Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
let them sing before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
Psalms 98:8-9 (NIV)
We do not normally associate singing with God’s judgment. Why would someone sing for joy about the day when God will send so many people to destruction? Isn’t this a sad time?
This Psalmist does not think of judgment this way. They are thinking of judgment in terms of God bringing goodness and justice to the earth. Do we not mourn all the suffering around us? Are we not sick of all the malevolence dwelling in so many people? Are we not sad about all the hearts that rebel against God and persuade others to do the same?
Instead, we look for an end to suffering and neediness. We yearn for an end to all the destruction that people inflict on one another. And we want to be free from the people who spend their whole lives rejecting God and tearing down what is good. We want peace, holiness and friendship.
This is why God’s judgment is a joyful event that we can sing about. God will come and establish his good rule over all and eliminate all that opposes his goodness. We will be free and live forever in his perfect community of love.
