Read
(A psalm by the clan of Korah and for the music leader.)
God Rules the Nations
1All of you nations,
clap your hands and shout
joyful praises to God.
2The Lord Most High is fearsome,
the ruler of all the earth.
3God has put every nation
under our power,
4and he chose for us the land
that was the pride of Jacob,
his favorite.
5God goes up to his throne,
as people shout
and trumpets blast.
6Sing praises to God our King,
7the ruler of all the earth!
Praise God with songs.
8God rules the nations
from his sacred throne.
9Their leaders come together
and are now the people
of Abraham's God.
All rulers on earth
surrender their weapons,
and God is greatly praised!
Reflect
Do I thank God only for what he has done for me? Do I see nothing but corruption and depravity in all the rest of the world? Many Christians do.
It’s easy to grumble at God for all that’s wrong in this world, and to take comfort in one’s own rightness. But today’s writer had a much wider view. He saw things to praise God for everywhere:
- his greatness (v 2)
- his victories (v 3)
- his care (v 4)
- his glory (v 5)
- his rule (v 8)
- his majesty (v 9)
It’s not easy to keep this vision of God’s sovereignty in a world of terrorism, kidnappings, political corruption, drug peddling and the rest. But we must make the effort to do it, as the writer of this psalm did. Anything else leads to despair.
However much we may ignore it, God is still the boss. He made the world, redeemed the world by Jesus Christ, rules the world and will one day take complete possession of it. Live today in the light of that!
Respond
Sing praises to our king, sing praises!
Tony Capon
Born in England, Tony served in the British Army in Germany 1945-48, then graduated from Cambridge University and Oak Hill Theological College London. He served as an Anglican priest in London and in 1956, Tony and his wife emigrated to Canada. There he served as Associate and President of Scripture Union. Later, as SU Co-ordinator for the Americas, he travelled widely in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean promoting the work of SU. From 1975 to 1978 he served as Director of Development at Wycliffe College, Toronto, and from 1978 to 1991 as Principal of Montreal Diocesan Theological College. He has just celebrated his 90th birthday!