Psalm
97 reminds me that sometimes we need a little rain to trust God with
the reins of our life. It is not until we grasp that God created us
to worship Him alone that we willingly accept His perfect will.
Listen as the psalmist describes Almighty God. “The
Lord reigns, let the earth be glad“.
Mankind is so easily corrupted, but God rules with perfect
understanding. He adds, “Righteousness
and justice are the foundation of His throne“.
There is no compromise in God. We can argue and resist, but God
does not change. He describes God’s relationship with the world,
“Fire
goes
before Him… His lightning lights up the world… the earth sees and
trembles… the mountains melt like wax…
before
the Lord of all the earth“.
He even adds, “The
heavens proclaim His righteousness“,
and yet some of us stubbornly want to remain in the driver’s seat
holding tight to our possessions. He writes, “All
who worship images are put to shame“.
In contrast, those who trust God “are
glad because of Your judgments“.
He concludes, “The
Most High over all the earth… guards the lives of His faithful
ones… and joy on the upright in heart… Rejoice in the Lord… and
praise His holy Name“.
Let the rain remind you that God reigns.
Psalm
98 reminds me of a retro dance that was held in my Junior High
school. My friends and I did not attend, but we stood outside,
looking in through the windows, making fun of everyone. Silently we
saw the smiles and laughter and were very aware that we were on the
outside. The psalm describes the reaction we have after experiencing
God’s forgiveness. He writes, “Sing…
He has done
marvelous things…
The
Lord
has made His
salvation known
and
revealed His
righteousness to the nations“.
Thankfully, God’s righteousness is tempered by “His
love and His
faithfulness“. We
cannot plead ignorance, “All
the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God“.
The writer can’t contain himself, “burst
into jubilant song…
make
music to the Lord…
shout
for joy before the Lord, the King“.
God puts reminders all around us, continually inviting us to enter
in. “The
rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for
joy; let them sing before the Lord“.
God is reflected in the complexity of His creation. If you are on
the outside, looking in, he ends with a promise, “He
will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity“.
Are you willing to stand on your own goodness?
Psalm
99 eliminates any confusion about God’s desire for you and me.
“The Lord
reigns, let the nations tremble… let the earth shake… He is
exalted over all the nations… He is holy“.
God is holy and we are not. “The
King
is
mighty, He loves justice“.
He explains that even the most revered men did not dare stand before
God, trusting in their own goodness. “They
called on the Lord and He answered them… He spoke to them from the
pillar of cloud“. You
see, God is “a
forgiving God“. “You
answered them…though You punished their misdeeds.”
He does not ignore our rebellion, but rather, He upholds His
standard. How does sinful man stand before Holy God? The Bible
teaches that Jesus stood in our place. His sinless life paid the
penalty for our sins against God. “Christ
Jesus, who has become for us… our righteousness, holiness and
redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast
in the Lord’.” (1
Corinthians 1:30- 31). That is why I sing with the psalmist, “Exalt
the LORD… for the Lord our God is holy“.
Will you trust Him with the reins of your life?