Two lessons are already passed...
The first was more about the authors, poetic structures and suggestions on how to read the Psalms.

The second was about using the Psalms in praise and especially in prayer.
Finding Psalms by which to express oneself to God.

Lesson Three
Our God Reigns

Psalms 97:1 Our God reigns, let the earth be glad!.

Psalms 93:1 The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.

Our world is Unstable. Unsafe. Confusing. Chaotic. Hurting. Evil, without Hope.
But that is just what we see as Satan directs those listening to him.

Beyond and above God still reigns!
He is still in control, though allowing evil to show it's true colors for a time.
But there is a Secure and Safe, Harmonious, Perfect, Happy, Righteous, Beautiful world, in God's plans. The destiny of this planet is firm and secure.
And His word is sure.

What right does God have to reign in this world?

1. He created this world and everything in it.
2. He died to redeem a rebellious people.

Why is it so important to understand that God DID create this world and everything in it.


The Psalmists believed God created this world. We find references to God's creative work all through the Psalms.


Ps. 100:3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture

Ps 95: 6?Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
7?for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.

Ps. 102:25?In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.

Because then we begin to understand what was made at Creation including the Sabbath as well as man and woman, and instituted Marriage, to say nothing of the decoration of our world and lighting for our day and sprinkled at night, and our little friends the animals.

To realize that God created EVERYTHING, is the very foundation for understanding Who God is, and what our relationship to Him is. To acknowledge God as the creator, is to acknowledge that He is the source of all existence. We owe our very life to HIM. Without HIM we would not exist. It means that everything we see around us, from the vast galaxies to the tiniest particles, owes its origin to the divine act of creation.

Not only did God create everything, but He did so with a purpose in mind. What was that purpose? And how do we fit into that purpose? We are not here by accident. We are here by design!

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me. Psalm 119:73.


The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that He is the Creator and that to Him all other beings owe their existence. And wherever, in the Bible, His claim to reverence and worship, above the gods of the heathen, is presented, there is cited the evidence of His creative power. "All the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens." Psalm 96:5. "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Psalm 100:3; 95:6. And the holy beings who worship God in heaven state, as the reason why their homage is due to Him: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things." Revelation 4:11.

And Paul tells the men in Athens:
?The God who made the world and everything in it?he is Lord of heaven and earth?he does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things? (Acts 17:24-25)

The whole world view is radically different for those who believe God is the Creator of all things, from those who deny creation.

God's right to rule, is that He created, He sustains, He is the source of all life. Without God, nothing would even exist.

Our God Reigns!!!!

When we really grasp the fact that God created EVERYTHING and all life comes from God.
We also start to grasp the betrayal and treachery (and stupidity) of the created ones to sever themselves from the source of life, and fight against the Creator!

People often ask -- if God Reigns -- why is there so much trouble, pain, sorrow, evil, and plain wickedness in this world?

Why is understanding the reality and prevalence of the great controversy crucial in helping us understand that despite God's all powerful, undisputed right to rule, in spite of his ultimate sovereignty there is still so much turmoil in this world?

Psalms keeps giving us both sides of the battle.
The wicked rage, BUT they will not win, God is still in control.
The evil ones seem to be doing just fine, BUT their end is not good, they are going down.

The everlasting Covenant will last forever!
God's Word is sure.

Knowing that God Almighty reigns, we don't get anxious or distressed, at the evil turns society is taking.
Because we know FOR SURE, Who will win.
Our main concern is to respond to the tender call "Whoso ever will may come" and accept His forgiveness, His cleansing of our sins, and cling to Him as our Lord and Savior,

As the Sovereign King and Creator, the Lord is also the Lawgiver giver and the Judge.
While full of mercy and grace, like the 2nd commandment says, He will not clear the guilty, who refuse to come to Him.

Posted on ssnet was an excellent article describing the battle launched against Christ the true King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Yes, God wins, we win, and Satan and his evil angels and the wicked loses, which will be determined forever at the Judgment, for God is both our Saviour and our Judge.

I like the lesson this week on God listening and acting to help,,

,The Lord Hears and Delivers
Psalm 139:1?18 (KJV)

1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. 2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. 5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. 13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother?s womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Psalm 121:1?8 (KJV)

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 17:8 (KJV)

8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

Matthew 23:37 (KJV)

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

This week's lessons asks us to read Psalm 18.
What I saw in this Psalm is the description of the final war of the deliverance of God's people, as described in Great Controversy.
Compare the verses of Psalms 18 with GC.:

3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death entangled me;the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.


7 The earth trembled and quaked,and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him?the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.



13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded 14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,with great bolts of lightning he routed them.



16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,



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David sure went through some pretty rough times! I can see why he felt this way. I'm sure many more have felt this over the years. Fast forward to Jesus.

It is quite probable that it does describe how we will feel during the Time of Trouble and God's rescue.