A Call to Praise the LORD
On November 5th, the moon was the closest to the Earth in its orbit—the Supermoon. As we observed the moon, the largest and brightest it can be, ten times more than usual, it brings sensations to our being. The nights leading up to the Supermoon displayed a fantastical sight in the sky, as the moon took on an orange color, and then yesterday morning, the day after the sighting, it was almost difficult to drive with the fullness of moon shining as the dawning of the morning light penetrated through the darkness. I saw the moon out my driver’s side window, as it seemed to track with me while I drove toward the campus where I would teach my first class. When a stop light allowed me to stop my vehicle, I quickly pulled out my phone and took a shot, but looking at the photo in comparison to what I could visually see left me a bit disappointed, for the photo did not reveal the true beauty I could see with my eyes.
This season of autumn with its brilliant colors and its Supermoon bring so much wonderous beauty to every waking day. As the moon shone slightly over the top of the brilliant orange trees, I paused to recall the “Joy” to the world, the very “Joy” the composer Isaac Watts penned his poem years earlier in 1791. After a quick search on the Internet, I read how this song we love to sing at Christmas was not ever intended to be a Christmas song but one for the entire year. Since the 20th Century, “Joy to the World” has been the most-published Christmas song in America, and this made me question WHY? Fashioned after the writing of the psalmist David’s 98th Psalm, these words, lines, and descriptions reveal the beauty of the earth, reminding us of the ultimate reason any person alive can find JOY.
“O sing to the LORD a new song,
(The Psalms 98: 1-3 NASB)
For He has done wonderful things,
His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.
The LORD has made known His salvation;
He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”
Jesus is coming!
It is a fact for the Bible tells us so, and we are to rejoice throughout all the seasons of the year and during each calendar month. We are to celebrate the truth, sing for JOY for the promised coming of the LORD.
Advent is Coming!
It is a fact for the Lord will come again, just as he promised.
“Joy to the world!
(“Joy to the World: Isaac Watts 1719)
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.”
The psalmist David speaks of nature, the same nature we appreciate in all its beauty.
“Let the sea roar and all it contains,
(The Psalms 98: 7-9 NASB)
The world and those who dwell in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands,
Let the mountains sing together for joy
Before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth;
He will judge the world with righteousness
And the peoples with equity.”
Personified perfectly. Rivers clapping their hands, mountains singing together in harmony, the sea roaring loudly, and every creature that dwells deep within—SINGING—”Before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth; . . .” Nature delights and inspires us to worship, not the nature, BUT GOD, the Creator of Everything.
We STAND, LIFTING up our hands, and we SING & PRAISE GOD!
“Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;
(The Psalms 98: 4-6 NASB)
Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,
With the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.”
- May we not wait until the season of Christmas, but during this season of Autumn, may we PRAISE THE KING!
- Let us not set aside our praise after December 25th, but lift our voices during Winter’s cold as we PRAISE THE LORD!
- Spring’s showers and Summer’s heat may bring us delight, but may we proclaim:
“JOY TO THE LORD.”
May we witness, testifying to those surrounding us—
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come
[Jesus could come to earth—today]
Let earth receive her King
[all the earth will bow and every person will proclaim Jesus as Lord]
Let every heart prepare Him room”
Salvation Has Come & HE is the PERSON of JESUS!