Let the Heavens Rejoice

December 30, 2022

Psalm 96:11 - Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.

This psalm is so full of joy!  You can feel David's excitement as he pulls in the whole universe in praise to the Lord.  Joy is essential in a Christian’s life. All month long we’ve been talking about Rejoicing in the Lord. God’s people are both commanded to rejoice and defined by their joy. 

But joy isn’t just the icing on our cake; it’s an essential ingredient in a complex batter in making the cake.  God knows that we will experience painful losses, sufferings and setbacks, but that is when we discover just how deep our Christian joy runs. 

We are dependent on God for our well-being, and He instructs us to rejoice in Him and be glad in His presence.  We SHOULD be joyful, content and happy because we have been given everything from Him, from peace to joy to salvation. 

All through the scriptures Paul writes about joy in his letters to the churches, “Rejoice in hope, rejoice with those who rejoice” in Romans, “Finally brothers, rejoice” in 2 Corinthians, “Rejoice always” in 1st Thessalonians, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice” in Philippians. 

We have just celebrated Jesus’ birth, His first coming - the new year ahead represents our anticipation of His second coming.  Let’s be as joyful as David was as he penned this Psalm thousands of years ago!