Psalm 9: God Will Judge the Nations Key Verse: I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders. I will be glad and exult in Thee; I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High. (Psalm 9:1-2) I often quote the passage from Philippians (2:10-11) that says, One day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The reality is that everyone will acknowledge the lordship of Christ, but for many it will be in judgment, for they never believed on Him as Lord and Savior. This Psalm portrays the judgment of the nations that reject God. It is written as a reflection on the enemies who had already been defeated and peoples who had been subdued in Davids reign. But it is also a prophetic passage reflecting the sovereignty of God in judging the nations. God has not relinquished His throne no matter how strongly world events spin out of control in chaos, and totalitarian authorities subject believers to persecution. Those who reject God and stand in opposition to Him will stumble and perish. They will be turned back. God will rebuke the nations, destroy the wicked, and blot out their name. Their cities will be uprooted, they will come to an end in perpetual ruin, and even the memory of them will perish. This is because God sits on His throne and will judge righteously. He is everlasting, abides forever, and will execute judgment for the peoples with equity. And the standard of equity by which all will be judged will be their relationship to Christ. Romans 2:16 refers to the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. The standard of equity by which all will be judged will be their relationship to Christ. So the nations will be snared in their own trap of sin. Rather than yielding in submission to God, they will be caught in the pit they have made to punish and subdue others—that of exalting their own supposed power and authority. They are nothing but men, and the Lord will prevail. But for us who believe and follow God, He is our stronghold. The image of a massive, impenetrable fortress comes to mind. Though we may feel oppressed and go through times of trouble, we know the Lord. We can call upon His name as One we know intimately, and He will not forsake us. We are conditioned in such time of turmoil and confusion to seek the Lord rather than succumb to the pressures and attacks of the enemy. He does not forget us; He is gracious and lifts us up! Therefore, we will give thanks with all our heart and be glad in Him. We will sing His praises but also tell of His wonders and declare His deeds among the peoples. We should not delight in their judgment and assurance of vindication from the Lord. We should desire that all nations would recognize and fear the Lord. Prayer: Lord, I praise You with my whole heart and thank You that You are my stronghold in times of trouble, pressures, temptations, criticism, and attacks. I will declare Your deeds and tell of Your wonders, for You are sovereign over the nations. You will judge those who do not know You, and I need not fear the affliction of the wicked. In the Secret Place: A Pilgrimage through the Psalms.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 06:36:13 +0000
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