The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD is over many waters. (Psalm 29:3)

Picture the psalmist David sitting on the side of a mountain in northern Israel watching a storm blow in off the Mediterranean Sea, across Lebanon, destroying the well-known “cedars of Lebanon” (Ps 29:5), over Mount Hermon (also called Serion), with lightning and mountain-shattering thunder. Animals are frightened into premature labor, and the trees left standing have had the bark ripped off (Ps 29:9). One terrific hurricane-level storm engulfs the land.

This “natural” phenomenon reminds David of the Lord, and he invites his readers to join him in worship:

“Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name; worship the LORD in holy array.” (Ps 29:1-2)

When he hears the thunder, he thinks:

The voice of the LORD is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD is over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful, the voice of the LORD is majestic. (Ps 29:3-4)

Truly, David’s heart is so attuned to God that he sees with the perspective of the angels in Isaiah’s lofty vision of God’s throne room: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory” (Is 6:3). Everything, including a storm, shows forth the “God of Glory.”

Rather than being overtaken with fear of this fierce natural occurrence or taken in by the demonstration of nature’s power, David views the thunder and lightning as showing the Lord as “powerful” and “majestic” (Ps 29:4). It shows God’s glory.

No, weather conditions are not a matter of natural occurrences, but are orchestrated by God, the Maker of all things, for “[t]he LORD sat as King at the flood; yes, the LORD sits as King forever” (Ps 29:10). Even more so, when we see such fierce things like thunder and lightning, we are reminded that “[t]he LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace” (Ps 29:11).

In the ancient world, when the nearby nations and the remnant of pagan worshipers still lingered in the land and worshiped local “gods” of nature, David worshiped the “God of Glory,” who is Yahweh the LORD.

Lord, I will never fear “natural” catastrophes but see Your glory in them.