Somewhere over the past few decades we’ve seen a shift in how we worship from a shared, corporate experience to an intentionally private one. We dim the lights so we can’t see our neighbor, turn up the volume so we can’t hear others sing, and the focus necessarily turns to self and whether or not we are “into it” that particular day.
 
Psalm 96 pushes back on our modern worship model pretty hard and calls us into something much bigger. First of all, it invites us to sing a new song, but it doesn’t take long for that invitation to widen. The Psalmist seems less interested in our private worship as he cries out, “Let the whole earth sing to the Lord.” God’s glory isn’t reserved only for us; it is to be declared among the nations, all the peoples of the world. Unlike His enemies, He isn’t a local deity with boundaries and borders. He made the heavens, reigns over the earth, and will judge the world with righteousness.
 
Three of the disciples witnessed the pure glory of Jesus on the mountain, and Peter spoke of it years later to encourage a beleaguered church. But that event wasn’t meant to be a private preserved memory. It was part of the story to which the disciples bore witness after the resurrection of what they had seen and what they had heard. His glory became a part of the church’s proclamation to the world

Another beautiful part of Psalm 96 is its admonition on how we respond to the Glory of the Son. This isn’t a time for intellectual assent or analysis. It’s a time for singing, praising, bowing, trembling, and rejoicing!  All of creation shouts for joy in response to the arrival of the glorious King.
 
Recently, a national figure was quoted as saying the world is ruled by power and by might, but Psalm 96 serves as a stark reminder of a Kingdom in a form no one expected; a Kingdom where true power and authority come through suffering and sacrifice, not weaponry and rhetoric. Thankfully, though, the suffering and hardship aren’t where this story ends; it ends with resurrection and global proclamation to the nations.
 
In His presence, we tremble because He is holy. We also rejoice because He has come with righteousness and faithfulness to judge the nations.
 
So, we worship. Even when the road ahead is difficult. We praise Him because we know who He is and that the cross did not dampen His glory and our difficulties have not removed Him from His throne.
 
After the transfiguration, the disciples followed Jesus down the mountain toward Jerusalem … towards the cross. Now it’s our turn to follow Him into our own places of faithfulness, to carry His name, speak of His glory, and announce His reign to all the peoples of the earth.
 
The world must know that Jesus is the Glorious Son, the righteous King who makes all things new. Let the whole earth sing!

How has this week’s vision of Jesus deepened or corrected your understanding of His glory? Where can you speak of Christ’s goodness and reign through your words, worship, or faithful presence?

Father, thank you for Jesus, the Glorious Son and rightful King of heaven and earth. I praise you that you are holy, majestic, and faithful. Teach me to worship you with reverence and joy, especially in times of hardship. Give me courage to declare your glory among the nations until everyone has heard the good news. Amen.

“Today I praise Jesus, the glorious King, because __________________.”