August 8 – Clouds

        Psalm 68:32 – "Sing to God, oh kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to Adonai, to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice."

        How often do we contemplate the sky, the clouds, and the way they are formed and move over our heads? The grey overcast sky with no rain can be depressing, but the billowing clouds of summer thunderstorms can be awesome. I believe that Psalm 68 was written by David in triumphant fashion as a song that reflected the pageantry of the final journey of the ark of the covenant, to the tabernacle in Jerusalem. It was a picture of God ascending Mount Moriah to take his place as the triumphant king, reigning over Israel's territory.

        It is quite interesting to hear David use the poetic words "to him who rides the ancient skies above." What? God rides and travels, and transports himself on the clouds? I thought that the spirit of God appears wherever he wishes, in the blink of an eye. Why does he have to take the time to float by, in the clouds? It is to give us an impression of God's power and sovereignty. Psalm 18 also gives us a picturesque, hyperbolic view into the awesome view of God. In summer, the clouds start to thicken as the heat of the day rises higher and higher. From a distance, we can see the skies growing darker as the storm forms and approaches. Lightning flashes and peals of thunder follow. Then the downpours come, possibly with wind, and the storm passes by, doing God's bidding. I like to sit on the front porch to watch as the storm approaches, usually from the west or northwest, here in the mid-Atlantic region. It really is a display of the power of God. As David Zaffiro states in his song "Through His Eyes", "like a mirror held to God, the storm reflects his strength".  What an awesome word picture!

        One October I spent an evening by myself at Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia. As dusk approached, I sat upon the rocky slope looking west. God seemed to ride on the clouds and linger for awhile, as he painted the sky with purples and yellows that I had never seen mixed before. I took the best sunset photos that I have ever taken. And then he flew away into the fading grey.

        Praise be to God for the daily change in his clouds, for his daily display of power.