Psalm 29

11/11/09

In the Midst of the Storm

(from the highest, lowest and then the Highest)

“But the Lord is in His Holy Temple.  Let all the earth be silent before Him.”

Habakkuk 2:20  (NLT) – all versions.

Key Words – The Lord  mentioned 18 times

Pronouns referring to The Lord, and God and King mentioned 25    times

Voice of the Lord mentioned 7 times

Ps. 28 – David was afraid he might perish with the ungodly

Ps. 29 – David expresses his faith that God will save His own –

There 4 or more different ways to look at this Psalm.

1.     A present thunderstorm.  One that David is experiencing – He could be in it and sharing all that was happening around him.

vv. 3-4  David looks and sees the storm coming – out over the Mediterranean

·       The voice of the Lord is

·       Upon the waters the Glory of God thundereth.

vv. 5-6

·       Full of majesty – it sweeps eastward, breaks over Lebanon and Mount Hermon – He made them skip like a calf

vv. 7-9

·       Bursts over the dessert – shaking forests and hills, torrents of rain, lightening and thunder shakes the earth –

Beneath from our prospective there is fear, dread, worry, panic –

Above from God’s viewpoint the Angels sing Holy, Holy, Holy – There is peace –

          v. 9  ”In His Temple everything saith, “Glory” and there will be “Peace”

2.     From the Prophet David –

      He sees a powerful Throne –

·       The coming of Christ at the end of the age to rescue Israel –

·       The Cedars are broken – the strongest and mightiest of trees symbolic of Worldly Magnificence –

·       The mountains – symbolic World Powers within the Bible – rebellion and apostacy

Vs. 10          The Flood only used 13 times and always referring to the Great Flood during Noah’s life.  Gen. 6:10  God’s judgment and only Noah and his family were saved.

          Jesus s coming again and He will shake the powers of the earth but above it all enthroned in Glory will be the Lord and the last word will be “Peace”.

3.     A Practical – Everyday Theme –

·        The storms of life.

Everyday brings a new challenge – sickness, loss of job, divorce, death of a loved one –

The wrecks of life come in like the fury of a storm, pulling at us from every direction, shaking and twisting our world, fear, doubt keep hammering away at our faith.

          Philip says the godly Israelite saw all the phenomena of nature in a “religious mirror”.  It mirrored to him the greatness of God’s power. – beneficience, glory and wrath.  He saw nature as a revelation of God.

When the storms of life are raging

Tempests wild on sea and land

I will seek a place of refuge

In the shadow of God’s hand –

Enemies may strive to impress

Satan all his arts employ

God will turn what seems to harm me

Into everlasting joy.

So, while here the cross I’m bearing

Meeting storms and billows wild

Jesus for my soul is caring

Naught can harm His Father’s child.

Author Unknown

God wants us to dwell above the storms in our lives.  He wants us to trust His perspective.  He offers peace and we said “Glory”.

4.     Personal Application of the nature of God and what we believe

vv. 1-2  He is Lord –

          Give unto the Lord –

·        Honor, glory, strength

·        For the glory of His name

Worship Him with holy garments of praise – Ex. 28:2 priests wore “garments for glory and beauty”

Worship God here as He is being worshipped in Heaven –

Worship Him in Splendor (outshining)-(qodesh) of His Holiness

vv. 3-9  He is Mighty in Power and Strength.

The voice of the Lord over the waters –

  Is. 57:20 – The wicked are like the troubled sea –

  Eph. 4:14 – so that we be no longer like children tossed to and fro by the waves

  Rev. 17:15 – “The waters which you saw ‘are peoples, and multitudes and nations (Babylon)

The voice of God is used 3 times in regards to the Natural Man – the Lost

·        It is upon the waters

·        It is powerful (His restrained power)

·        It is full of majesty

God speaks to those who don’t know Him as Savior and Lord –

          He speaks through His written Word

·        Nature

·        Dreams and visions

·        Spoken Word

to those who have His written Word and to those who don’t ---

He speaks through thunder and through a still, small voice.

God’s voice is still being heard today.

Vs. 5-6  The Lord speaks to His own -  The Lord used only one voice to call His children.

The Shepherd speaks and His sheep hear His voice—

God’s goal, His choice for us is that we climb the heights with Him.  It was a mountain range in Lebanon that Jesus was transfigured.  Where the glory of His deity burst forth through the veil of His humanity.  Are we willing to climb that mountain with Him – to stand as a mighty Oak, a tall Cedar?  Are we will to stand the tests of the storms brooding around us?

          Did Abraham know that loving his son would cause him the most difficult

          Decision a parent can make?

Will you still love me if?  You have more in you than you think.  I am in Your Storm.  God asks –

Job – if you loose your family and health

Joseph – if you are imprisoned wrongly

Hannah – if you don’t have any children

They experienced the “Mighty Rushing Wind” of the Holy Spirit in the time of their storm –

Vs. 7-9  But what about the “Lots” of the world –

          They want the best

          God saves them when they get in trouble

          They don’t seem to go through the storms –

                    Perhaps they don’t need the storm to test them.  They wear their decisions.  Not God.

God knew what Abraham would do –

          Abraham needed to know how deep was his love for God.  How deep were his roots.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came as a mighty rushing wind and with fire and with a thunderous outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

          Man became a Spiritual Man –

vv. 7-9  “Twisted Mighty Oaks” – Oaks referred to those God is growing – they are in danger because of their decisions –

They are more interested in the physical concerns of life –

          I think, I want, I need –

The Voice of God speaks 3 times to them.

Vs. 7  Danger ahead strikes with lightening bolts to get our attention – draw our focus back to God --  Prov. 27:12

          Looking for happiness away from God & not able to be happy in either world.  Lot’s choice cost him his wife, his earthly goods and the lifestyle of his daughters.

          Jonah’s choice cost him the joy of seeing a nation come to God.

Vs. 8  - Emptiness – Voice of the Lord makes the desserts quake – God’s voice should shake us up – when we feel in despair, isolated or helpless.

Vs. 9 – He twists His mighty Oaks – gets their attention – brings them back –

So that those in His Temple Shout – “Glory”

Vs. 10-11  The Epilogue

          The Lord rules over judgment – Flood waters

          The Lord is King forever –

          The Lord gives His people strength (in the midst of the storm)

          The Lord BLESSES His children with Peace – in the midst of the Storm.

Psalm 30 – Rejoicing after the hardship of Discipline

“God uses hardship and affliction as a means of discipline, a means of training His children, of helping them to mature in their spiritual lives.”  John McArthur.

Michelangelo was once asked how he could take a solid block of marble and carve from it a beautiful piece of art like his famous statue of David.  He said, “I just chiseled away everything that did not look like David.”