Big Idea: God has many voices, sometimes proclaiming his majesty and power through nature, while his people acclaim the message in worship.

Understanding the Text

In this beautiful psalm of praise, the “voice of the Lord,” the central thrust of Psalm 29, heard in the frightful storm, announces in nature’s accent the lordship of Yahweh, ending in the peaceful lull of the storm. In Psalm 96 (v. 10a) the announcement of the Lord’s reign sends the heavens and the earth and all creation into passionate jubilation.[1] See the sidebar “Psalms of Praise” in the introduction.

In both a literary and theological sense, Psalm 29 is beautifully balanced. The call to worship of 29:1–2 is balanced by 29:10–11, the final announcement of God’s enthronement as “King forever,” and from that truth issues f…