who is an awesome God!

Worship the Lord for His Glory

PSALM 29:1–2

The psalm begins with a two-verse prologue of praise built around the verbs “ascribe” (or “give,” KJV, NKJV) and “worship” (see Ps 96:1–2). The prologue highlights three truths that explain why and how we should worship the Lord for “the glory due his name” (v. 2).

Acknowledge His Power (29:1)

The word ascribe appears three times in rapid succession. Each is an imperative (Ross, Psalms 1–41, 655). “Heavenly beings” is literally “sons of gods” in Hebrew and denotes the angels in heaven. The psalm calls those who sang at the dawn of creation (Job 38:7) to lead the way in acknowledging the worth and omnipotence (“glory and strength”) of the God who is the sovereign Lord. Tell the Lord there is no one like him. It honors him and instructs you.

Honor His Name (29:2a)

For the third time we see the word ascribe. For the second time we see the word glory. We are to give honor to the glory of Yahweh’s “name.” Yahweh’s name is a constant theme in the Psalms. “His name” speaks of his nature and character, who he is, and all that he is as God.

Psalm 8:1 tells us his name is “magnificent.” Psalm 9:10 says of God, “Those who know your name trust in you.” Proverbs 18:10 tells us “the name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected.” Philippians 2:9–10 tells us there is a “name that is above every name … the name of Jesus.” Our God has a name that we must honor.

Praise His Holiness (29:2b)

The verb now changes from “ascribe” to “worship,” though the meanings are closely related. Derek Kidner writes,

Both of the main notes of true adoration are heard here in the words ascribe (or “give”) and worship (or “bow down”), for the former enlists the mind … while the latter enlists the will to take the humble attitude of a servant. (Psalms 1–72, 125)

Understanding leads to response. Angels bow down to the Lord and praise him in beauty, the “splendor of his holiness.” It is unclear whether it is the Lord’s holiness that is in view or the angels’ (and our) holiness with which they are to come before him. If it is the angels’, Allen Ross likes the translation, “Worship the LORD ‘in holy array’ ” (Ross, Psalms 1–41, 657). However, the flow of the text points again to the character and nature of God. Angels (and we) are to bow down in worship, adoration, and praise because the awesome God of power and salvation is also an awesome God of beautiful or splendid holiness. No god is like this God. He is utterly unique and distinct. He is the God who is holy and true (Rev 3:7), the God who says, “Be holy because I am holy” (Lev 11:44, 45; 19:2; 20:7; 1 Pet 1:16). Why? Because as Habakkuk 1:13 affirms of God, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.” We who have been made holy through the blood of Christ are to worship the Lord who is holy.

Worship the Lord for His Sovereignty

PSALM 29:3–9

The Bible teaches us about the awesome power of the Word of God. In Genesis 1 our God speaks creation into existence. He speaks the word, and it happens. In John 1:1 we learn that the “Word,” the logos, is a person. It is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, the Word, God created all things (John 1:3). Through him God sustains all things (Col 1:17; Heb 1:3).

Here in verses 3–9 the voice of that Word echoes in sovereign and awesome power and majesty. And he does so in nature by means of a tremendous and deafening thunderstorm.

He Is Sovereign over the Waters (29:3–4)

God’s glory, strength, and splendor rest over all his creation. David reflects on how God’s voice is heard in the claps of thunder. God is over all the waters—the waters in the sky and on earth. Yet something of his glory is uniquely experienced at the awesome sound of thunder in the thunderstorm. There is “glory” and “power” and “splendor” in his voice “above the vast water” (ESV, “many waters”). Martin Luther heard the voice of God in a storm of thunder and lightning (v. 7) in July 1805 and cried out, “St. Anne help me! I will become a monk” (Bainton, Here I Stand, 5). In a storm Luther began a spiritual pilgrimage that would lead him to become the father of the Reformation.

He Is Sovereign over the Mountains (29:5–7)

The storm building in the Mediterranean has moved east to the northern region of Israel, to the mountains of Lebanon and Sirion (or Mount Hermon, v. 6). These majestic mountains with their magnificent cedars are like twigs and small animals for entertainment in the presence of the Lord. He speaks, and the great trees break. They snap in two (“breaks” and “shatters”; v. 5). He speaks with thunder, and the mountains shake. They skip and tremble like a newborn “calf” or like a “young wild ox.” These mighty mountains, rising to a height of ten thousand feet, are mere toys for great Yahweh. With thunder comes lightning, and verse 7 draws our attention to this spectacular and fascinating display of God’s power. The pagan Canaanites were nature worshipers who believed the gods lived in the mountains (VanGemeren, Psalms, 295). The Lord has no respect for these puny gods and impotent deities. He shakes their house with thunder and banishes their darkness with “flames of fire” (v. 7) or “flashes of lightning” (NIV). God is not in nature; he is over nature. He is not in it; he made it. Enjoy nature, but do not worship it or turn it into some idol. Great as it is, it is nothing when compared to the God who created and controls it.

He Is Sovereign over the Wilderness (29:8–9)

The storm now moves farther east, or perhaps south, across the land of promise, the land of Israel. Moving from the majestic mountains, the storm reaches to the desert region, the wilderness of Kadesh. If the movement is South, images would recall the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Yes, God was and is in control in the wilderness too!

The first part of verse 9 presents an interpretive challenge. The CSB, NKJV, ESV, and NASB have, “The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth.” In contrast, the NIV has, “The voice of the LORD twists the oaks.” The NIV translation interprets the Hebrew phrase with influence from the next line, which reads “and strips the forest bare.” The interpretive decision is not easy, but both ideas are true. In the face of such a display of sovereign power, what can we say? What can we do? The last part of verse 9 provides the answer: we gather together in the place of worship, and we shout with the angels in verses 1–2, “Glory!” Praise initiated in heaven among the voices of the angels now is heard on earth in the voices of men and women, boys and girls. “Glory” initially had the idea of weight. It is the opposite of light, trivial, or inconsequential. Ross says, “To speak of God’s glory is to speak of his intrinsic value, what gives him his importance” (Psalms 1–41, 474). God is of supreme or ultimate importance. In response we give him praise, worship, and adoration. Mind and heart unite in humble recognition of the greatness and sovereignty of our God. As the chorus in “How Great Is Our God” by Chris Tomlin reminds us, God is a King clothed in majesty, splendor, and light. Darkness submits to him and cannot hide from him. Indeed, our God is a great God, so everyone on earth should shout for joy and praise him.

Worship the Lord for His Majesty

PSALM 29:10–11

As David considers the magnificent display of God’s might and majesty in the storm, his mind travels to another majestic display of God’s might: the Genesis flood. If ever there was an event that put on full display the majestic power of God over nature and in judgment, it was the flood. The flood, like the storm, shouts a clear and incontestable message: Yahweh, the Lord, is “King forever.”

Our Lord Is the King in His Position (29:10)

David tells us, “The LORD sits enthroned over the flood.” To build and expand on that truth, he declares, “The LORD sits enthroned, King forever.” The word “flood” appears only here and in the flood narratives of Genesis 6–11. It is the ultimate and supreme example of Yahweh’s glory, sovereignty, power, and majesty over the waters and over all creation. His majesty in power and judgment by means of a universal flood testifies to his position as King. Truly he is, as Revelation 19:16 proclaims, “King of Kings and LORDS of LORDS.”

Our Lord Is the King by His Promise (29:11a)

The God who has the strength to bring the flood of Genesis is the God who can give me strength for the day, for each and every moment. The phrase his people is crucial. To his people and only to his people does he promise strength. As he strengthened Noah and his family for the task of building the ark and surviving the flood, so he will strengthen us when the waters rise, the storms come, and we can only flee to him for strength. Through Christ we can do all things (Phil 4:13). Through Christ, the Word, the voice of God, the Lord will give us strength.

Our Lord Is the King with His Peace (29:11b)

The last phrase of verse 11 parallels the first but with a different and complementary emphasis. The phrase “his people” appears again. “Gives strength” finds a companion in “blesses his people with peace” (shalom). The storm has passed. The Lord is King over all. He is completely and majestically in control. God’s people experience peace, shalom, wellness of life in all its aspects.

There is a quietness and rest for the people of God even in the storm. Why? Hear the Word of God:

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 5:1 NKJV)

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7)

The God of glory is a God of grace. The God of majesty is a God of mercy. The God of power is a God of peace. Our God is an awesome God.

Conclusion

We can hear the voice of God in the powerful storm. However, we hear the voice of God best in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ. When our Lord was born, the angels, the heavenly beings sang a portion of Psalm 29. In Luke 2:13 we read, “Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly hosts … praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven [Ps 29:1], and peace on earth [Ps 29:11] to people he favors!”

When our Lord was baptized, Matthew 3:17 tells us, “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.’ ” When our Lord was gloriously transfigured, we read again in Matthew 17:5, “And a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased. Listen to him!’ ” The voice that witnessed and testified at each of these moments in history finds its embodiment in the personal voice of God, Jesus Christ, the Word of God (John 1:1). This is the one of whom Peter said, “You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). This is the one whose voice could calm the sea (Mark 4:38–41) because he is “the LORD who sits enthroned over the flood … King forever” (Ps 29:10). And it is concerning this one that the Bible says in Hebrews 3:7–8, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (see also Heb 3:15; Ps 95:7–11). Jesus, the voice of God, is speaking today. He says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28). Jesus is speaking. Are you listening?

Reflect and Discuss

1. The psalm calls the heavenly beings to praise God. In what ways does this call draw us to praise God?

2. Should Christians have prayers that praise God without making requests? In what ways will our prayers of praise shape our prayers of request?

3. Why is praise and worship “due” to God (v. 2)?

4. How does praising God for his glory and strength, his worth and omnipotence, instruct you about him? How could the lack of this type of praise lead to an inaccurate view of God?

5. Think further about the poetic imagery used to describe the Lord. Why are these images useful to describe the Lord’s power and glory?

6. Do you ever speak about God’s glory with your family, friends, and coworkers? Why or why not? In what ways could you do this?

7. How do Christians sometimes speak about God in a way that diminishes another’s view of his glory and power?

8. How is the story of the flood in Genesis a good example of both the Lord’s justice and his mercy? What other examples in Scripture display God’s justice and mercy in one event?

9. How can you use the power of God over creation to encourage other Christians in their faith? How could you use it to tell others about the gospel of Christ?

10. Why must someone submit to God as King if they desire to have the peace Psalm 29 speaks about?