Let The Earth Rejoice!

LET THE EARTH REJOICE!

Psalm 96:1, Psalm 96:11-13.

The Psalmist exhorts the earth to sing a new song to the LORD (PSALM 96:1).

Man has plunged the earth into chaos through sin (cf. Genesis 3:17-19). Significantly, then, it is the creation which groans for deliverance (cf. Romans 8:19-22). The Psalmist exhorts the creation to praise in faith - rather than waiting for favourable circumstances - and creation ultimately rejoices (PSALM 96:11-12).

Finally, the heavens and the seas, and the fields and the trees, join the earth in their joyful song of praise (PSALM 96:11-12) - and all because of the true and righteous judgement of our God (PSALM 96:13 - cf. Revelation 19:1-2).

When Paul and Silas were wrongfully imprisoned in Philippi - beaten and bruised for preaching the gospel - we do not read that they complained and murmured, but that at midnight they prayed and sang praises to God. This is in keeping with Paul’s own teaching (cf. Philippians 4:4). Then there was an earthquake and, to cut a long story short, their fortitude helped bring the keeper of the prison from the brink of suicide into the joy of the Lord (cf. Acts 16:25-34).

As we leave the joyful sound of Creation’s harmonious praise, we are reminded that worship changes things.