Psalm 96 is believed by some learned Bible scholars as a song of celebration when the treasured Ark of the Covenant was returned by the Philistines who had taken it from Israel. Some saw its return as nothing less than having God with them again. That elaborate, God-designed box contained the Ten Commandments, the staff of Aaron which had led the people from slavery in Egypt, and a bowl of manna from heaven which fed the hungry people in the desert. Indeed, a spectacular cause for joy! But we believers also know that all humans are sinful by nature, and King David was no exception. He had one of his best generals killed because he wanted his wife. The next king, David’s son, Solomon—yes the same one whom God had given great wisdom which Solomon had requested above all earthly treasures—ended up with 700 wives and 300 concubines, and added temples to their false gods. In his old age, and to his credit, Solomon wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes to declare his sorrow for his sins and misplaced trust in himself and the treasures and joys of this sinful, fallen world.
Our nation has prescribed for its citizens a hopeful pledge that encourages allegiance to a nation that will be understood as “under God”. No, God did not make a covenant with our nation which was particular to us and exclusive of all other nations. But our founders did make it clear that religious freedom would be recognized and extended to all people. But in our Declaration of Independence, they also may have inserted the seeds of this nation’s own self-destruction: the supposed “right” to pursue of happiness. Nothing Biblical there. Pursuing one’s own happiness has all but destroyed our once foundational reliance on the stable home, which has been decimated by quests for self-fulfillment and personal wellbeing. Children’s very own existence is now dependent on what their parents see that they can add to their parents’ lives, instead of the children being recipients of a parental self-sacrificial love. And that secular claim has also been misread as a higher, more promising hope by those who hate the Christ and His people, demanding that they be honored and obeyed. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
We Christians certainly need to pray for renewal of faith in Christ as He is revealed in the Holy Bible. For us Christians, our security, worthiness, or immediate situations are not defined by anyone but God in Christ. Our ups come when we are worshipping the One in whom we have the assurance of forgiveness of sins. And our downs are from our sin and that sorrow leads us back to repentance, on our knees from where He does forgive, which uplifts us again and again. Fellow believer, please never forget that the history of Church on earth has shown its ups and down, but it is still all about Him and up to Him. Evil has existed, pervaded the earth since Eden and will until Christ returns. Never forget that the Lord selects His own. (John 6:44) Your joy in the gift of faith you received may move you to happily sing verse 1 of Psalm 96, “Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!” Gloria Deo—Glory to God