Psalm 29  Psalm of praise written by David

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his a holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.

8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

11 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

SECTIONS

I  Give glory to God (1-2) The Lord’s Supremacy over angelic beings

II God’s voice is powerful  (3-9) the Lord’s Supremacy over the forces of nature

III God’s is sovereign and on his throne  (10-11) the Lord’s Supremacy over humanity

THEME: Give glory to God

QUESTIONS:

What does it mean to ascribe glory to the Lord?

How can you give glory to God?

What does the voice of the Lord do? Why do you think David uses these descriptions?

DIFFERENCE TRANSLATIONS:verse 9:

New American Standard “The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

Contemporary English: The voice of the LORD makes deer give birth before their time. Forests are stripped of leaves, and the temple is filled with shouts of praise.

Holman Christian: The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the woodlands bare. In His temple all cry, “Glory!”

ADDITIONAL VERSES

2 Corinthians 3:18 – And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit

Revelation 4:11 – Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.

1 Chronicles 29:11 – Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all

Revelation 14:2 – And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder.

Ezekiel 43:2 – And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory.

John 12:29 – When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

https://studyandobey.com/inductive-bible-study/psalm-119-studies/psalm-29/

The word “ascribe” used in ESV means to “attribute something to” or “regard a quality as belonging to.”  We are to declare God’s glory in our mind, words, and actions. It is His divine right.

What are some ways that you can be more aware of God’s glory and give Him glory? Meditate on God and praise him for his attributes. Give testimonies of God’s goodness. Think of testimonies to share with others which will glorify Him. When somebody praises you, deflect that praise to God. Give Him the credit for successes. Write down testimonies or answered prayer to share with others later.

What is the difference between worshiping God and giving glory to God? They are very similar. Worshiping God in an intentional act. It is any action or word which is done to give God glory, like exalting God because of His character. Worship is also a response to His faithfulness and to all the wonderful things He has done for us. Worship should be a lifestyle and not just a twenty minute time on Sundays at church.

David mentions the “voice of the Lord” many times. In each, God is demonstrating His power and supremacy over the world and all aspects of creation from the weather, sea, vegetation, elements, and the animal kingdom. David saw evidence of God everywhere. Nature itself demonstrates God’s power and design abilities. Nothing else could explain the perfect order of weather, or the wondrous workings of the animal kingdom. If our eyes have been opened by Him, we will see the same. But not everybody does. Many people see these signs of God’s presence and close their eyes, ears, and hearts to Him.

Thunder is one of the most powerful and awe inspiring events in nature. And it comes from the heavens. It’s understandable how the mighty claps of thunder came to be associated with God speaking from heaven. David’s description in this passage is not necessarily literal. It’s a poetic description of the complete power and authority of God. All creation has no choice but to obey God.  He is not distant, but close to us and to this world which He created. He is intimately aware and involved with everything that goes on, from the storms in the heavens to a tree which crashes on an unexplored island.

Water is one of the most powerful forces in the world. Tsunamis wipe away towns. Waves swamp ships. Flash floods sweep through destroying everything in their path. Great canyons are carved from stone by the relentless force of water over time. David reminds us that God has power over the waters. His name should be feared, not the thing that He has created.  Sometimes forces in life may feel overwhelming. Wave after wave of difficulty sweeps over you. And you feel too tired to face the next onslaught. During those times, remember that God is enthroned above all of these things. Seek refuge and strength in Him.

Siron is a mountain. What David is saying is that even the land itself jumps at God’s voice. This imagery is figurative, but also reminds us of the power released in great earthquakes. The Lord is enthroned above it all. God is on His throne. He is sovereign and in control. We don’t need to fear because we have a good king looking out for us.

When you face the “floods” of this world remember this. Don’t look down. When Peter tried to walk on the water, he could do it as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. But when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the stormy waters, he instantly sank. Are you facing a difficult time- perhaps with finances, health problems or relationship issues? Take your eyes off of those things and fix them on Christ. He will guide you through.

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The Lord sits enthroned. He has a panoramic view of all things concerning His children. He sees an approaching storm long before it reaches us. His sovereignty either directs the storm towards us or redirects it from us. We have no need to fear the storm because it’s under His authority. From His throne, He uses each storm to shape us into His image. He teaches his lessons in the turbulence and throughout the aftermath. Reflect upon a time God spoke to you through a storm. How did He use the storm in your life? Ascribe glory to Him for what He has done for you in the past.

Real peace during and after our storm is only possible through a relationship with Jesus. Real peace can look at the wreckage and see hope and can look at the future and smile. This peace is supernatural. Those who do not have a relationship with Jesus ask, “How could this storm not have caused her/him to crumble?” The Lord blesses His people with a peace that helps us stand firm no matter what the circumstances. God is creative and always wants to do new things in the lives of his children. Sometimes the new thing involves a storm to wipe out the old to make way for the new. Isaiah 43:19 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

SONG: God of Grace and God Of Glory; All Heavens Declare