The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare;
and in his temple all say, “Glory!” Psalms 29:3-9
I love this text because of the term “The voice of the Lord.” When I read, “The voice of the Lord is over the waters,” I am reminded of Genesis 1, in which God speaks creation into being. Then Genesis 1 leads me to John 1, where Jesus is the Word, the voice, of creation. This has led me to think of Jesus every time I read “The voice of the Lord” in Psalm 29. So, taking some poetic license, I reimagine this Psalm to read:
Jesus is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters. Jesus is powerful; Jesus is full of majesty. Jesus breaks the cedars;
the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. Jesus flashes forth flames of fire. Jesus shakes the wilderness;
the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. Jesus causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare;
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The incarnation of Jesus shakes our world to the core; shakes US to the core! How we see the world is turned upside down. The first is last. The weak are strong. The poor have much and the rich are sent away empty. We see Jesus in the broken and excluded. Life is found in death. Grace is for all. Enemies are loved.
In Jesus our world is shaken to the core so that all we have left to glory in is God. “Glory!”
Pastor Tim
