The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!8 Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O Lord.
9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.10 O you who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!
It was Easter Sunday, very early in the morning in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I was just beginning to wake up to get ready for our Easter SONrise Service. It was raining and storming quite hard and I wondered how we would possibly handle having an outdoor Easter service. Just then came a roll of thunder that lasted at least 15 seconds (it seemed like a lifetime!). I got out of bed and was paralyzed. What to do! I believe it may have been the forming of a tornado. It was that loud and lasting. And scarey!
That’s what I think of when I read this part of this psalm:
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
Sounds like a traumatic weather/seismic/firestorm event to me! Sounds like nothing I’d like to be part of if I had the choice. That’s the thing about such events, though. They don’t ask permission from the likes of us humans before inserting themselves into our lives. They just make their way into the warp and woof of our lives. Often unannounced. Sometimes with warning. Dangerous, destructive, and disarming.
The Bible says that God is a consuming fire (cf. Deuteronomy 4:29; 9:3; Hebrews 12:29). Martin Luther explains each of the 10 Commandments beginning with the words, “We should fear and love God…”
Some people hear that and want to have nothing to do with such a god. They would choose a kinder gentler version of God: A gentle Jesus, meek and mild… iteration of the One True God. That is not our God.
But neither is a god who is only fire and brimstone, judgment, destruction, and smiting. He is both holy and mighty as well as kind and merciful. And his love is always supreme.
We sometimes teach a This is That technique in our training of pastors and spouses with PLI. It’s a way of helping people to remember past events and see how the church has navigated those events and changes. This [change, event, plan,] is that [past event] all over again. But in the case of a tyrant, fire and brimstone, judgment and smiting (only) god, That is not This.
Our God is no wimp. He is all powerful. Mighty. Holy. A consuming fire. But he is also merciful and gracious. Loving and kind. He is the God who inspired St. Paul to write, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). We rightly both fear and love God above all things.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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