The Voice of the Lord

Reflecting on Trinity Sunday: One Day after Sunday (Year A)

Scripture

Psalter: Psalm 29

Old Testament: Job 38:39—39:12

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 12:1-3

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Prayer

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Reflection

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!” (Psalm 29:3-9).

In the Bible, words are deeds. God speaks and things happen. In Genesis, God offers the word of creation and whatever God commands comes into existence. In Psalm 29 the voice of the Lord is over the waters. It’s powerful. It breaks the mighty cedar trees. It strikes with powerful flashes of lightning and it shakes the desert. Psalm 29 is a reminder that God is God. And while God loves creation, in the Old Testament the nature of God, to use the words of Gerald Wilson, is not one of buddyship with his people, but one of Lordship.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,

though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,

only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,

perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

It is the holy character of God that separates God from humanity. In the Bible when Human beings encounter the holiness of God, they have a heightened sense of God’s deity and of their humanity… and unworthiness.

When we see God for who God truly is, we see ourselves for who we are—flawed people in need of his salvation. We must be reminded of the words of the last stanza of Psalm 29.

The Lord and sits enthroned over the flood.

The Lord is enthroned as king forever.

The Lord gives strength to his people. The Lord blesses his people with peace.

 The voice of the Lord is mighty and powerful. God is able to save.

PRAYER: O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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