1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him. 2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it! 8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together 9 before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
REFLECTION:
This psalm celebrates the marvel of God’s love, faithfulness, and righteousness, which bond together to win glory for “the ends of the earth.” (This psalm inspired Isaac Watts to write the hymn “Joy to the World!”) The chorus is joined by the sea and all in it, the world and all living things in it, the rivers and mountains as well.
When the Lord comes to earth to reign, God’s salvation appears. We, along with all creation, will at last be set free. It is with this anticipation of a future victory that the psalmist called on his readers to praise God.
Do you ever “cut loose” in joyful expression? Or do you sing your songs to God like a quiet ballad?
In your next cell meeting, sing some favorite praise songs together. Try to use some instruments, even if some homemade instruments, clapping hands, stomping feet. Really make a LOUD and JOYFUL NOISE to the Lord. After all, His coming will be a good thing for humankind. We who are believers should rejoice greatly as we anticipate it, and we should pray for its arrival.
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad! 2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. 3 Fire goes before him
and burns up his adversaries all around. 4 His lightnings light up the world;
the earth sees and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory. 7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!
8 Zion hears and is glad,
and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O Lord. 9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
10 O you who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints;
he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. 11 Light is sown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart. 12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!
REFLECTION:
The foundation of God’s rule is justice and righteousness. This psalm is vibrant with a sense of awe at God’s greatness. That greatness is displayed in a righteousness which establishes justice, punishes the wicked, and delivers the upright who hate evil.
This psalmist describes the appearance of God in glory in vivid word pictures: clouds and thick darkness, fire, lightning, trembling earth and the melting of mountains. They depict God’s awesome power, His consuming judgment, and the Lord’s coming to earth.
What word pictures can you use to describe God’s appearance in your life?
Since God loves righteousness and hates evil, it is only fitting that those who love Him should hate evil. By doing so, they will receive His blessing rather than His discipline. If we live a righteous life we are promised both light to guide us and joy to accompany us.
Which description fits you the closest: (1) Hater of evil? (2) Faithful? (3) Religious? (4) Upright in heart? Which would you like to be? Speak with God about it.
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples! 4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! 8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts! 9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth!
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.
REFLECTION:
This psalm is vibrant with shouts of joy as God approaches to “judge the world in righteousness.” It is a portrait of God’s children lining the streets, with arms open, jumping up and down in excitement as the Lord approaches.
If our own relationship with the Lord is warm and close, this psalm will excite us too. The Lord is near! He’s coming back soon! And we are lining the street, eager to meet Him and filled with a great joy!
In light of this universal call to worship, think of those around you and on the other side of the globe. What does this psalmist prompt you to do about those who don’t know God?
Pray for someone who does not yet know God. Pray about inviting that person to join you in worship.
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
