The Voice In The Thunder: Finding Strength And Peace In The Majesty Of God Series

Introduction: The Sound of Power

My brothers and sisters, have you ever been caught in a truly powerful thunderstorm? I don't

mean a gentle summer shower, but a tempest. A storm where the sky turns a dark, bruised

purple. A storm where the lightning doesn't just flash, it splits the heavens, and for a split

second, night becomes a stark and terrifying day. And then comes the thunder. Not a distant

rumble, but a deafening, bone-rattling crack that seems to shake the very foundations of your

home. It's a sound that makes you feel small. It’s a sound of raw, untamed, and immense power.

In our modern world, we can explain it. We talk of atmospheric pressure, static discharge, and

sound waves. But the psalmist David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, heard something

more in the thunder. He heard a voice. He heard the very voice of Almighty God.

Psalm 29 is David’s thunderstorm psalm. It is a symphony of divine power, a portrait of God's

majesty painted with lightning and thunder. And in this awesome display, David finds not a

reason for terror, but a profound reason for worship and, ultimately, a deep and abiding comfort.

Today, I want us to walk through this psalm together. I want us to see that the God whose voice

shakes creation is the very same God who promises to give us strength and peace. We will look

at three movements in this great hymn: The Unavoidable Summons, The Seven Thunders of His

Majesty, and The King Above the Flood.

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Point I: The Unavoidable Summons (vv. 1–2)

The psalm does not begin in the storm. It begins in the throne room. It begins with a command,

a summons issued not to the weak or the meek, but to the mighty. David cries out:

"Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD

the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."

Who are these "mighty ones"? Commentators suggest they could be angels, the heavenly host.

They could be the powerful kings and rulers of the earth. In either case, the message is the

same: the most powerful beings in creation are commanded to acknowledge a power infinitely

greater than their own.

Notice the word "Give." It's not that God is lacking in glory or strength and we must supply it to

Him. No! The word here means to ascribe, to attribute, to recognize and declare what is already

His. You cannot give the sun its heat, but you can declare that it is hot. You cannot give the

ocean its depth, but you can stand at its shore and declare that it is deep.

We are called to give God the glory due unto His name. His very name—Yahweh, the great I

AM—carries with it the weight of all power, all authority, all existence. To withhold this praise is

not just an oversight; it is cosmic theft. It is robbing God of the honor that is intrinsically His.

And how are we to do this? We are to "worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." Our worship

must not be casual or flippant. It must be clothed in reverence, in awe, in a purity of heart that

recognizes we are approaching the Holy One of Israel. Before the storm of His power breaks

forth in verse 3, we are first reminded of our proper posture: on our knees, ascribing glory to the

King.

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Point II: The Seven Thunders of His Majesty (vv. 3–9)

Now, the scene shifts. From the call to worship, we are plunged into the heart of the storm. And

David describes the power of God using a repeating, hammer-like refrain: "The voice of the

LORD." Seven times, like seven great peals of thunder, he declares what this voice does.

First, "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters...the God of glory thundereth" (v. 3). The voice

commands the chaotic, deep waters—the ancient symbol of chaos and terror. He is not

frightened by the sea; He thunders over it.

Second, "The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty" (v. 4). This

is the summary statement. His voice is not just loud; it is potent, effective, and robed in royal

splendor.

Third, "The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of

Lebanon" (v. 5). The cedars of Lebanon were legendary. They were symbols of earthly strength,

pride, and longevity. Kings built their palaces with them. And God's voice shatters them like

twigs. All that seems strong and permanent in this world is fragile before Him.

Fourth, He makes the mighty mountains themselves, Lebanon and Sirion, "skip like a calf...like a