11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound,
and all that is in it;
12 let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;
13 they will sing before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his truth.
Three Thoughts:
- Psalm 96 compares the Lord God to a great king. According to this Psalm, there is such joy at the Lord's kingship that heaven and earth rejoice, the seas and the fields exult, and the trees of the forest sing for joy. It reminds me of the Christmas hymn Joy to the World and the verse that says “let heaven and nature sing!”
- This author thinks big! It's not just the “people of Israel” called upon to praise this king, but “all the earth.” It's not just the lord or king of this region, but the Lord of “all the earth.” Even in the final section, this King will “judge the people with equity”, and the people and the heavens, the sea and all that fills it will rejoice.
- In verse 5 it seems that this Psalmist acknowledges that there are other gods besides the Lord God. This was the view of the time, most people had idols that represented their various “gods.” This Psalms seems to say that these idols have done nothing to compare with the Lord's activities. The Lord God is so much greater.
Three Questions:
- In our culture and time we don't really think so much about royalty and kings. This Psalm is so powerful because God is personified as this great King. What image from our culture might we use to personify God's greatness?
- The people of Israel spent a lot of time feeling that being “chosen” by God meant that they were the “only” people of God. This Psalm opens up God's “chosen” beings to include the whole world and all that is in it. How does this broader understanding of God's Creatorship and Lordship help to expand your understanding of God?
- How would you look at the wind through the trees differently today if you thought about the trees “singing for joy before the Lord.” What other “gods” or “idols” do you have? How do they get in the way of God's power in your life? Can you still maintain these “idols” and have a strong relationship with the Lord God?
A Prayer:
Creator God, you have called each and every person, plant, and creature into being – you gave life to all life, even me. Let my heart prepare room for you today, let my whole being offer praise to you. As I look around at all that you have made, help me to see it singing and worshiping you. Amen.
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