Psalm 29: Song of the Thunderstorm

Psalm 29 is another of David’s nature psalms.

Eighteen times David mentions Yahweh.

“In this psalm a storm is thrillingly described from its beginning, through the height of its intensity, until it dies away. The structure of the poem exhibits elaborate symmetry, which appears in the prelude (vs. 1, 2), in the description of the storm with its sevenfold repetition of the phrase ‘the voice of the Lord’ (vs. 3–9), and in the conclusion (vs. 10, 11). It is a verbal cameo.” “The psalm describes the fury of a great storm originating over the sea, accompanied by gale winds, by peals of thunder, and by fiery flashes of lightning, coming in from the Mediterranean and sweeping over the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountains before it loses its force in the eastern desert.” For those who have stood in awe at the majesty and power of a lightning storm, David’s comparison of the “Song of the Thunderstorm” to God’s power and grandeur is apropos. David equates “the voice of the LORD” to thunder and sees attributes of God displayed in the storm (v. 3).

Slowly, the storm gathers out at sea.

Thunder rolls over the breakers and onto dry land (v. 4).

Wind gusts beat the mountains of Lebanon (v. 5).

Mountains reel and appear “to skip like a calf,” as the wind whips trees and grasses into waves (vv. 5, 6). Mount Hermon is battered by the wind. Lightning streaks across the sky in bolts of flame (vv. 6, 7). The storm moves east, lashing the Syrian Desert (v. 8).

Trees quake before the wind (v. 9).

“All things—the thunder, the lightning, the crashing of the trees, the shaking of the wilderness, the leaves being stripped from the trees—declare the power and glory of God.” Then heavy sheets of rain fall (v. 10). Finally, the storm passes. Stillness and assurance replace tumult and anxiety (v. 11). “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, / Bow down before Him, His glory proclaim.”