Second Sunday in Advent: Psalms, Psalm 66:1-12                    

Psalm 66:1-12

This cycle of our lectionary, the theme for this Sunday is the judgment of God in the coming of His Son. The readings point to its certainty but also to the gifts God gives to us to remain vigilant as we await the Day. A day, by the way, that for the church will be a glorious one. Of that fact, we must never lose sight.

I would like to take just a bit of a different track, perhaps. Although what I am pointing to in this psalm is certainly the fruit of that great day. In the middle of our reading, David writes, “All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name” (v. 4). Why do I refer to this as the fruit of the coming judgment? Because when all is said and done, and I mean everything, there will be one great reality. God will be praised in the midst of His people. And they will come from everywhere. Gathered into the people that we have been while scattered through ages and diverse lands, we will be joined around our God’s throne. We will gaze upon Him and bow, sing, and shout.

Remember too in the context of this Advent season, that all this was put into motion in the coming of the Son to us in His first visit. Ironically, the babe in Bethlehem drew the notice of “kings.” In our psalm for the week, the veil of His hiddenness is taken away and we see and exult in the true King. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!