Psalm 97 – Let The Islands Be Glad
The Lord reigns! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coasts and islands be glad. (Psalms 97:1)
I love it when the Bible refers to the islands. It means the author is trying to picture people who are distant and isolated from God’s physical presence in the temple in Jerusalem. If this Psalmist had known about Hawaii, the most geographically isolated islands in the world, he probably would have mentioned our islands by name. Because even in the places (and times) where we feel most distant from the Lord, his sovereign and loving reign is secure.
As the author later says, “He protects the lives of his faithful ones; he rescues them from the power of the wicked. Light dawns for the righteous, gladness for the upright in heart” (97:10-11). This isn’t a guarantee of physical safety. The Israelites were probably under siege by Babylon when they first read this – a battle they ultimately lost. But they could trust that our reigning Lord won’t allow anything to happen to us that isn’t “for the good of those who love him, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). That’s why all of us in the islands and around the world can be glad and rejoice.
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