Ps. 29, God’s Communicable Attributes (14, Omnipotence)

b)    Omnipotence: by His infinite power, He is able to do all He wills. 

Psalm 29 is today’s reading.  The Psalmist seems to be watching a powerful storm, with mighty wind and thunder and lightning, and in it he sees God’s power.

Psalm 78:42-55 42 They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy, 43 When He worked His signs in Egypt, And His wonders in the field of Zoan; 44 Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, that they could not drink. 45 He sent swarms of flies among them, which devoured them, And frogs, which destroyed them. 46 He also gave their crops to the caterpillar, And their labor to the locust. 47 He destroyed their vines with hail, And their sycamore trees with frost. 48 He also gave up their cattle to the hail, And their flocks to fiery lightning. 49 He cast on them the fierceness of His anger, Wrath, indignation, and trouble, By sending angels of destruction among them. 50 He made a path for His anger; He did not spare their soul from death, But gave their life over to the plague, 51 And destroyed all the firstborn in Egypt, The first of their strength in the tents of Ham. 52 But He made His own people go forth like sheep, And guided them in the wilderness like a flock; 53 And He led them on safely, so that they did not fear; But the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 54 And He brought them to His holy border, This mountain which His right hand had acquired. 55 He also drove out the nations before them, Allotted them an inheritance by survey, And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents. Another important lesson we learn from the Exodus is God’s omnipotence.  In Ps. 78 the Ephraimites did not learn this lesson, and thus had not trusted God.  Thus, they had not properly displayed God’s glory.  The result was that God took away their privileged position of having the Ark of the Covenant in Shiloh.  Again, this is a “communicable” attribute.  We are not “omnipotent” but we do understand the concept of “power.”  When we are strengthened by God’s power He is glorified and we are blessed.

Psa. 147:5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. There is nothing God sees and knows that is beyond the limit of His power.  That is comforting for believers.

Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. This greatly encourages me when praying. 

Deut. 33:26-27 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, And in His excellency on the clouds. 27 The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, ‘Destroy!’ Knowing God’s omnipotence was critical for Israel as they entered the land.  The first time they were at the border, they feared the people of the land and dishonored God by refusing to go in. 

Let’s revisit “omnipotence” in the next post.