 |
| "Let the sea roar and all its fullness" - Psalm 98:7 |
TO CHEW ON: "The Lord has made known His salvation … Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth … Let the sea roar and all its fullness." Psalm 98:2,4,7
The psalmist here urges three types of praisers to give it up for God:
Israel - Psalm 98:1-3: "For He has done marvelous things … The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations."
All the earth - Psalm 98:4-6: "Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth…"
Nature - Psalm 98:7-9: "Let the sea roar … the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord."
What's the reason for this praisefest?
"For He is coming to judge the earth" - Psalm 98:9
Really! We're to be joyful about God's judgment?
Yet, if we think about it, isn't a fair, just, righteous settlement of all our disagreements and wars what we long for? Don't we crave a final authority who can and will see through actions to motivations? Imagine a time when even nature is restored from the changes brought about by the fall.
We can look forward to God's judgment because:
1. God knows us deeply. He understands our motivations and sees through them to the deepest wellsprings of our actions. Sarai appealed to God's judgment in this way when she argued with Abram about Hagar (Genesis 16:5).
2. God knows His own and is able to come to the aid of those who appeal to Him for justice - Psalm 76:9.
3. His insight and power allow Him to best judge who should rule earth's temporal kingdoms to serve His purposes - Psalm 75:7; Ecclesiastes 3:17; Revelation 18:8.
4. His judgments are based on truth and righteousness - Psalm 96:13.
5. He will someday pass fair judgement on all lives - Revelation 20:12.
In the light of God's present and final judgment that will be based on truth and fairness and that will enhance His glory, let's join the praise celebration with Israel, the earth, and nature.
PRAYER: Dear God, I long for a day when wrongs will be made right, when injustices will be addressed, when even nature will be in complete sync with You. I celebrate and praise You as judge. Amen.
*********
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
