The Lord Reigns Series

Psalm 97 The Lord Reigns

1. The Glory of His Reign

It's Reality - 1 The Lord reigneth;

It's Response - let the earth rejoice;

It's Reach - let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

2. The Greatness of His Reign

His Mystery - 2 Clouds and darkness are round about him:

His Ministry - righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne

His Majesty - 3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

3. The Gravity of His Reign -

He is to be -

Feared - 4 His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

Faced - 5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,

at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

Found - 6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

Followed - 7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images,

that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

4. The Gladness of His Reign -

The Place - 8 Zion heard, and was glad;

The People - and the daughters of Judah rejoiced

The Perception - because of thy judgments, O Lord.

The Purpose - 9 For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth:

The Proof - thou art exalted far above all gods.

5. The Governance of His Reign - He Gives -

Grace - 10 Ye that love the Lord, hate evil:

Guardianship - he preserveth the souls of his saints;

he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

Guidance - 11 Light is sown for the righteous,

Gladness - and gladness for the upright in heart.

Glory - 12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous;

Gratitude - and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

The story of a man named Whitelock, who was Oliver Cromwell’s envoy to Sweden in 1653. One night as he was waiting to sail, he was so distracted by the troubles of the nation that he could not sleep. His assistant, finally said to him, “Sir, may I ask you a question?”

“Sir, do you think God governed the world very well before you came into it?”

Answer “Undoubtedly.”

“And sir, do you think that He will govern it quite as well when you are gone out of it?”

Answer “Certainly.”

“Then, sir, do you not think you may trust him to govern it quite as well while you are living?” Whitelock had no answer, but he rolled over and soon went to sleep.