Headlines! News travels fast! Negativity can traverse the world over before something positive gets out the door! In today’s reading, I couldn’t help but notice the antidote to the headlines of our day. Psalm 96 turns our attention away from the morbid and maddening to the magnificent! Instead of miring down our minds with the news of the world’s depravity, God’s Word elevates our attention to the glorious—God Himself. It is among the heathen, in the middle of the mess, that we are to put our minds on the wonder of God!
O sing unto the LORD a new song: Sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; Shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people. (Psalm 96:1–3, KJV)
So, how do we focus on God when the negativity of our day demands our attention? We start by telling everyone about the amazing things God does. And who better to start with than ourselves? Isn’t it easy to forget that God is in control? That nothing surprises Him? That He cannot be backed into the corner? That His power and might are above all? That the complexity of the situation is no match for His wisdom? It is good to remind ourselves that God is great and greatly to be praised. That we should fear not the raging of the heathen nor their gods. Their gods are but mere idols. The Psalmist reminds us that the Lord God made the heavens!
For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: But the Lord made the heavens. (Psalm 96:4–5, KJV)
Next, the nations need to know that God is great!
Tell all the nations, “The LORD reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly. (Psalm 96:10, NLT)
Now, we may wonder how we will tell the nations about our God’s great sovereignty. For most of us, who better to start with than our neighbor? Those around us need to know that we are not shaken by the world’s depravity and resulting mess, regardless of how that may manifest itself. And why are we not shaken? Because the Lord God reigns! While the hearts of men fail them for the things they see coming upon this earth (Luke 21:26), our hearts and minds are kept in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3)!
With that said, the Psalmist reminds us in poetic form that all of creation knows this, and it, too, praises the Lord! Psalm 96:11-13 describes the heavens, the earth, the sea, the fields, the crops, and the forests all sing for joy and cry out in praise unto God. In other words, there isn’t one thing that shouldn’t direct all attention and glory to God somehow!
Child of God, what great things has God done for you, and how great has your praise been to him? It is time to sing a new song unto the Lord! It is time to proclaim to ourselves His glorious deeds! It is time for others to know that God is great in our lives, He is great in this world, and all of creation testifies to this truth!
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Psalms 89; 96; 100-101; 105; 132.