This psalm presents an excellent example of the primary devices used in Hebrew poetry. Most English speakers think of poetry in terms of rhythm and rhyme. Lines are coupled with one another according to their sounds. In Hebrew poetry, the repetition of ideas or phrases creates the continuity. Note how throughout this psalm, a word or idea introduced in one line appears again in the next, creating a sort of "word chain" that holds the various parts of the psalm together.
The structure of the psalm is simple and easily detected. Verses 1 and 2 constitute a call to worship, while verses 10 and 11 extol the supremacy of God over nature and the fate of God's people.
The massive central section of the psalm speaks poetically of the power of God's voice. When God speaks, things happen. Nature moves. Kingdoms tilt and perish. The imagery is raw and blistering, like being at the heart of a lightning bolt.
When God talks, things happen.
