Saturday 8 March, 2014

1 Clap your hands, all you nations. Shout to God with cries of joy. 2 How wonderful is the Lord Most High! He is the great King over the whole earth. 3 He brought nations under our control. He made them fall under us. 4 He chose our land for us. The people of Jacob are proud of their land, and God loves them. Selah 5 God went up to his throne while his people were shouting with joy. The Lord went up while trumpets were playing. 6 Sing praises to God. Sing praises. Sing praises to our King. Sing praises. 7 God is the King of the whole earth. Sing a psalm of praise to him. 8 God rules over the nations. He is seated on his holy throne. 9 The nobles of the nations come together. They are now part of the people of the God of Abraham. The kings of the earth belong to God. He is greatly honored.

Praise is nothing to do with flattery: God is King whether he is acknowledged or not, whether it is seen or not. To proclaim His kingship in praise simply acknowledges reality.

In the first half of the Psalm Jacob’s descendants acknowledge his Kingship by putting themselves in the place God has prepared for them, but the nations do not. Their opposition to Him is futile, and the result of their opposition is defeat. God is King whether they acknowledge Him or not.

In the second half, the nations do acknowledge Him as King and are gathered together with God’s people into the place of rejoicing.

What is in this for me?

It may not be easy to move into the place God has prepared for me. It certainly wasn’t for Israel. But that is the place of rejoicing.

Others may actively oppose me being in that place. But God is King over me and King over them. In faith I know that God may be patient in achieving His plans for me, but His plans will succeed, no matter what. He is King over everyone and everything. I honour Him by moving into that place regardless.

Opposing God brings me a whole world of pain and frustration. Submitting to God brings me into His presence as part of His people.

O Lord, my King, I praise you for who you are. And who you are is a source of both awe and joy.

Written by David Cornell