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| "Glory of the Lamb - Revelation 5:13" by David van der Plaats (The Bible and Its Story Vol 10) |
TO CHEW ON: "Sing to God you kingdoms of the earth;
O sing praise to the Lord. - Psalm 68:32
It's interesting how our two readings complement each other. In Chronicles, we see David going to war, conquering even the giants, and read the author's observation: "And the Lord preserved David wherever he went" - 1 Chronicles 18:13.
In the psalm David describes one of his battles.
There is blood (Psalm 68:21-23).
There is a procession (Psalm 68:24-27).
And there is the obeisance of earth's rulers (Psalm 68:28-31):
"Sing to God you kingdoms of the earth;
O sing praises to the Lord."
David's words suggest a voluntary—not a forced—praise. They bring to mind the wonderful scene from Revelation:
"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” - Revelation 7:9-10.
I see this psalm as a picture of life.
- Life on earth is our battlefield.
- We anticipate the final victory that we know is coming:
"So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
'Death is swallowed up in victory.'
'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?'
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" - 1 Corinthians 15:54-57.
Then will come the time when all on earth will acknowledge God for who He is:
“As I live, says the Lord. Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God”- Romans 14:11 (quoting Isaiah 45:23).
PRAYER: Dear God, in a world that doesn't even acknowledge Your existence, the sight of the kingdoms of earth singing Your praises seems almost unimaginable. Help me to cling to this hope with unwavering faith. Amen.
PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 68
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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.
