11 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours;
The world and [i]all it contains, You have founded them.
12 The north and the south, You have created them;
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.
13 You have [j]a strong arm;
Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and [k]truth go before You.
15 How blessed are the people who know the [l]joyful sound!
O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
16 In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted.
17 For You are the glory of their strength,
And by Your favor [m]our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
[n]And our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Not only do the heavens, the earth, and all they contain belong to God, but He made them and sustains them. To say God has a “strong” arm is somewhat of an understatement. Compared to Him, anything on this earth has no strength at all. Yet for those who love him, God IS their strength, and that’s a pretty incredible thought, nay, a reality.
So indeed, are those blessed who know His joy, and who walk in the “light of His face”. What else could we be, when God is our shield, our protector, and the one lifts us up out of the mire? Could we be downcast or distressed?
Well, with all that life throws at us, we “could”, but we certainly shouldn’t if we keep our eyes fixed on Him. And so this passage is a reminder that we serve a mighty God, one who is just, righteous, honest, and loving. Don’t miss that last one, because it is due to His great love for us that any of this matters one bit.
Otherwise, no doubt He would look at our failures and fickle hearts with disdain. Yet His lovingkindness shapes every decision He makes, and every action that He takes. Instead of disdain, God is filled with compassion and mercy, and showers it down on us who are undeserving. Whether your life seems filled with blessings or trials, remember to rejoice and give thanks, always. And as Paul told the church at Philippi, “again, I say rejoice!”