Amid all the doom and gloom out there lately (impeachments, a new coronavirus, flu season, etc.), I went looking for a little joy and found a lot of joy in the Psalms. (53 occurrences of the English word “joy” in the NIV, 20 in the NKJV)
Some of my favorite “joys” are in Psalm 98, three of them! The song begins with one reason for joy, “Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him.”
After expressing the first reason for joy, the psalmist shows how we are to express that joy, “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music … shout for joy before the LORD, the King.”
He even invites the sea, the rivers and the mountains to “clap their hands” and “sing together for joy.”
But it’s the end of the song that really speaks to me when the psalmist gives his final reason for joy. “Let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.”
Our LORD, the KING, is coming. And that is the greatest of all reasons for joy. He’s coming to judge the earth and the peoples with righteousness and justice. While that may frighten some who have rejected his salvation and are living outside the marvelous things He has done for us, it brings abundant joy to those who have willingly submitted to His LORD-ship now.
Amen, even so, come quickly KING Jesus.
