Slices
Prepare
‘The Lord reigns …’ (Psalm 93:1). So relax and celebrate that he is in charge!
Bible passage
A psalm of praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendour of your majesty –
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works –
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.
14 The Lord upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfils the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Explore
I love this psalm. It is a beautiful declaration of the kingdom of God – how life is meant to be and, ultimately, will be. It is a celebration of what should have been the glory of ancient Israel, and foretells the kingdom brought about by Jesus. God’s rule is eternal, but constantly requires expression in the world. Notice how the psalmist talks about the timeless majesty of God and also commits to playing his part in his generation: ‘They tell … and I will meditate … They tell … and I will proclaim’ (vs 4–6).
So what are the distinctive features of the kingdom of God? There are, of course, God’s power and majesty (vs 1–6), but there are many aspects that would not be shared by some regimes of the ancient world or of today. Compassion is a key feature (vs 8,9). God’s kingdom is a place where the weak are treated with special care. Unlike so many governments, God exercises power for his subjects, not just over them. He is responsive to the cry of the needy (vs 14–16).
There is a place for judgement in God’s kingdom, though this only merits half a verse (v 20). This has to be the case if the weak are to be defended and if ‘every creature’ (v 21) is to thrive.
Respond
Jesus teaches us to pray, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth…’ Let this psalm guide you as you pray for our world.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Job 5,6; Luke 15
Pray for Scripture Union
Give thanks to God for Leonie, Joel and the team at King’s Church Durham for their passion and determination to share Jesus with children and young people in their community. (This week's prayers relate to this story.)