Psalm Meditation 672
Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 5, 2013

Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl,and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(NRSV)

One of the signs of comfort with power is the ability and willingness to share it with others. The psalmist extols the power and glory wielded in God’s voice alone. The voice of God has the power to break cedars and to make the ground look like the jumping of a young animal. The voice of God has the power to change everything in an instant. The power of God’s voice is frightening to some and awe inspiring to those with an awareness of the source of all this power.

At the same time that God is wreaking havoc on the world, the psalmist asks for strength and blessing for the people of God. It is the equivalent to interrupting a dictator, who wields absolute power over others, in mid tirade in order to ask a favor. There is as much danger of instant death at the hand of the dictator as there is chance of getting a hearing. The psalmist is confident that God is not a power mad dictator.

There are folks who see God as a frightening tyrant. These folks do all that they do out of fear that they will somehow offend God and end any chance of spending eternity in God’s presence. (And why would anyone want to spend eternity in the presence of anyone who is both absolutely powerful and easily offended?) Others see God as one who wields power and shares it with others at the same time. This God can scoop us up mid tirade and give us comfort and peace. God offers us a share of the strength we witness on a regular basis and blesses us with the ability to use that strength as free people of God.

April 29, 2013