Worshipping the God of All NationsSample

Day 2–To God be the Glory

Begin by prayerfully reading Psalm 117

Even though the Psalter is Israel’s book of prayer and worship, it is universal in its scope, inviting all nations to extol YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We find this idea not only in Psalm 117 but in other Psalms as well, as the following selection shows:

• Psalm 33:8–“Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.”
• Psalm 86:9–“All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name.”
• Psalm 96:1–“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.”
• Psalm 96:3–“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
• Psalm 102:15–“The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.”

What these verses (and many more like them) demonstrate is that God has a plan and that he is at work throughout the entire world.

Eventually, all nations will acknowledge God and worship him. This means that history is going somewhere and that God’s glory is the supreme, overarching theme.

Whatever evil may happen in the world at any given time should not cause us to be anxious because we know that God is in control. At the same time, we cannot take any credit for whatever good we may be able to accomplish in this world, whether through the church or through other channels. Ultimately, every good gift comes from God the Father, which is why all glory belongs to him and him alone.

Reflection and Application

• What is one way that you can give glory to God today?
• Ask God to put a nation on your heart, and then pray for God’s glory to be revealed among them.