“The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.“Psalm 103:19
As a Christian living in a world that has run amok on its Creator, it often feels like you’ve believed in a God who is powerless and doesn’t have any control over what happens in the world. We see non-Christians make decisions with no reference to God, yet things seem to pan out alright for them. Governments all over the world are increasingly becoming hostile to Christians and the God we serve. Religious freedoms are being taken away, and the rights of Christians to live according to their conscience are being infringed upon. Some scoffers even go to the extent of daring God to strike them dead if he is God indeed.
In the face of such impunity and rebellion, David’s words in Psalm 103:19 come as a great comfort to the believer. In this verse, David is not guessing or expressing a desire; rather under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he makes a true statement that, “the LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules overall.“
In this text, David reminds his readers that there is a God who has established his throne in the heavens. He was not elected through a democratic vote, and his rule has no term limit. His rule is not limited to a particular geographic location; instead, he is sovereign overall. Contrary to what is believed in some Christian circles, he didn’t create the world and decide to hand over power to man and go hang out in heaven. Neither does he need nor obtain permission from man to intervene in the affairs of the world. The Creator is also the Ruler and the Sustainer of the universe. He oversees and directs the course of all human history.
This text should be a source of great comfort for the Christian as we navigate through a fallen and unjust world. It should cause us to entrust ourselves more and more to the providential care of a sovereign God who did not only create the world but continues to rule and sustain it. Kingdoms and empires have come and gone, hostile governments have come and gone, yet there is still one King reigning overall. His kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting and he will one day right all wrongs, we shall see him face to face and dwell under his just rule forever.
