“Well, you can believe whatever you want, because religion is only a matter of opinion.” Perhaps you’ve heard such sentiments expressed – or maybe that’s what you yourself believe. But the psalmist shatters such ideas by holding up before us a matter of historical fact: that the Lord made the heavens (verse 5). For if that’s true, if all creation simply expresses the strength and beauty of its Creator (verse 6), does it make any sense to worship anything that can only be a pale reflection of His glory? No, the Lord alone is great and thus greatly to be praised (verse 4).

But it also stands to reason that anyone who makes something has the absolute right to govern it, right? An author or playwright gets to decide what happens to the characters in his novel or her play. A chef gets to decide what goes into each dish he or she serves. And so if the Lord is the Creator of all things, He gets to decide the standard of perfection. And that means that whatever is in agreement with His will is definitionally righteous (verse 13).

So however impressive worldly kings may seem, it is the Lord alone Who has true splendor and majesty (verse 6). But He not only reigns over everyone and everything today (verse 10). No, Christ has also promised that He will come one day, in both power and glory, to judge everything and everyone that He has made – according to His righteousness, a standard that He is always faithful to uphold (verse 13).

So, no, the different nations of the world don’t, in fact, get to make up their own rules to live by. Instead, we are all called to tremble before our Creator, clothing ourselves with the sort of holiness that only He gets to determine (verse 9). And because He alone has the power to save us from His coming judgment, (verse 2) let us worship Him alone, rejoicing that the One Who rules over us is the One Who died for all who trust in Him.

Psalm 96 (NASB)

Sing to the LORD a new song; Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.
3 Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
9 Worship the LORD in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
12 Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
13 Before the LORD, for He is coming; For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, And the peoples in His faithfulness.