Connect Psalm 89:9 with Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4:39. Opening the passages • Psalm 89:9 – “You rule the raging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them.” • Mark 4:39 – “Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. ‘Silence!’ He commanded. ‘Be still!’ And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.” Divine authority over chaotic waters • In the Old Testament, calming a storm is exclusively God’s domain. • Psalm 89:9 portrays the LORD as the One who “rules” and “stills” the sea—an unmistakable display of His sovereignty. • Echoes appear throughout Scripture: – Psalm 107:29 – “He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” – Job 38:8-11 – God sets boundaries for the seas. – Exodus 14 – The Red Sea parts at God’s command. Jesus reveals the same authority • Mark 4:39 shows Jesus doing what Psalm 89:9 credits to Yahweh alone. • His words, “Silence! Be still!” carry the same effortless power. • The immediate calm is not gradual; it is instantaneous—matching the “You still them” language of Psalm 89:9. • The disciples grasp the implication: “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mark 4:41). Implications for our understanding of Jesus • Equality with God: – Only the Creator commands creation this way (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17). – Jesus’ act places Him squarely in the identity of the LORD of Psalm 89. • Fulfillment of Messianic expectation: – The psalm is part of a larger context pointing to the Davidic covenant (Psalm 89:3-4). – Jesus, Son of David, demonstrates the covenant-keeping God in action. • Assurance of His lordship today: – Hebrews 13:8 affirms He is “the same yesterday and today and forever.” – The One who calmed Galilee still rules every “raging sea” we face. Personal encouragement when storms rise • His presence changes everything—“Let us go over to the other side” (Mark 4:35) sets the outcome before the storm even starts. • No crisis surprises Him; He was asleep because sovereignty never panics. • When life’s waves mount up: – Remember His promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) – Anchor hope in His proven power: the God who stilled the sea in Psalm 89 stands in the boat in Mark 4—and in every believer’s life today. |
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