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 Lord is King! The psalm opens with this ringing declaration that there is One above all others. Verse 9 repeats the declaration from yesterday’s reading that God is the Most High (Acts 16:17). As if we have not heard it yet, for a third time verse 9 from our psalm continues: “You are exalted far above all gods.” The Lord is King!
We live in a world of pretend rulers—money, power, political parties and leaders, adulation, status, and the list goes on and on. Amidst all these that would serve as gods in our lives, there is One and only One who is the Most High.
To this One above all others we give our allegiance, our worship, our thanks and our praise. The Lord is King, let us rejoice and be glad that this One has stooped down to be the Lord of all the earth.
Prayer
Most High God, we too often forget that righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Forgive us for bowing down to falsehood and evil; then raise us to live for you in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
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