Psalm 96 Sermon Prep Part 3
(Continued work on Psalm 96 sermon prep to preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship here in downtown Naperville)
WAIT
[11] Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
[12] let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
[13] before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. (ESV)
The previous two sections 1-6, 7-10 had the rhythms of WORSHIP-TELL. The last section is different in that it doesn’t call us to tell, but leaves us with a promise of God’s coming to make things right. In other words, we are called to WORSHIP and WAIT.
[11] Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
[12] let the field exult, and everything in it! The Psalmist moves beyond calling all of the nations and peoples of the Earth to calling all of Creation itself to worship and be glad in God. The heavens, the earth, the sea, the animals in the sea, the fields, the animals in the fields. Everything is included and nothing is outside the purview; all things are to find their gladness in GOD and rejoice in Him.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy [13] before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.
After calling everything to rejoice in the LORD, we are assured that all will SING joyfully to God, even the trees! (note how the Psalm begin with a call to sing and ends with an assurance that EVERYTHING WILL ONE DAY SING) Why such joy? This: “for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.” The impending judgment from the Creator of the universe upon the earth doesn’t necessarily lead most us to swell up and overflow in joyful worship and hopeful expectation. But that is because any ideas of any judgment sound appalling to us. We don’t like “judgment” we like “acceptance” and “mercy.” Yet this Psalm’s concluding promise of judgment is a promise that God will judge the world in “righteousness” and in “faithfulness.” Such a promise is delightful to a Creation that is groaning under the burden and weight of sin and sinful people. Judgment is repulsive to a tyrannous people in power, but is sweet to a people in a oppression who hope to be freed from the tyranny. We see this in Rom 8:19-25, the hope of Creation of the final consummation.
Jesus is the Creator of all creation: the heavens, the earth, the animals, the seas. All were created by him and for him. Throughout the OT there are prediction of the day of the LORD, which was a day of coming Judgment. This day happened at the cross, where Jesus, the king of all Creation, was judged in our place. He went to the cross and died, he was judged. Though he was innocent, he was judged guilty for us and in our place. He took our condemnation and we were given his righteousness. He rose again and brought in the New Creation, and one day he will return again to bring in the consummated New Creation.
Jesus thank you for being judged in my place. You experienced condemnation for me, so that I might be shown grace and mercy. Lord, the full penalty for sin was paid for me, there is nothing left for me to pay. I was judged when you were judged, I was raised to life and justification in your resurrection. Now I wait with Creation for your return and final making of all things right. I need fear no condemnation, ‘No condemnation now I dread, Jesus and all in him is mine. Alive in him, my living head, and clothed in righteousness divine. Bold I approach the eternal throne, and claim the crown through Christ my own.’
Thank you Lord, let me live in light of the judgment that already took place, and let me fear and warn others of the coming Judgment.
