Meditate on a Psalm With Me
This past week I had the opportunity to take a week off from my responsibilities at church to get some needed rest now that the school year has come to a close. Near the end of the week, Cana and I took a few nights to go camping in Olympic National Park. For those of you who have been, you would know that that park is known for its diverse and grand landscapes. Its snowcapped peaks, alpine meadows, massive trees, wildlife, and Pacific coast were a few scenes we were able to enjoy and be humbled by. It’s one of those locations that makes you feel so small and in constant awe of God’s creation. Even the photo I took above couldn’t seem to fully capture the beauty we were witnessing.
On our drive up to the peninsula, Cana and I decided to start our trip by reading a few Psalms. One of the Psalms we read was Psalm 29 which felt very timely for what we were about to experience.
The Psalm begins by stating,
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you 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 his holiness.
The opening lines remind us that the purpose of all God’s creation is to give Him glory. From the snow caped peaks to our own lives, all of it is meant to be a reflection of our far more beautiful Creator.
The Psalm continues by using creation language from Genesis 1 to describe God’s authority and power over even the most awe-inspiring parts of our world.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert 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!”
Reading verses about mighty waters, cedar trees, forests, and deer, hit home in a unique way as we sat in the midst of it this weekend. If I am without words and filled with joy when witnessing God’s creation, I can’t imagine what it will be like when we stand before Him one day face to face.
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
11 The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
I am entering this week feeling especially refreshed and humbled by the glory of our God, and I pray this Psalm will speak to you as well. It is only through Him that we can rightly see and represent our Creator. My prayer is that as God’s creation we would find joy and grow in our ability to magnify the splendor of our King!
Jacob Abrahamson
Youth Pastor