Masterpiece // Psalm 29 (Sound)
Nina Burroughs Interview
Derek Wright Interview
Some things can’t be explained—they have to be expressed. That’s what made the creative expressions in our service so powerful: the dance, the music, the movement. They gave shape to emotions and truths words alone couldn’t carry. Sometimes, you have to move your body, your hands, your eyes—project things your mouth can’t say. That’s worship. That’s glory in motion.
In this final part of our Master Peace series, we’re invited to consider a key question:
What sound is your life making?
Psalm 29 gives us a vivid, poetic image of the glory of God. It's not a quiet glory. It thunders, flashes, shakes, and breaks. It rolls through creation like a storm, causing even the mountains and trees to respond. The Psalm describes God’s voice as thunderous and majestic, leaping across the land from the mountains to the desert. His presence doesn’t just inspire—it demands a response.
Glory Has a Sound
In Hebrew, the word for glory is kavod, meaning weight, worth, power, and presence. It’s not just something we give to God—it’s something that emanates from Him. If God is the French horn, glory is the sound that horn makes. It’s everything that flows from Him—His beauty, perfection, and presence made visible and tangible.
So, how do we respond to glory? Psalm 29 gives us two powerful ways: worship and obedience.
1. Worship: Bowing to the Glory of God
Psalm 29:2 says, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.”
Worship is our celebration of God’s glory. It's not just a song—it’s a posture. The Hebrew word for worship literally means to bow down. True worship places our hearts above our heads—it submits our thoughts, opinions, and desires to the Spirit of truth. Worship isn't just what we do on Sundays; it's how we carry the tabernacle of God's presence into every space of our lives.
Worship is the natural response to a glorious God. “In His temple, all cry, ‘Glory!’” (Psalm 29:9). When God shows up, we bow—every knee will, one day. Whether by choice or by awe, we all will acknowledge His glory.
2. Obedience: Conforming to the Sound
Psalm 29 ends not just in worship, but in submission. The voice of the Lord moves through the land like a storm—breaking trees, making deserts dance, shaking mountains. But after the storm, verse 10 says, “The Lord sits enthroned over the flood.”
God is still on the throne—judging with justice, blessing His people with peace. The flood symbolizes judgment, but His people experience His blessing. That’s the invitation: will we respond to His glory with obedience? Will we conform to His will rather than resist it?
Obedience is not rigid legalism—it’s alignment with His voice. It’s choosing to live under the weight of His presence instead of carrying the weight of our own will.
3. Work: Reflecting God’s Glory
Worship and obedience are how we respond to glory. But how do we reflect it?
Through our work.
Our work is not a distraction from God’s presence—it’s often the very place His glory is displayed. Whether it's music, dance, parenting, business, or driving a brown UPS truck—your work can be worship.
Martin Luther once wrote:
“All our work in the fields, in the garden, in the city, in the home, in struggle, in government—to what does it all amount before God but just such a child’s performance, by which He wants to give His gifts in the fields, at home, and everywhere? These are the masks of God, behind which He wants to remain concealed and do all things.”
God could feed us without our farming. He could raise our kids without our effort. But He chooses to work through us. He builds, blesses, nourishes, and redeems—through our hands.
Jesus said in John 17:4, “I have glorified You on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do.” He glorified the Father not only with words or miracles, but with the ordinary, everyday work of obedience. He lived a fully human life, perfectly aligned with God's will—and in doing so, He showed us what it means to glorify God in all things.
Getting Honest About Our Glory Addiction
Let’s be real: most of us don’t struggle to be productive—we struggle to stop tying our identity to our productivity. We want to build something great. We want people to know our name. We want a slice of glory.
But here's the hard truth: our work is not our calling—God is.
He doesn’t just want something from us; He wants us.
Our excellence, our goals, our resumes—they’re not wrong, but they’re not ultimate. We must repent of making our standards into idols. Even our desire to "do it for God" can become a veiled attempt to do it for our own glory.
Your job is not your calling. God is calling you to Himself. He is your source. And His glory is best displayed not when we strive to be impressive, but when we submit to be transformed.
So, What Sound Is Your Life Making?
The storm in Psalm 29 didn’t last forever. It passed. And after the storm, God remained—enthroned, sovereign, glorious.
So we ask:
What sound is your life making right now?
Is it a sound of worship—or a sound of striving?
Is it a sound of obedience—or of self-promotion?
Does your work reflect God's glory—or your own?
We were made to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Not just in song, but in every breath, every task, every decision.
Let your life make a sound that says Glory.
