Psalm 97 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 97 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
Verse 2Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Verse 3Fire goes before him, and consumes his adversaries on every side.
Verse 4His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
Verse 5The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.
Verse 6The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.
Verse 7All worshipers of images are put to shame, those who make their boast in worthless idols; all gods bow down before him.
Verse 8Zion hears and is glad, and the towns of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O God.
Verse 9For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
Verse 10The Lord loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful; he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
Verse 11Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Verse 12Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!
Devotion
The Psalmist’s laments and pleadings are often so vivid they can be too painful to read. But those cries of remorse and despair frequently echo realities that resonate in our hearts. And without lament and confession, there can be no true joy or praise. Here, the dark winter of sin is transformed into faith’s springtime.
Here is the hallelujah of faith even before it is fully realized in the present. God is faithful and God’s covenant promises are kept. We are invited to hold God to those promises and to that ultimate hope. If we tend to wince at the directness and bluntness of the many laments, even more can we join the chorus of praise, even in the midst of struggles and doubt. It’s not whistling in the dark; it’s faith and hope anchored in God the redeemer.
Today may have its burdens and sadness, but God’s verdict in the resurrection trumps even the boldness of the Psalmist. Caught up in God’s faithfulness, can we ask for anything more?
Prayer
God of justice, mercy, peace and love, lead us confidently into this day as witnesses to your final victory in Jesus Christ, our redeemer and Lord. Amen.