The Lord thundered in heaven, and the Most High gave His voice with hail and fiery lightning bolts.
Thunder is a poetic image of God’s mighty voice. David shows that the Lord’s voice is not weak or powerless. He is the Most High, and before His command even the forces that seem terrifying and uncontrollable to people are subject to His authority. This description does not mean that every natural thunderstorm is a direct sign of God’s special judgment. The psalm uses the dreadful images of a storm to present God’s powerful intervention. For the believer, this is a reminder of the authority of the Lord’s word. Human threats may sound loud and inspire fear, but above them is the voice of the Most High. His word has authority not only to judge enemies, but also to direct, warn, and lead His people. Therefore, our response to the Lord’s mighty voice should be not only trust and comfort, but also humility and obedience before Him.