“Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.” Psalm 98:7-9
Devotional Thought For The Day
Again we recall that this psalm is a glorious celebration of God’s salvation and His “steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.” It calls all people to celebrate the fact that His salvation is intended for all of us, every human being, and that “the LORD has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.” This is celebration of the life of the church, which He has commissioned to take the glorious message of His gracious love and salvation to the ends of the earth – as it continues to do to this very day. It is difficult to keep proper focus in these days of precipitous moral and political descent on the reality of God’s gracious gift of salvation, and easy to make condemnation of evil and social renewal our principle focus. This is good citizenship, certainly something commendable, but not if it turns the church into a “good people’s club” rather than a fellowship of sinners walking in the light, confessing our grievous sin, and celebrating the cleansing of Christ’s blood and the Lord’s salvation. Yes, we must keep the distinction between right and wrong intact, and continue to call all people to repentance, but even more importantly we must maintain the joyous good news of God steadfast love and faithfulness, His atonement for the sins of the whole world, and His will that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Otherwise, the celebration ceases, for while government is established to declare law, only the church declares the gospel.
This is the context, the background of the verses we are considering this morning. All of nature and all who dwell in the world are called to make joyful song to the Lord in view of His impending judgment of the earth and world. He will judge – bringing either condemnation or vindication. He will judge with “righteousness,” with the principle of repentance and faith. Those who believe Him, their faith is counted to them as righteousness [Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:1-8]. It is as Jesus Himself proclaimed: “He that believes the Son has everlasting life; but he that believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” [Jn. 3:36] The unbelieving, those who would work to earn their own salvation based in some delusional personal righteousness of their own making, reject the great gift of God’s gracious salvation in His Son, Jesus Christ, and demand that God’s wrath [His judgment by law] remain upon them. Those who know and believe God’s love and faithfulness, who celebrate God’s gracious and merciful gift of righteousness and salvation, have everlasting life – they shall not come into condemnation, but have passed from death to life. [John 5:24] This is considered judging with “equity,” with fairness, evenness, straightness, and equality – honoring what Christ has done for us, and fulfilling what God has declared and promised in His gospel [good news]. The unbelieving even denounce God for this judgment, though it was intended also for their blessedness and salvation – their condemnation is just.
It may seem odd to us to think of the inanimate world as called upon to sing praise to God. Actually, in that we are the source of sin in the world, perhaps it should seem even odder that human beings are called to sing praise to God. Certainly the reality of God’s grace, mercy, steadfast love and faithfulness to such fallen creatures is odd. It is certain that “the heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.” [Ps. 19:1] May it be just as certain that we who have received so great a salvation in Christ Jesus also join in with all of the created world and declare the glory of God, joining all of creation to “sing for joy together before the LORD” as we wait eagerly for His coming judgment of all people.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, help us each day to grasp and remember Your wondrous salvation, and to humbly join all of creation in singing praise and thanksgiving to You. Help us to keep straight and clearly in mind the nature of Your gracious love, and Your principles of judgment, that we not fall into arrogance, self-exaltation, impenitence, and unbelief. Grant that Your church also be faithful in proclaiming Your gracious salvation to the ends of the earth, not losing sight or focus on the task You have created and commissioned her to perform. Come quickly, Lord, that we may enter the joyful consummation of Your kingdom of love! Amen.