"The voice of YHWH is powerful (literally, "with strength"); the voice of YHWH is filled with majesty!" (Ps. 29:4). And that power is manifest in nature as the voice "breaks the (huge) cedars of Lebanon, makes Lebanon (itself) skip about like a calf, and Sirion (a euphemism for Lebanon) like a very young ox" (Ps. 29:6). The voice may be seen in the lightning, in the shattering thunder that follows the flash, in the rumbling that shakes the wilderness itself, in the wind that "strips the forest bare" (Ps. 29:7-9). Little doubt that the voice of YHWH possesses immense power.
But that power is not the attribute that brings worshippers to be in awe of the voice. "YHWH sits on the flood, sits as king forever!" (Ps. 29:10). "The flood" (mabbul in Hebrew) is the great cosmic ocean, that vast body of water that existed as the stuff of YHWH's creation, as it is found in Genesis 1. There can be no doubt that YHWH existed prior to that flood, and is full master of it. What we now ask of YHWH's power are two things: strength and peace (Ps. 29:11). These two properties characterize the very essence of YHWH in this poem. YHWH's strength leads directly to YHWH's peace. We trust in the power of YHWH's strength in order to work for the wonders of YHWH's peace. We do not ask for strength in order to kill our fellows, to control those who are weak, to manipulate those who are oppressed. We ask for strength in order to work for peace among all of God's people.
This poem is easily 3500 years old, predating, for example, the works of other Hebrew psalms by nearly one thousand years. Yet, its ancient cry for strength leading to the search for peace remains supremely relevant to us moderns as we strive for peace in a world bent on war and destruction. And this profound idea lies at the very center of the baptism of Jesus, 1500 years after the poem was written. In Jesus we find, too, the great search for peace, from the one we call "Prince of Peace." May his baptism, and ours, lead us to the work for peace, rather than to the search for power over our fellow humans. May the voice of YHWH speak peace for us this day and always.
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