Thank you to John for this week’s MWB
Today and for the next two weeks we are considering three psalms which point us towards God’s Sovereignty.
We are living in times of uncertainty
- in the world (e.g. USA, Ukraine, Russia, Israel/Palestine)
- in the Church of England (e.g. Archb’p of Canterbury, possible change of doctrine re marriage?)
- in St Christopher’s (e.g. future leadership & direction)
- in our own lives and families?
In view of this uncertainty, what does God’s Sovereignty mean? These three psalms help us.
Firstly, PSALM 24. Please read or listen to this now.
Derek Kidner writes “In this majestic psalm we move as if in procession with the King of Glory from the provinces of His realm to “the central height” and the city at the summit.” The psalm is clearly in three sections, each revealing more of God’s nature and purpose.
vv1-2: God is Creator and Sustainer of All
The whole world, indeed the whole universe, belongs to God and is held by him. So we sing “He’s got the whole world in his hands”. The Bible affirms that ” in him (the Lord Jesus Christ) all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers – all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17).
This truth should profoundly affect how we live and how we die. “We are not our own, any more than what we possess is our own. We did not make ourselves; we cannot be supreme over ourselves. We cannot be our own masters. We are God’s property…” (John Henry Newman)
vv3-6: God is All-Holy
This psalm asks a vital double-question in v3. In view of the fact that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23) our answer to that question might be “Nobody”. We cannot approach God as we are. We need (as v4 puts it) “clean hands”; our actions and words need to be cleansed. And we need a “pure heart”; God sees not just our outward actions, but also our inner motives and attitudes.
God has wonderfully made this cleansing possible, through the Lord Jesus Christ. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)
vv7-10: God is All-Victorious
The repeated command to the age-old doors, to “Open up!”, and the response to that challenge, reveal the King as glorious and “mighty in battle”.
The New Testament tells us that through the cross and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, God has won the decisive victory over all the forces of evil. But it also tells us that we followers of Christ are involved in an ongoing spiritual battle. The war has been won, but we need to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power, by putting on “the full armour of God” (Eph.6:10-11).
In these times of uncertainty, let us “Open up” our whole lives to the living God, trusting and obeying him. And the King of glory will come in.
