Rejoice
The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad! (Psalm 97:1)
In the above Psalm 97:1, rejoice is translated from the Hebrew root giyl (גיל). Giyl refers not only to the feeling of deep, inward joy, but also to that inward impulse to animate fervent outward expression. When considering rejoicing in this context, activity follows identity. And for what reason does the Psalmist write the imperative sentence that urges gladness and expression of such jubilation? Because the Lord is king. Identifying the Lord as king indicates that the writer is one of the king’s subjects who is glad that the Sovereign One rests on the throne. That the Lord is king means there are no competitors for the throne, and as such, being the servant of One who is eternal is validated with safety, security and comfort. The rejoicing is not limited to one people, one nation, or any one boundary—the psalmist instructs the earth to rejoice so that nations, people, kings and rulers can all join in a unified chorus that the Lord is king.
We rejoice because the Lord is the King of Kings. People may bend the knee to natural rulers, but those natural rulers are unable to act unless the Lord wills it. He is the rider that holds the reigns of the horse in his hand so that the animal is never able to act autonomously. So a king may make plans, but God laughs. A king may fashion a statue and command his subjects to worship it, but the created image will not stand. A natural king will last a lifetime but the Lord is eternal. Through the rise and fall of rulers, He remains King. We rejoice because there is certainty and assurance in serving an eternal God who is King of kings.
Specifically, Psalm 2 directs us to who the king is. In verse six, the Father says, “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.” God refers to this king as “My king.” We are thus sure that this king’s legitimacy is not in question because the Lord Himself testifies to His reign. Verses seven through nine of Psalm 2 clarify that this king is the only begotten Son, the One who holds a rod of iron in his right hand and dashes into pieces those who oppose his reign. This dashing is effortless because earthenware cannot fight back with any hope of victory. Hence, we rejoice because we know the king does not need to amass armies to conquer His foes—rather, His rule is effortless and His rod of iron cannot be broken. For the subjects under this rule and rod, safety is assured.
We rejoice because the Lord is our king. For the elect who worship the Lord, they understand—by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit—that the king’s kingdom would be glorious and sufficient without subjects. Still, with foreknowledge and gracious favor, God warmed the hardened hearts of the elect and adopted them into His family. The elect rejoice because they are more than mere subjects; they are adopted sons and daughters in the family of God. They have a new adoptive Father under whose protection their rights can never be revoked or threatened. They also have new family members and new relationships with all the other blessed recipients of God’s favor. The elect rejoice because God gave them the salvation they did not deserve rather than the judgment they did deserve.
We rejoice because the Lord is king of the earth. The order, fine-tuning, and aesthetic beauty of creation testifies to an intelligent mind as the source of information in the cosmos. The earth therefore rejoices in the fact that it has a legitimate origin story and is not a happenstance collection of odds and ends. The natural order rejoices because it finds meaning and purpose in the One who designed it to declare His glory.
Whether they be treacherous seas or flat plains, the many coastlands of earth are under the authority of the sovereign Lord. He is King of the good and the bad. He is King when the bright sun warms our hearts and when the winds howl in the night. He is the King whose love makes the poor wealthy with assurance, just as the rain quenches the thirst of dry land. All is designed to glorify the King over all.
The truth of Psalm 97:1 eliminates the possibility of anxiety. The Lord’s hand weaves his fingers into the fabric of our reality to direct the course of history. Truly, his hand is unseen but, just like gravity, His unseen force is active and purposeful. God has already written the end of the story, so we ought not be anxious and plead with God to “do something.” We rejoice because, before the foundation of the world, he finished a story without need for anxiety. We rejoice because we are actors in a drama whose story will never deviate from the script.
Let the earth, nations, peoples, and rulers all rejoice because the One who rules with grace holds the scepter in His hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. His fire consumes those who stand against him, His voice melts mountains, and the earth trembles at his step. Yet, the King is also a tender shepherd who tends to his flock, leads his sheep to still waters, and guides them to green pastures.
Why shall the earth rejoice? Because the King of Kings has made a decree: that His love is certain, his grace is infinite and his commitment to his covenantal people is unshakable. Let the earth rejoice because costly salvation was made free by Jesus Christ’s payment on the cross. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord for His wonderful and marvelous works.
We rejoice in private; we rejoice in public; we rejoice in solitude, and we rejoice as a community. We rejoice because of what God has already done, and what He has decreed in His Word shall stand forever.
