Trembling Before God

"Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, ⁸ Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters."

Psalm 114:7-8

There are many fearsome things on this planet, things like tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, lightning, and volcanoes.  These powerful, earth shaking and changing events are only the edges of His ways (Job 26:14).  There are things people are afraid of for whatever reason, and many suffer from debilitating phobias.  Though there is much on earth which people fear, and the earth fears the Almighty God!  The psalmist bid the earth to tremble before its Maker who does marvellous things.

I don't know physical trembling for people is an everyday occurrence, and trembling due to fear does not have a positive connotation for me.  But if there are things on this earth which make us tremble from nervousness, fear, or excitement, then we should definitely tremble before the God who created them.  Think of it:  if you are afraid of heights, shouldn't you tremble before the God whose presence dwells above them?  If you are afraid to swim in the oceans, shouldn't you fear the God who inhabits the depths and created all living things who dwell therein?

Psalm 114:3-4 says at the presence of God "The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. ⁴  The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs."  The psalmist personified the sea as one who fled, and the mountains and hills skipping and scattering like rams and lambs.  The creation knows and fears God our Maker, yet man can stand proud and resolute against God.  If this great earth trembles like a leaf before God, only ignorance, conceit or folly can be reasonable answers why men do not tremble also.  The irony is God has given man unique abilities among all He has created to observe, reason, and understand - and so our pride before God is most unreasonable.

Let us remember our great God and His wondrous works, worshipping Him in humility.  He can turn the rock into pools of water and flint into a fountain.  Praise the LORD from these once proud hearts of stone He can cause Living Water to spring forth and provide salvation through Jesus!