What a fierce picture of God! Thunderclouds, lightning, a warrior. This psalm has all the makings of a war god within it. In fact, it is a psalm that could lead people to feel uncomfortable. After all, it's 50 verses of God's thunder. Yet I wonder if it is people's interpretation of this psalm that is scary, rather than what the psalm actually says.
We see God as a warrior in this passage, certainly. But what we do not see is God as an arbitrary killer who is a hired gun for whoever can pray the loudest. God is not a weapon to be used- Israel learned that lesson often. When we read of God in the Old (and New) Testament as a warrior, it is God serving as a rescuer, not a bloodthirsty imperialist who will always help "us" beat "them." David clearly sees God as a rescuer in this psalm.
So when I think of these fierce images of God, I think of a fierce love that rescues those in trouble and proclaims release to the captive. After all, it's that fierce love that rescued me, right?
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