You asked

how did ancient israelites and their neighbors understand the relationship between storms and deities?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Psalm 29:3-4

“The voice of Yahweh is on the waters. The God of glory thunders. Yahweh is over many waters. The voice of Yahweh is powerful. The voice of Yahweh is full of majesty.”

Psalm 29 is a psalm of David, a worship song praising God's power and majesty, especially as revealed through a powerful thunderstorm. It calls on divine beings to acknowledge Yahweh's glory, describing the storm moving from the Mediterranean Sea across Lebanon and Kadesh.

When we experience natural forces beyond our control, what does this passage invite us to consider about the source of that power?

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Read alongside it

1 Kings 18:41-45
Elijah's prayer brings rain after a long drought, demonstrating Yahweh's control over weather.
Job 38:22-38
God challenges Job with questions about the creation and control of natural phenomena, including storms.
Jeremiah 10:13
Jeremiah attributes thunder, rain, and winds to the Creator, contrasting with idol worship.

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