Psalm 29

vs 1

I just have to say that, on the outset, this psalm is much more like some modern Christian music, in its repetition. Which makes it perhaps more familiar to us, but that much more boring.

We start with a typical lyrical statement - about angels ascribing greatness to God. Of course, being lyrical doesn't make it fictional. It's like writing about butterflies and rainbows, which are also not fictional. Not that angels are like butterflies and angels either. But they do praise God, so it's like telling butterflies to fly or rainbows to be colourful.

vs 2

And why should they be doing this? Because it's what God deserves. He deserves to have heavenly beings singing his praises, and ascribing him greatness.

vs 3

The waters of course being a place that Israelites weren't that keen on as a rule, so to know that God thunders over them is a show of his power over all things. It could also be a picture of a storm out to sea, which is a pretty awesome sight.

vs 4

If we were thinking of thunder in a storm, then the voice of the Lord is powerful, majestic, and also difficult to understand. But then, it's just a picture. Thunderstorms are not God. God actually talks, with a voice that is actually powerful and actually majestic.

vs 5

Again, something a storm might do. But also something God may will to do, even just to show his power, through and over creation. The Lord floods Brisbane, for example.

vs 6

My assumption is that the leap comes from a crash of lightning. Krakow! Eep!

vs 7

So, in fact, God says, "Krakrakrakow boom!" Again, it's a description of power.

vs 8

Kadesh is the desert of the wilderness wanderings, where Miriam died, and where Moses struck the rock with his staff. In one sense, showing that God's voice shakes the desert is a nice contrast to the oceans of earlier. Why the desrt of Kadesh in particular? Perhaps simply because it is a famous desert from Israel's history. I mean, if I were going to mention something in a song, I'd mention something someone would understand - so if 'my heart leapt like a' I'd say kangaroo instead of, say, bilby, or marsupial mouse. My heart may have leapt like all three, but people know kangaroos.

vs 9

I don't know if you've ever given glory to God when looking at a natural event, like a storm. I have, and it's not something I do often, but I assume many people have, since there are so many songs and prayers and videos and such about it. When God did directly (and pre- or post-announced) reveal himself or acted using weather phenomenon, there is a very strong link to them and him to his people. When your fig trees are being stripped of fruit, you don't cry out "Glory" because you don't like figs. You do it because there really isn't any other response to the power of God. Sort of like Job, really.

On a slight tangent, this is one of those verses that makes me wonder how people can say the KJV is the more readily understandable version. Apart from all the unnecessary 'th's, what is a hind? Apparently, it is "the female of the deer, chiefly the red deer, Cervus elaphus, especially in and after the third year". Well. Specific.

vs 10

As much as this psalm has not been one of my favourites, this verse is particularly poignant at present, considering the flooding in Queensland and parts of NSW, and parts of Victoria, and parts of Tasmania. As much as God is king over all that, he is king over all things forever. Comforting thought, and hopefully to many.

vs 11

This is what I would hope and pray for those Christians suffering in the floods at present - that God would give them strength, and bless his people, especially as they seek to help others overcome the grief of loss, and in the clean up and rebuilding.