Resting in the God Who Reigns (Psalm 96)

Evening Scripture

Psalm 96
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Evening Reflection

Every day we wake up to a new set of unknowns. A day can start off like any other, but then change in an instant. The unpredictability can cause worry and stress to rule the day. But as children of God, we have confidence in the One who truly reigns.

It’s hard to understand why some days are easier than others. I wish every day could bring smiles instead of tears, laughter instead of mourning. But if we look at each day in light of who God is in our lives, we will find reason to praise, no matter what today looked like. Psalm 96 is a song about God’s sovereignty—reminding us that God is in control, no matter what the circumstances are. So as nighttime approaches, let’s refresh our thoughts with three reminders from this passage of Scripture.

• Sing to the Lord.
  Whatever difficulties we face in our waking hours, we can choose to end each day with a song of praise in our hearts.
• Recognize the Lord.
  God forever remains on his throne—he is the Alpha and Omega. He ruled in the beginning, and his reign will never end.
• The Lord is coming!
  We can rejoice in the truth that God did not leave us without hope. His son Jesus is coming again one day. There is no better reason to be glad.

We are not promised a predictable life. Jesus himself told us we would have trouble, yet he also declared, “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Tonight’s Scripture assures us that whatever happened today, we can find rest because God still reigns over all.

Evening Prayer

Dear God,
Some days are harder than others. I want to rest in the truth of who you are in my life instead of being at the mercy of unpredictable days. Put a new song in my heart, Lord. Give me the strength to lift my voice in praise, no matter what today looks like. I am encouraged when I remind myself that you are sovereign. Knowing you are in control relieves me of the worry and stress I carry from things I can’t control. You are my Provider, Healer, and Miracle Worker. Praise your name!
Amen.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.