In this three part psalm, David gives instruction to the “heavenly beings.” Does he mean angels? Stars? Creatures made in the likeness of God? Regardless of the intended recipient, we will all do well to follow his lead.
Verses 1-2
As mentioned before, Yahweh is the personal name of God given to His people meaning “the eternal, self-existent one, the “I Am.” To this One we are to ascribe (or give credit to) glory and strength. He is due our praise. He deserves our worship for “the splendor of His holiness.”
Verses 3-9
David expounds on this “splendor” in the next six verses focusing only on the voice of Yahweh.
His voice is above the waters, reminding us of Creation when the earth was yet without form. His voice is earthquake like in its power, making the cedars of Lebanon break and mountains skip like a calf. The voice of Yahweh flashes fire, shakes the wilderness, and causes the deer to give birth and the seasons to change.
Our only response should be “glory” (verse 9). Not complaint. Not petition. Simply praise to God for who He is and all He does. If we are to serve Him and love Him, we must bow to Him.
Verses 10-11
The closing verses provide an interesting contrast. Breaking it down we begin with
The Lord sat enthroned at the flood.
The HCSB notes state the word for “flood” used here is used only when referring to the universal flood of Genesis 7-8. In creation and in destruction, God reigns supreme. Verse 10b says,
The Lord sits enthroned, King forever.
He is above all and controls all. As King, He has the right to do with His kingdom and His subjects anything He wishes.
We often think of a person with this kind of power as a tyrant, because power corrupts those with an already sin-bent nature. God is not a tyrant. He is a good and gentle King.
The Lord gives His people strength; the Lord blesses His people with peace.
God is Holy. He judges His creation rightly. And because of this, he wiped out the early generations with a flood. In the end, He will destroy all remaining evil with fire. His holiness demands purity. But His love thrills in doing good for His children. He gives those that love Him strength and peace.
Yahweh is not cruel. He is just and a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
This post is Day 29 of the 31 Days of Journaling through the Psalms series. If you would like to read the first post, Psalm 1: The Wise and the Wicked, click here. The introduction to the series can be found here.
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