Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.
—Psalms 29:1-11

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The Voice of the LORD in the Storm
By Jennifer Kane

Give Him glory—
not because we are told to,
but because the sky cannot help it.
Because the thunder knows His name
and the waves rise at His whisper.

The voice of the LORD
does not ask for attention—
it takes it,
breaking cedars with a breath,
carving rivers through wilderness,
calling lightning down like arrows
from a warrior’s bow.

There is no command in this psalm,
only wonder.
No instructions,
only awe.
Even the trees tremble
and the mountains step back
as His voice moves across the earth.

He is not frantic in the storm—
He is the storm.
He rides upon the flood,
enthroned
not by violence,
but by majesty.

And when the roar subsides,
when the echoes fall still,
He speaks peace—
not as a suggestion,
but as a gift.

All who dwell in His temple
know what to say.
They do not ask for anything.
They simply cry,
“Glory.”

~~~~~

Scripture: Psalms 29:1-11

There is a voice that rises above all others. A voice that thunders through the heavens and shakes the earth. A voice that commands storms and breaks trees, that stirs the waters and stirs the soul. It is the voice of the LORD—Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel—the One who is altogether holy, majestic, and worthy of worship.

Psalm 29 begins not with a description of what God has done, but with a direct call: Give unto the LORD. Three times this phrase is repeated, as if to rouse our hearts from complacency. Whether you are a “mighty one” by position, intellect, or influence, or whether you feel small and unseen, the call is the same: Recognize the glory and strength that already belong to the Lord. You don’t add to it—you acknowledge it. True worship is not a gift we bestow but a response we give when our eyes are opened to who He truly is.

David points our gaze to the heavenly realm and then to the earth, where God’s voice speaks with authority. He describes the voice of the LORD as powerful, majestic, awe-inspiring. Over the waters, across the forests, through the wilderness—the voice of God shatters cedars and calms or terrifies creation. And yet that same voice causes the deer to give birth and sustains life. His voice is not only forceful; it is perfectly precise, never missing its aim, never failing in purpose.

The world around us testifies to His power, but it is in His temple—in the heart of those who know Him—that the most meaningful declaration is made: “Glory!” We are invited into this holy response. We don’t worship Him merely because we should, but because we see the beauty of His holiness. His set-apart-ness is not cold or distant, but radiant and magnetic. There is something stunning about a God who is not like us—who is greater than the storms, yet near enough to speak to our hearts.

So, do you still hear His voice as thunder? Or has it become faint, like the whisper of a dropped paperclip in a noisy room? If the power and presence of God no longer stir you to worship, come back. Ask Him to renew your awe. Sit in His presence, listen to His Word, and watch the storm—literal or spiritual—until you say again, “Glory!”

Take time today to truly worship the Lord. Don’t rush. Don’t multitask. Reflect on His power, His holiness, and His unmatched glory. Ask yourself: Have I been giving Him the glory due His name? If not, what has taken His place in your thoughts, your time, your affections? Lay it down. Let your worship rise not just from obligation, but from a heart reawakened to the wonder of who He is. Let His voice resound in your soul again.

~~~~~

Lord Yahweh, Your voice shakes the heavens, yet You also speak gently to my heart. You are clothed in glory and majesty, and there is none like You. Forgive me for the times I’ve allowed the noise of life to drown out Your voice. Teach me to worship You in the beauty of holiness, to ascribe to You the glory that is Yours alone. Renew my awe. Stir my spirit until I rise with those in Your temple and cry, “Glory!” You are worthy, now and forever. Amen.

May 28 2025