Voice



Prayer: Before You, Lord, we bow, Our God who reigns above
And rules the world below, Boundless in pow’r and love.
Our thanks we bring In joy and praise,
Our hearts we raise To You, our King!

Read: Psalm 29
http://www.esvbible.org/Psalm 29:1-11

Think about It: Throughout the Old Testament, there is one “god” in particular who is mentioned over and over as a false idol and a sinful people bow down to worship him. That god is Baal. The Children of Israel are exposed to Baal worship already in the book of Exodus as they spend nearly 400 years as the slaves of the Egyptians. The worship of Baal was witnessed by them daily and when God freed them from the Egyptians, unfortunately they took those worship ideas with them into the wilderness. When Moses comes down from Mt. Sinai having received the Ten Commandments from God Himself, the people have decided they would rather worship Baal than the Living God.  Moses was so angry with them that he busted the stone tablets that had been     written on by the hand of God.

Elijah does battle with the Baal worshipers as well on Mt. Carmel as he challenges them to a duel to see which “god” is real. Baal can’t generate so much as some smoke over the altar his priests build. God burns not only the animal sacrifice, but the wood, the stones, the water poured upon the altar, and the very dirt upon which the altar stood.

One of Baal’s attributes was that he was the god of storms and   thunder. In the reciting of this Psalm, David’s words fly right in the face of that belief as he declares that Yahweh is the God of thunder and     lightning. Yahweh’s voice thunders and destroys anything that stands in His path. Yahweh has the power to blow Baal away completely. In fact, what He declares is that Baal doesn’t exist at all. God doesn’t even have to lift a pinky finger. All he need do is speak a word and cedar trees break into pieces. God’s voice is so powerful that He was able to create the entire universe just by speaking it into existence. Our false gods (no matter which one you choose) cannot create even a raindrop, to say nothing of thunder and lightning, wind or hail, snow or sunshine!

Finally the Psalm ends with a complete turnaround. “The Lord gives strength to His people: the Lord blesses His people with peace.” After thunder, lightning, wind, and destruction, when it comes to His people God provides strength and peace! We worship a mighty God!

Prayer: May ev’ry mountain height, Each vale and forest green,
Shine in Your Word’s pure light, And its rich fruits be seen!
May ev’ry tongue Be tuned to praise
And join to raise A grateful song.

        Earth, hear your Maker’s voice;  Your great Redeemer own;
Believe, obey, rejoice,  And worship Him alone.
Cast down your pride, Your sin deplore,
    And bow before The Crucified.

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