“Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, And the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah”
Psalms 47:1-4 NKJV
Applause
On the face of things, we the population of the earth, are facing a vast array of things in these perilous times. Even as I write this, we are beginning to see the food shortages, as our supply chain strains, and the lingering pandemic drags workers into sickbeds and away from their assignments.
There are rumors of war everywhere and peace is not to be found. Those that are to defend us are under assault, and few places on this earth seem safe. It is easy to become completely consumed with all the trouble. But, we must remember that we have a God who hears us when we cry, and is ready to intercede.
Hezekiah was a king facing imminent attack by the armies of the Assyrians, led by Sennacherib. He had received a letter full of threats, and rather than fret, consumed with fear, Hezekiah took the matter to the Lord.
“And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them. Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.””
II Kings 19:14-19 NKJV
In that dark moment, the Lord heard and delivered the children of Israel from the hand of the enemy. In response to that great move of God, Psalm 46 and 47 were written, glorifying the Lord for His sovereignty and His faithful love.
Throughout the history of the Scriptures, God has been faithful. For we the followers of Jesus, He has further delivered us from the enemy of sin, as we have been saved. For us we have been saved from the penalty of sin, which is death, and further delivered from slavery to sin, as He has given us ability to turn away.
Like the writer of Psalm 47, possibly Hezekiah or Isaiah, let us applaud our great God for the victories He has given us, for the coming victory When Jesus returns to set all things right. One day we will be with Him, having passed through the blood of tribulation, to be with Him in glory. We will worship, glorify Him, and declare His victory over the evil one.
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.””
Revelation 7:9-12 NKJV
In the midst of our current trouble, my brothers and sisters, let us lift up holy hands even today, and applaud the Lord for all that He has done.
May we live lives of worship and praise to our God, even when the here and now seems dark, and growing darker still. Just as the morning is darkest before the dawn, we can know that with confidence, that the great darkness, the coming time of trouble will be followed by the dawning of a new day, and rising of the Son.
“God has gone up with a shout, The Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.”
Psalms 47:5-9 NKJV
Rejoice my people! The King is coming!
O the King is coming
The King is coming
I just heard the trumpets sounding
And now His face I see
O the King is coming
The King is coming
Praise God, He’s coming for me
-Charles Millhuff / Gloria Gaither / Willam J. Gaither
Happy Sunday!
Musings from an idle mind 
Oh how I love that song from the gators. Jesus is coming again! Hallelujah!!
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