Creation sings, exults and roars with joy

I Chronicles 16:33    An Environment Text

 28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come before him.
Worship the Lord in holy splendor; 30 tremble before him, all the earth.
    The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
    and let them say among the nations, “The Lord is king!”
32 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it.
33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
34 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.

This selection is from one of David’s songs/psalms. As the psalm unfolds there is a shift in who is being addressed, spoken to. Vs. 28 – human beings are being addressed – “O families of the peoples” – and humanity is invited to give glory to God, to worship God for God’s majesty and splendour. Then at the end of vs. 30 a shift begins to take place. The focus moves towards the earth – the creation – being addressed. The shift is complete by vs. 32. The sea, the field, the trees – roaring, exulting, singing – the creation rejoices in the coming king.

The coming king who is greeted with such joy is coming to judge the earth – is coming to bring justice for the earth (vs. 33). Justice for the creation is good news, joyful news, because it means the end to the abuse and destruction that the creation has experienced. This judging of the earth – justice for the creation – is a moment that should cause human beings to reflect on whether we have been among those who caused harm to the creation – whether our actions will be judged as justice comes for creation.

There is also hope and promise here – because a day is coming when the creation will experience renewal and restoration. And on that day, we will join our voices to the roaring, exulting, singing of the creation that the creation has been restored. For that day with wait with hope and anticipation.   

PRAYER:

God of justice, we long for the day when your justice will flow down like rivers and your righteousness like a never-ending stream. For the day when you will be bring about justice for the creation, and we will join with the seas, the fields, and the trees in celebrating your coming reign. In Jesus’ name. Amen.