Rejoicing in God's sovereignty

Thank God that I was able to attend my church Prayer Meeting last evening. My Pastor is sharing with us from the Book of Psalms serially. Last evening, we read Psalm 47.

My Pastor reminded us that Psalm 46 which we studied last Friday, was a Psalm about the great anxiety and turmoil that can come upon the lives of God's people. The Psalmist painted a very gloomy picture and it seems things are going to get worst. But the Lord exhorts us to be still and to know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). We are not to fear because God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). We are to understand that come what may, God is sovereignly in control.

Psalm 47 begins with a triumphant note. The Psalmist exhort God's people to clap their hands and shout unto God with the voice of triumph (v1). We are to sing praises to God Who is our King. God is the King of all the earth and He sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. (vs 6-8).

This is a very joyful Psalm. It seems to be a Psalm that is sang in celebration after all our troubles are gone. But my pastor think that this is not so much a Psalm to be sung in celebration but it is a Psalm to be sung in anticipation of victory or rest as indicated in verse 3-4. Therefore, even when we are going through severe trials in our lives, we can sing this Psalm to encourage ourselves through all the pain and sufferings in this life. The reason for our rejoicing in God even admist our suffering, is the comforting truth that God is the King of the universe and He is sovereignly in control of all things. This is the reason to praise the Lord. We must praise the Lord because our eyes of faith ought to see what the Lord is doing. We are often unable to praise the Lord because of sin and the tendency to look at the winds and the waves surrounding us. If we think and meditate on the great things of God, His love and sovereignty and we set our heart upon God, we can rejoice in Him. May God help us to turn our eyes upon Him. Our afflictions and trouble are light compared to the eternity God is preparing us to enjoy.

Psalm 47
1 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
2 For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
5 God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.

I took this lovely photo at Sentosa Flower exhibition at Sentosa Island, Singapore.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
marvellous are thy works;
and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psalm 139:14