Psalms for Teens 3 – Praise – Psalm 29

October 31, 2012 by Robbie in Kingdom of God, Old Testament Theology, Power of God, Praise, Psalms, Psalms for Teens, the Father | 3 Comments

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Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
    the God of glory thunders,
    the Lord, over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
    the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
    the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
    and Sirion like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
    the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth
    and strips the forests bare,
    and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
    the Lord sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the Lord give strength to his people!
    May the Lord bless his people with peace!

This is a beautiful praise Psalm that coincides with the praise theme that God is universally present and sovereign. Sovereign is a fancy word that simply means God is king and reigns over all of creation. It is said that David wrote this Psalm (or it was for David…) and we are unsure as to the situation when David wrote it. Perhaps you could imagine David strolling through his kingdom on a donkey or a hummer and he looks at everything that is around him. Immediately he asks the people to stop so he can have his scribe jot down a few lyrics he is thinking about. As he looks at everything he is moved by the vastness of God’s awesome power and the only thing due to God is giving him the glory!

That’s exactly what he asks the readers and the heavenly beings to do: give God the glory. “Ascribe” is a fancy term that simply means assign or designate. Note why God is designated with glory (vv. 3-9): he is over the waters, thunder, the trees, regions of land, fire, and even a deer giving birth. Notice the contrast in verse 9 between birth of a deer and death of a forest. But the comparison is that both are naked: one entering and one existing. I am reminded of Job when he says, “Naked I came into the world (mother’s womb) and naked I shall return…blessed (or praise) be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

God’s be praised because he is universally sovereign and universally present.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Give a time when you felt pulled to praise God? What were some words you used to describe God’s glory?
  2. Talk about specific things (write them down) where you see God’s sovereignty?
  3. Why do you think David asked God to give us strength and peace to his people (v. 11)? In other words, what is so important about strength and peace?
  • Robbie Mackenzie

    Tomorrow I will look at Psalm 104 which is a Praise Psalm of Creation.

  • http://www.letnoonedespiseyouryouth.org Bethany

    1. after reading revelation 4 and i thought God’s glory is beautiful

    2. i see God’s glory in the intricacy of creation

    3. strength and peace are what gets us through life. how else could we even become close to overcoming temptations if we are weak and chaotic?! thats why God created flies and ants. basically finding strength and peace is finding refuge in God.

    • Robbie Mackenzie

      Revelation 4 is awesome in the sense it brings to light a snapshot of what the throne of God looks like. Continual glory is bestowed on God in its fullest sense. Nothing can be more worthy of praise. I will look at Psalm 104 today and talk about the intricacy of creation. I like your comment on strength and peace.