NBBC BMD 23': The Lord Reigns, Psalm 93

Introduction: Brothers, the Psalm that I want to share with you today is one that came to my more focused attention through the lyrics of Sovereign Grace Music’s The Lord Almighty Reigns (Psalm 93). I’d like to share this song with you in preparation for our fellowship over this Psalm.

Psalm 93:1-2 “1 The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. 2 Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.

Notice brothers, what does it say that the Lord reigns over?

There’s no object that is specified to indicate that the Lord reigns only over a specific item.

What does this suggest about the Lord’s reign?

There is nothing over which the Lord does not exercise His reign.

Or, we could say that the Lord reigns over all things!

This is easy to affirm right here as we’re gathered together but the Holy Spirit will take us to task in the next section.

Notice that the Lord is described as being clothed with both majesty and strength.

God’s reign over all things is both wondrous, evidencing God’s unique capabilities and indomitable strength.

What does the Psalmist suggest here demonstrates God’s wondrous and strength-filled reign over all things?

His creation.

Hence, creation with it’s variety, structure, beauty and wonder demonstrate the majestic and powerful reign of God over all things.

Look at Psalm 93:2 and its suggestion about God’s existence.

He is eternal.

He has ruled for a long time; therefore, His reign has credibility associated with it since He has been ruling for much longer than any of us have existed.

Think about this brothers.

If the eternal Lord reigns over all with majestic wonder and strength, then there is no need to question His administration of what He rules over!

His throne, or rule over all things, was established from everlasting; there has never been a time where He has not ruled.

Psalm 93:3-4 3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice, The floods lift up their pounding waves. 4 More than the sounds of many waters, Than the mighty breakers of the sea, The Lord on high is mighty.

What impression do you get with the idea of something “lifting up”?

Conflict.

You see, the Psalmist is not speaking about strictly forces of nature.

Instead, he’s referring to circumstances in life where it seemingly is challenging God’s majestic and powerful rule.

Does this ever happen to us?

Where seemingly chaos is reigning and we being to question God’s ability to rule?

It sure does.

What does the Psalmist affirm about the Lord as compared to the circumstances that we face?

The Lord is mighty.

The Lord’s voice can drown out the tumultuous circumstances.

The Lord is more powerful than our circumstances.

Notice that the Psalmist refers to the Lord as “the Lord on high.”

This suggests that the Lord is not bound by our circumstances.

Instead, He is unrestricted in terms of the limitations that we face.

Therefore, He is to be exalted and praised based on His qualitative difference from us.

Psalm 93:5 5 Your testimonies are fully confirmed; Holiness befits Your house, O Lord, forevermore.”

I have found it interesting that after affirming the Lord’s rule over all through all circumstances that the Psalmist includes this note about the Lord’s testimonies.

If the Lord’s testimonies are confirmed, then what does that suggest about our attitude towards God’s Word?

We can trust His Word.

Therefore, what is our first response to the Lord’s reign over all through all circumstances?

We trust His Word.

Men, this is the first place that we must go when the circumstances seem to threaten our confidence in God’s rule over all things.

We must retreat the God’s Word.

Remember, He is eternal.

Therefore, He has been ruling since before we existed.

We can be confident in what the Lord is doing and that He is accomplishing it even when circumstances seem to be out of control.

Notice that not only can we trust God’s Word but the Psalmist concludes with a statement about Holiness.

God’s Holiness describes His unique, sinless/perfect character and ability among all that exists.

Notice that “Holiness” is what describes God’s house.

That is, Holiness, as a characteristic, describes all that God does.

You see, brothers, we have every reason to trust the decision-making of the Lord.

All His decisions are holy.

Unlike human rulers tainted by sin, God always rules in perfection.

We trust God’s Word because of His great power and authority in His rule over all things as well as because He is Holy (BKC).

His rule is unmatched in authority.

His rule is unprecedented in His holiness.

Conclusion: Brothers, when we consider the truths before us today, this Psalm has literally played out before us in the eighth chapter of Luke’s Gospel. Therein, the waves of the Sea of Galilee crashed against the boat of the disciples where Jesus slumbered peacefully. In fact, the Lord has been bringing this narrative to play within my family through an illustrated retelling of this event entitled “The Storm That Stopped” published through the series “Tales that Tell the Truth”. We have used this book with Harold in his night time routine. Instead of responding faithlessly focused on the storm, like the disciples, let us look in confident trust to the One Who exercises greater dominion over all that He has created - in power and holiness. Let’s listen to the song that I referenced earlier and then I’ll close in prayer.