LORD God of Hosts

"O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. ⁹ You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them."

Psalm 89:8-9

The LORD God of hosts is supreme over all, and all power and authority is His.  The One who created the sea can rule it, and His might is incomparable.  The psalmist Ethan the Ezrahite asked, "Who among God or man can compare with the LORD?"  Man is at the mercy of the power of a raging sea, but God has the power to still the waves.

This passage reminds me of when Jesus and His disciples sought to go to the other side of Galilee in ships.  Mark 4:37-41 reads, "And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" ³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" ⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

What a contrast between Jesus and His disciples as they travelled in a boat which rapidly filled with water!  Jesus slept soundly whilst the disciples feared for their lives.  When they roused Him with cries, wondering if He cared their lives were in danger, Jesus rebuked the wind.  He did not shout; He did not need to.  He said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" - and the sea immediately was calm.  The disciples were amazed beyond measure, wondering who Jesus could possibly be.  Psalm 89 penned by Ethan the Ezrahite had already identified who Jesus is:  the LORD God of hosts!

How wonderful is this, that the storms we face are under the rule of our LORD and Saviour Jesus.  The Good Shepherd of our souls is altogether faithful and will not forsake His little ones.  He does not fear as we do, and He does not help like we might expect.  Perhaps the disciples wanted Jesus to bail water out of the sinking ship or grab a rope, but Jesus stilled the storm with a calm voice.  Only God rules the raging of the sea, and Jesus identified Himself as God by the miraculous signs He did.  Let us place our faith in and glorify the LORD of Hosts, for there is no one mighty to save as He.