1 Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones,
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.
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 skip 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 twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
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.
The voice of the Lord is powerful. It was the Lord's voice - His Word - that called all of creation into existence. It is His voice that can bring the dead back to life. It is also His voice that can strike terror; for He is holy and just.
But look at those last two verses. Should the Christian live in (the scared kind of) fear? Oh no! We must honor the Lord and submit to Him, for He is enthroned as King forever. But take a look at verse eleven. This mighty, powerful God, to Whom all glory is due:
gives strength to His people;the Lord blesses His people with peace.
Friends, we must start our days in two ways:
1. Ascribing to the Lord the honor, glory, worship, and praise due His name and2. Remembering how much He loves, cares for, strengthens, and blesses His people.
Yes, to some degree God is untouchable and unknowable, and we must simply and regularly ascribe to Him the glory due His name. But to a pretty amazing degree He has made Himself known to His people through His Word, revealing that He loves His children, calls them to be His own, and promises to bless and keep them. To bless and keep you, friend, if you have put your trust in Him. Incredible, isn't it?!
Let's begin the day at the right starting place: ascribing glory to the Lord and remembering He will give us strength and bless us with peace. Then taking a look at the to-do list or praying through concerns can be flooded with hope, not despair. Because the Mighty God to Whom we pray is not only able to meet our needs, but loves us and desires to.
Blessings on you today!