God is King! Let the Earth Rejoice

Text: Psalm 97

Reflection and Question: We forget that our colonial ancestors did not reject kingship per se; they rejected human claim to the kingship that belongs to God alone, and that is praised in this psalm. This poem reflects the highest expression of God as the Maker and Ruler of all. The last verses summarize what it means for us that God reigns as Sovereign: light and joy compel us to rejoice. Through our worship we become righteous and faithful, growing in gratitude, trusting that God rescues us from evil and wickedness. May this, indeed, be so for us all. How would you describe the way God rules over all?

Prayer: The light that shines through noble acts, The quest for truth dispelling lies,
The grace of Christ renewed in us, So love lives on and discord dies,
All blend their song, good news to bring: Take heart, take hope, the Lord is King!
(Jeffrey Rowthorn, Earth’s Scattered Isles and Contoured Hills, The Presbyterian Hymnal, 152)

This meditation is based on the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).