The voice of God in a Thunderstorm

“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders… The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” Psalm 29:3, 11

As Pat and I flew from Los Angeles to Omaha this last Monday night, the Lord put on quite a display of His power as we flew by several thunderstorms over the state of Utah. These pictures do not adequately display the majesty of these storms, but they do remind me of what King David wrote in Psalm 29. 

David describes God’s power as he watches a thunderstorm begin out at sea and move inland over Lebanon toward the north of Israel (29:3-9). Seven times the phrase “the voice of the Lord” (29:3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9) is used in this Psalm to refer to the sound of thunder during the storm’s movement inland which set forests on fire through its lightning and shook the earth causing the deer to give birth.  

The same power manifested in a thunderstorm is available to God’s people today to give them His peace (29:11). His voice can calm the storms in our lives as we look to Him in faith (cf. Mark 14:35-39).