Listen

Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth! Be happy! Rejoice out loud! Sing your praises! Sing your praises to the Lord with the lyre— with the lyre and the sound of music. With trumpets and a horn blast, shout triumphantly before the Lord, the king! Let the sea and everything in it roar; the world and all its inhabitants too. Let all the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains rejoice out loud altogether.

Psalm 98:4-8

Think

It’s celebration time! This is the day the Lord has made!

When we call God “Lord,” we’re confessing what this psalm proclaims. God is the king, the ruler not only of our lives but of the whole creation. Psalm 98 invites the natural world to join in the celebration of praise. It calls the sea and everything in it to roar, from the breaking of waves to the bellowing whales. The world and its inhabitants too — animals and people sing together to God our king! The imagery stretches our imaginations as we picture rivers clapping and mountains giving audible praise to the Lord.

God loves our celebrations and calls for music. Stringed instruments, trumpets, horns, and even shouts all have a place in the song. This whole-hearted, full-voiced praise is the natural response as we look ahead in faith. Reminded of the resurrection, how can we help but sing? When the seas, savannahs, and streams all join together in worship, how can we not rejoice too? Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth!

Joshua Hays

Pray

Lord, you are the king of creation! Today I celebrate you as Creator, Savior, and Lord. Amen.

Go

Go now,

looking back on what the Lord has done for you,

looking ahead in faith to what the Lord has promised,

looking around you for those in need of hope and love.