Reflections
Psalm 93: 1, 1-2, 5 (Read)
“The Lord is king, robed in majesty."
The Psalm celebrates God’s Kingdom,
in which the Lord reigns with majesty,
“gird about with strength.” God revealed
His kingship when He created the world.
But it is during the end times that the
kingdom of God will be displayed in
all its glory. This is in keeping with
our readings this week, in preparation
for our celebration of the Solemnity of
Christ the King this Sunday.
The prophet Daniel in this Sunday's first
reading speaks of the coming of the Son
of Man during the end times. (Daniel 7:13-14)
Sunday's second reading (Revelation 1:5-6)
is more explicit and brings us into the picture.
Christ’s blood frees us, and makes us into a
kingdom, where we become priests for God
the Father.
The kingdom is to be ruled under the Lord's
decrees, which are firmly established, as the Psalm
reminds us. But as Jesus says in the Gospel,
His kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36)
His kingdom cannot be observed. But surely
it is among us, and most certainly, in our hearts.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist proclaims, "The Lord is king, robed with majesty,
girded with might." Yet our Lord Jesus did not seek a kingdom belonging
to this world. Where do you find the kingdom of the Lord? How do you
reach our mighty Lord?
2. The Psalm says that the Lord's throne stands firm and is everlasting.
In what way do you gain strength from this verse?
The Lord reigns. It is the song of the gospel church, of the glorified church (Rev. 19:6), "Hallelujah; the Lord God omnipotent reigns." In Psalm 93 we are told how He reigns:
ReplyDelete1- The Lord reigns gloriously: He is clothed with majesty.
2- The Lord reigns powerfully. He is not only clothed with majesty, but He is clothed with strength, as a general in the camp.
3- The Lord reigns eternally: Thy throne is established of old.
4- The Lord reigns triumphantly.
5- The Lord reigns in truth and holiness: All his promises are inviolably faithful and All his people ought to be conscientiously pure.
All these give us much consolation and confidence after all that we heard this week (suicide bombings in Paris and Beirut). That there is any stability, either in the world or in the church, is the Lord's doing, and He is to be adored for it. The reigning power of God exhibited in true religion is the only security for the human commonwealth. A belief in God is the foundation and corner-stone of a well-ordered state.
Terror in Paris, the world's "City of Light." Russian plane downed. Was it ISIS? Storms, floods, drought. The headlines from any news source today stir up feelings of fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. If we continue down this road, I want the end of the world now. I want Jesus to come, save those of us who love Him, and allow his holy judgment to come upon the evildoers of this world.
ReplyDeleteBut, of course, no one knows the day or the hour as we studied last week. And I know that God's timing is perfect. So, meanwhile, He offers me a peace that transcends this world's understanding. (Philippians 4:7) I can imagine the Lord, robed in majesty, and armed with strength. (Psalm 93 v.1)
It is so comforting to me that our Lord's throne was established long ago, from eternity (v.2). His kingdom is unshakable and not of this world, as we see in this week's readings. I call on my all-powerful God, who is the Alpha and the Omega, to keep me safe, in the palms of his hands, always. I gain strength from these truths.
How close are we to the Kingdom of the Lord? What happened in Paris was awful. Here’s an appropriate prayer for these times:
ReplyDeleteDear Lord, as it was in Jerusalem of your time, so it is with us today; your Word of peace, unity, and reconciliation goes unheard and unheeded. The walls of hostility and division are strong, and we know they exist in our own hearts and minds also. We pray not only for our own conversion to your ways, but also for the conversion of our nation, our Church, and our world. Amen