Reading: Psalm 97-99

QUESTIONS
  • Psalm 97: The psalmist describes God’s majesty in nature. Where have you seen God’s majesty in nature recently?  What do your experiences of nature teach you about God?
  • Psalm 98: Have you ever wanted to break out in song when you see or witness something magnificent?  Pray and thank God for the ways that He has revealed Himself to us in majestic ways– maybe you could write a poem or song.
  • Psalm 99: God is just and the justifier. Take a moment to consider the grandeur of God: His reign, might, justice, equity, righteousness, and holiness mentioned in this psalm… and then consider and confess your own shortcomings, your sins, remembering that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Finally, praise God for His mercy and grace!
DEVOTION

What causes you to worship? Is it the fear of the Lord? The psalmist paints a fearful picture of the Judgement of the Lord. Clouds and thick darkness, fire and lightning, mountains melting like wax, the nations trembling and the earth shaking. It is hard to think that this would cause us to sing for joy.

Yet this is the exact reaction expected of God’s children. They are filled with joy! Do you look forward to God’s judgment? If not, let’s examine why you should.  

  1. He will punish Evil; “Those who love the Lord hate evil,”
  2. He brings justice to his followers; “He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.”
  3. He has done a marvelous thing; “his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation“
  4. He judges with equity; “He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.”
  5. His children desire the chastisement; “you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.”

A sign of our maturity in Christ is our desire for His correction. We desire to please our God and to be rid of anything that separates us from Him. He is a holy, holy, holy God. When we come to trust His judgment we will be able to sing.

97:12 Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.

98:9 let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.

99:9 Exalt the Lord our God
and worship at his holy mountain,
for the Lord our God is holy.

– Phil Van Sickel