Once More With Feeling
Psalm 97
O the technical details of the piecing together of Scripture! How many details are found in even a bridle for a horse, or the complexities of a vehicle, be it bicycle, motorcycle, truck, or automobile, and yet we don't consider those details as we travel through our day. We enjoy Scripture often without thinking about the details. And yet those details make possible our understanding of our Lord, our God. And before the written word the truths passed on by word of mouth and individual dependence on Him carried those very details. O for that personal relationship and encounter with God. Personal relationships have details, and yet quite often we don't think of those as "technical". Most of the time it is an active engagement with another in which the details simply fall in place without deeper individual review.
The Lord reigneth: let the earth rejoice: let the multitude of the isles be glad.
Psalms 97:1 GNV
What excitement! Whenever I listen to the song "The King Is Coming" usually it's a recording made by the writer Bill Gaither, and throughout the beginning verse the music and excitement crescendos until the refrain begins which is "The King Is Coming"! In Psalm 97 the verse simply states the obvious, The Lord reigns. But then there's the call to Rejoice, and a call to Be Glad.
For whatever reason a comparison came to mind, that of drag racing, a quarter mile race. The simple view is the eager anticipation of the flag to drop or light to turn green and the roar of the engines as the competition runs for all of less than half a minute. But any sporting event or othergroup activity the feeling and emotion doesn't begin when the main part of event begins. No, often there is preparation and anticipation building for sometimes hours or days. For the immediate participants practice and preparation often the feelings never seem to stop. For the believer that immediacy is in the fact that the Lord's reign is on going.
So are there times when the thrill and excitement are NOT there? Most certainly. A racer may calmly examine various facets of the competition. Another sports competitor may sit in a whirlpool for hours dealing with pain or knotted muscles, or be having a very focused study of how to better perform in their particular competition.
But then there is that time, that call to rejoice, and even for the spectators to be glad. Does it work into a frenzy? It might. Do people tear down tree branches and line the road with their coats and jackets? Some do. Is that feeling wrong? That depends. WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ‘THAT DEPENDS’?
There are many reasons someone may rejoice or simply be glad. For some there's a "feel good" version, they simply are glad because others are glad, others are rejoicing, and so go along with the crowd. Incidently that is how so many people may end up in a riot. They just are there to see what is going on at that moment. But others being there for that rejoicing have a true heart or a seeking heart and have anticipated the Lord's reign and have been thinking on Him so they come with gladness, are ready to rejoice that the Lord is reigning. The motivation for that building excitement and anticipation for rejoicing is real. It is genuine. It is called for and right.
Yes, this psalmist begins with that call for rejoicing, for that gladness, for that emotion and emotional response. But even there they also later describe that preparation, the practice before the gladness and rejoicing.
Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his Saints: he will deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Psalms 97:10-11 GNV
This is that continuous challenge placed before the believer in Colossians chapter 3, that of putting off the old man, and putting on the bew. Simply stated here, hate evil. Light is sown for the righteous. And resulting from that combined action is joy for the upright in heart.
Feelings, emotions are meant for man, meant to be expressed. At the same time man is to hate evil. The right expression of emotions, of feelings must be from a heart without evil, from a righteous heart, this kind of heart must be the way that the Lord calls for the heart to be right.
Rejoice ye righteous in the Lord, and give thanks for his holy remembrance.
Psalms 97:12 GNV
So knowing that the Lord reigns and with the heart He desires for every believer, reread this psalm once more with feeling. And let the bystander be caught up in the crowd, in the rejoicing. Certainly some may be caught up in it and are glad and rejoice for a sense of belonging, but others of curiosity wondering "who is this Lord, this cause for rejoicing?"