The Consolation of God's Sovereignty
W. Clarkson, B.A. Psalm 97:1-12 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.… I. THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON THIS EARTH. 1. Necessarily autocratic in its form. 2. Singular in its basis. 3. Universal in its range. 4. Profound in its reach. 5. A present, active, accessible power.God is with us — not locally and geographically merely, but spiritually, sympathetically, practically, actively with us; controlling, cooperating, counteracting; directing, defeating, determining; making effectual or bringing to nothing the designs of the children of men. And we do well to go to Him, not trembling, as Esther to Ahasuerus, but with holy confidence in all times of personal, family, social, national necessities, to ask for His pity, to pray for His delivering power. II. THE CONSOLATION WHICH THE FACT OF GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY GIVES TO THE GOOD. 1. It is a consolation that the Evil One does not reign: that strong as are the forces of evil in this world, they are not supreme; that greater is He that works for righteousness than all they that work for sin and ruin; that our great adversary has himself an Adversary who is mightier than he; that though we may be in danger of being "led captive at his will," he is under the control of the Omnipotent. 2. It is a consolation that mere force does not reign. All the forces that are at work are "under law," and law is under the control of the Divine Law-maker; and He can act upon and control His own laws, touching links out of sight with His skilful hand, changing the aspect and the issue of things at His holy will and in accordance with His far-seeing wisdom, evolving the bright and the blessed out of the dark and the distressing. 3. It is a consolation that man does not reign. There have been times when the destinies of a continent have seemed to be in the hands of a Cyrus, a Caesar, a Napoleon; and now it may seem that very large issues hang on the decision of a few controlling minds in London, St. Petersburg, Berlin. Yet God can and will determine results, and He can overrule all events, either saving from calamity, or compelling disaster itself to yield "peaceable fruits of righteousness." 4. We may all rejoice that we ourselves do not reign over our own lives. "The Lord reigneth" — the loving Lord, who wills the happiness of His children; the holy Lord, who wills their true and pure well-being; the wise Lord, who will not withhold any good thing, but will withhold that which seems to be so but is not; the mighty Lord, who can compel the saddest and strangest events to contribute to our well-being; the faithful Lord, who will make good the kindest of His promises — "The Lord reigneth," and not we ourselves; "let us rejoice and be glad." (W. Clarkson, B.A.) Parallel Verses KJV: The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. WEB: Yahweh reigns! Let the earth rejoice! Let the multitude of islands be glad!