Have you ever known anyone that you thought took their Christian faith a little bit too far? I mean, do you think a tenth of your income is too much to give to the Lord’s work? Or what about devoting more personal time to engage in projects to help the needy? Are you really interested in making friends with unbelievers so that you might introduce them to Jesus? Or does all of that sound too “extreme”?

Well, however much we might like to stay in the middle, holding on to some of the pleasures and values of the world while we devote only part of our time and attention to God, this psalm doesn’t really give us that option. For the fact is that God is King over all the world, reigning over everyone and everything in it (verses 1 and 9). Even those worldly pleasures and pursuits that don’t line up with God’s will, those false gods to which we give some of our love and loyalty – well, they are called to worship Him too (verse 7). There is simply no one and nothing that lies outside of His jurisdiction.

And so the only reasonable thing for us to do is to make God our highest priority, exalting Him above everything else in our lives (verse 9). For He is not only unimaginably powerful (verses 3-5). He also rules over all the circumstances of our lives with perfect righteousness and justice (verse 2). And He has promised to care for all who trust in Christ, preserving our souls and delivering us from the worst of our enemies (verse 10).

So let us turn away from anyone and anything that is standing between us and a closer relationship with God. Let us devote ourselves completely to Him, loving Him with all we are and all we have. And let us be glad and thankful that the One Who rules over everyone and everything has loved us enough to give up His Son so that we might be saved from all our sin, all our disloyalty to Him.

Psalm 97 (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.