Psalm 97 (The Message)
God Rules
God rules: there’ssomething to shout over!
On the double, mainlands and islands—celebrate!
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Music:
“Rise Up and Praise Him!”
Let the heavens rejoice
Let the earth be glad
Let the people of God
Sing His praise all over the land
Everyone in the valley
Come and lift your voice
All those on the mountaintop
Be glad and shout for joyRise up and praise Him
He deserves our love
Rise up and praise Him
Worship the Holy One
With all your heart
With all your soul
With all your might
Rise up and praise Him
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Right and justice anchor his rule.
3 Fire blazes out before him,
Flaming high up the craggy mountains.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
Earth, wide-eyed, trembles in fear.
5 The mountains take one look at God
And melt, melt like wax before earth’s Lord.
6 The heavens announce that he’ll set everything right,
And everyone will see it happen—glorious!
7-8 All who serve handcrafted gods will be sorry—
And they were so proud of their ragamuffin gods!
modern day idols
On your knees, all you gods—worship him!
And Zion, you listen and take heart!
Daughters of Zion, sing your hearts out:
God has done it all, has set everything right.
9 You, God, are High God of the cosmos,
Far, far higher than any of the gods.
10 God loves all who hate evil,
And those who love him he keeps safe,
Snatches them from the grip of the wicked.
from Whispers of His Power,
by Amy CarmichaelPsalm 97:10 — O ye that love the Lord, see that ye hate the thing which is evil.
Do we hate enough? I hate all evil ways, the writer of Psalm 119 said in verse 104, and in verse 128, All false ways I utterly abhor.
Do we truly hate every false way? Or are we covering up something which will one day come out to our shame before God and His holy angels? There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known (Matthew 10:26).
Do we hate unkind suspicions, whisperings, backbitings, all unlove?
Do we hate all weakening things, or are we sliding along in an easy kind of tolerance that is far removed from the “hate” of such verses as this?
Do we hate laziness and slackness and all kinds of selfishness?
See that you love all that God loves, but see also that you hate all that He hates. They are two sides of the same coin.
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11 Light-seeds are planted in the souls of God’s people,
Joy-seeds are planted in good heart-soil.
12 So, God’s people, shout praise to God,
Give thanks to our Holy God!
Quick! What can you thank God for today?
Make it a long, long, all-day-long list!
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The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
The song you chose for today certainly inspired! Two other anthems awakened the dawn for me, but this one has now is ringing in my spirit. Thanks a bunch!