Psalm Meditation 1307 ¶Proper 9 ¶July 6, 2025 ¶Psalm 29 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2029&version=NRSVUE ¶Sometimes the voice of authority is the loudest of the voices. It rises above the volume of the chatter that surrounds so many of us much of the time. That voice is one that is felt as much as it is heard. It feels as if it could break branches and bones by its very strength and volume. Other times the loudest voice is simply more and louder noise. It doesn’t add any more to the conversation, and the volume makes it easier to tune out. One of my seminary professors, responding to the recording of a sermon for preaching class said, “There is a man who substituted volume for lack of preparation.” ¶Sometimes the voice of authority is the one we have to strain to hear. The authority is speaking to those who will hear rather than to everyone. It is calm and calming giving us a sense of tranquility and an assurance that this voice is the one to which we want to listen. This authoritative voice does not rise above the crowd, it gathers a crowd of those who long to hear what is being said. It draws us away from the crowd into that place where truth and real power reside. ¶The voice of God thunders, and does so impressively. The voice of God can also be the ‘still small voice’ that speaks to our hearts and not just our ears. It is the voice that says, ‘do not be afraid’ in a way that calms the fears that rise within us. When we are not afraid, we can do what needs to be done at the same time we find peace within ourselves. ¶June 30, 2025 ¶LCM