God’s Word for You
Psalm 96:7-10 The Lord reigns
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Thursday, December 24, 2020
7 Give to the LORD, O families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and power.
8 Give to the LORD the glory of his name;
bring a gift and come into his courts.
In the first verses we had “Sing… sing… sing.” Now we respond to God’s love another way: “Give… give… give.” Apart from glory, the gift is left up to the worshiper. All creation, land, animals, angels and man, was called to sing, but now only man is called to give anything back. Only man makes offerings. But how do we give God “power” (vs. 7)? If a king has rebellious subjects and a mutinous army, does he have any power? If a king has obedient, contented subjects, isn’t his power displayed for all to see? But God’s power does not come from us, it comes from him and from his word. So we obey his powerful word and we declare his power and grace in the world. In this way, his power is extended over more hearts that were dead in sin. His powerful word creates and sustains faith in those hearts. We respond to his gracious word with our gifts, whatever they might be. We give out of thanks, and that’s the kind of gift he seeks from us.
9 Bow down to the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the heathen, “The LORD reigns”
The world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
he will judge the peoples fairly.
In verse 9, we turn to our sinful need for our God who reigns. We bow down and tremble because of our sins and before “the splendor of his holiness.” No one can enter into God’s presence with their sins on their head, but Christ brings us before the Father with his own righteousness given as a gift. This is why we proclaim to the heathen nations, “The Lord reigns!” This is especially true of his victory on the cross, the victory over sin, death, the devil and hell which he won in our place and on our behalf. The world seems out of control today, but it isn’t. Things unfold just as God planned, so that you and I would come to faith, that you and I would be his own, and live with him forever in his Paradise.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.