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radiance, fire and storm

Psalm 50:1-3 (JDV)

Psalm 50:1[1] The God of gods, Yahveh, speaks; he summons the land from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Psalm 50:2 From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appears in radiance.
Psalm 50:3 Our God is coming; he will not be silent! Devouring fire precedes him, and a storm rages around him.

radiance, fire and storm

Do you really want to see God? My guess is, probably not. If you have ever seen such beauty that your breath stops, that’s is what he looks like. But there’s more. Have you ever been afraid of a raging fire, wondering if it was going to turn into your path, knowing that you would not be able to escape its destruction. Have you ever been in a storm so ferocious you wondered if it was going to sweep you away, with no place of refuge from its power? All of those images describe the presence of the God of the Bible.

For years, God’s people had been praying for him to show up. But the psalmist gently reminded them here that they might not be ready for what happens to them when he does.

Lord, build in us an appreciation for who you are. We long for your presence, but we want to be ready for you when you appear.

[1] Superscription: A psalm of Asaph.