We hear much in our world today about the desire for justice. This day, in the central part of our country, there is much civil strife going on in a Missouri town due to the outrage that an injustice has been committed.

The governor of Texas was indicted yesterday, fingerprinted like a criminal, all in a political stunt of grave injustice to give the public appearance of wrongdoing for an act that was the simple execution of his constitutional prerogatives.

Over the years there have been occasions in the news where we hear of a court verdict that leaves one shaking his head in amazement. Yet other occasions have the residual confusion of not knowing what really happened in a “he said, she said” presentation of contradictory facts where no witnesses were present.

I have a friend right now who is being unjustly treated in the workplace – having been set up to fail with impossible criteria that will be presumably used for job removal. Truth and justice do not seem to be nearby whatsoever.

We could go on and on with such examples, even in our own lives where we have all been hurt by the aspersions of others.

Wouldn’t it be great if the truth would always prevail! That would be something to celebrate and be joyful about, wouldn’t it?

Well, that is the very spirit of Psalm 96. Here in this enthronement Psalm, God is declared as the sovereign over all things, all nations and all peoples. There is no higher authority.

God will ultimately judge all things and all nations and all people. This is something to be joyful about, because justice will prevail. And at the same time this is something to be fearful about, because justice will prevail.

Though evil people and nations seem to too often get away with injustice and oppression, it will not always be this way. We can be pleased with that!

But we are sinners, and if God is to be a just judge, we are really in trouble, right? And that is fearful. Yet as we stand before Him, not in our own “goodness” but rather in the righteousness of Christ who paid the price by dying for us, we have no reason to fear God’s wrath … because it has already be spent on His only begotten Son. That is amazing!

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the World by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life’s first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

‘Til He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

Psalm 96

1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.

11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.