Psalm 29

Scripture  Psalm 29:10-11  

The Lord sat as King at the flood; Yes, the Lord sits as King forever.  The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace. Observation-What does it say?  This is another Psalm of David.  The title of the psalm, “The Voice of the Lord in the Storm,” indicates that this psalm might have been intended to be sung during a storm.  “It seems to be the general opinion of modern annotators, that this Psalm is meant to express the glory of God as heard in the pealing thunder, and seen in the equinoctial tornado. Just as the eighth Psalm is to be read by moonlight, when the stars are bright, as the nineteenth needs the rays of the rising sun to bring out its beauty, so this can be best rehearsed beneath the black wing of tempest, by the glare of the lightning, or amid that dubious dusk which heralds the war of elements”(Charles Spurgeon).  The Lord’s greatness can be seen and expressed in the darkest of times.  The God who was in charge at creation, was also in charge during the flood.  His wrath and the patience he displays is also a display of His great power.  But, even more importantly, it is also an example of how much greater His love is for us. Understanding-What does it mean?  They say hindsight is 2020.  After this last year, with all of the businesses running at lower capacity, unending closures of parks and some public spaces, people inching toward bankruptcy because of additional expenses, and not to mention the fear of catching a virus, I wonder if that phrase will fade into obscurity.   But even with all of the bad that happened in the last year, God was still incharge.  He was the God who sat on the throne during the Vietnam War, the Great Depression, through the September 11 Attacks.  He is the God who sits on the throne when we're feeling alone and empty. In Matthew 10:28-30, we read the words of Jesus when he said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”  We know from His own words that our God cares for us deeply and will provide the strength to carry on through the storms of life, just like He did for Paul, who was jailed and beaten for his belief in God.  He was also shipwrecked and has his life threatened on several occasions.  Despite all of this Paul wrote, “ I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13) Life Application  Jesus, fill me with your strength, especially as the world around seems to be falling apart.  With all the pain that fills this world, help me to know that you are still King on the throne.  Help me to sing of your greatness in the midst of the storm. Help me to know your power through the storms.-Tyler Galloway