L esson 3 *January 13–19

The Lord Reigns

Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Psalm 8, Psalm 100, Psalm 97,
Psalm 75, Ps. 105:7−10, Gal. 3:26–29, Ps. 25:10.

Memory Text: “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” (Psalm 93:1, NIV).

T
he Psalms unswervingly uphold the foundational belief in God’s
sovereign reign. The Lord created and sustains everything that
He had created. He is the Sovereign King over the whole world,
and He rules the world with justice and righteousness. His laws and
statutes are good and bring life to those who keep them. The Lord is
a just Judge who ensures that the world remains well ordered, and He
does so by rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked, but in
His time, not ours.
God’s covenant with Israel plays a special role in securing the world
because it heralds the Lord’s salvation. The Lord adopted Israel as His
prized possession, making Israel, of all the nations, His people. The
Lord is faithful to His covenant and continues to care for His flock
despite their unfaithfulness and, at times, open rebellion.
The Lord’s sovereign rule thus renders the world firmly established
and secure. The psalmists want the reader to understand this founda-
tional truth. With this worldview as their lighthouse, the psalmists seek
to thrive and to serve God with undivided devotion.

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 20.

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 S unday January 14

The Lord Has Made Us

Read Psalm 8 and Psalm 100. How are God and people portrayed
in these psalms? What do these psalms reveal about God’s char-
acter?
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Creation plays a crucial role in the Psalms, in upholding God’s

sovereignty. The heavens, which are “His handiwork,” proclaim His
glory and power (Ps. 19:1−4, Ps. 97:6). God’s name is majestic in
all the earth (Ps. 8:1, 9). The Lord has created everything; He has no
beginning (Ps. 93:2) and no end (Ps. 102:25−27). He is everlasting
and superior over the gods of the nations, which are only “the work
of men’s hands” (Ps. 115:4), nothing more. The idols “have hands,
but they handle not” (Ps. 115:7); as for the Lord, “in his hand are the
deep places of the earth . . . and his hands formed the dry land” (Ps.
95:4, 5).
Several psalms portray God’s power over the forces in nature that
other nations believed to be divine (e.g. Psalm 29, Psalm 93, and
Psalm 104). These psalms reassert the claim that the Lord reigns over
all creation and is supreme in power and dignity. Psalm 100:3 strikes
one subtle form of idolatry—self-reliance, stressing that God made us,
“and not we ourselves.”
Creation also testifies to God’s love. Everything that exists owes its
existence to God, who also sustains life (Ps. 95:7, Ps. 147:4−9). Notice
that God not only granted people existence but He also made ancient
Israel “His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Ps. 100:3, NKJV).
The notion of “His people” and “His sheep” reveals God’s desire for a
close relationship with His people.
Only the Creator has the power to bless and cause His people to
increase, and thus, He is the only One worthy of their worship and trust.
Numerous psalms call everything that has breath, all the earth, the sea,
and everything in it to shout for joy before the Lord.
The glory of God is seen in the creation, even in the fallen earthly
creation, and the Psalms point us to God alone as worthy of worship.
“What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man
that You visit him?” (Ps. 8:4, NKJV). What is your response to
God as your Creator? When God calls the stars by their names
(Ps. 147:4), how much more do you think God cares for you?

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 M onday January 15

The Lord Reigns

Closely tied—in fact inseparably tied—to the Lord as Creator is
the Lord as Sovereign, as Ruler. The declaration “The Lord reigneth”
is solemnly proclaimed in Psalm 93:1, Psalm 96:10, Psalm 97:1, and
Psalm 99:1, but its echoes are heard throughout the book of Psalms.
The Lord is clothed with honor, majesty, and strength (Ps. 93:1, Ps.
104:1). He is surrounded with clouds and darkness (Ps. 97:2) but also
covers Himself “with light as with a garment” (Ps. 104:2). These meta-
phors exalt the King’s power and splendor and are carefully chosen to
express God’s unique greatness, which is beyond human comprehension.

Read Psalm 97. What characterizes the Lord’s reign? (Ps. 97:2, 10).
What is the domain of His reign? (Ps. 97:1, 5, 9).
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The Lord’s rule is demonstrated in His works of creation (Ps. 96:5),

salvation (Ps. 98:2), and judgment (Ps. 96:10). The Lord establishes
His kingship over the whole world (Ps. 47:6−9). God’s kingdom is an
everlasting kingdom, unparalleled in power and majesty (Ps. 45:6; Ps.
93:1, 2; Ps. 103:19). The Lord’s reign is established on mercy, justice,
and righteousness, and it brings order and stability to the created world
(Ps. 98:3, Ps. 99:4). God’s reign unites both heavenly and earthly wor-
shipers in the praise of God (Ps. 103:20−22, Psalm 148). Many psalms
envision all humanity acknowledging God’s sovereign rule (Ps. 96:10,
Ps. 97:1, Ps. 99:1, Ps. 145:11–13).
But not all people, or even earthly rulers, do, at least for now. The
Lord’s reign is constantly defied by the wicked, who deny and mock
the Lord and oppress His people (Ps. 14:1, Ps. 74:3−22). Though chal-
lenged by the prosperity of some wicked people and troubled by God’s
forbearance, the psalmist trusts in God’s sovereign rule and continues to
flourish in the assurance of God’s righteous judgments (Ps. 68:21, Ps.
73:17−20). By faith God’s people rejoice in the inauguration of God’s
kingdom through Christ’s redeeming ministry and wait for the consum-
mation of the kingdom at Christ’s second coming (Matt. 12:26−28,
1 Cor. 15:20–28).
“You who love the Lord, hate evil!” (Ps. 97:10, NKJV). Why
should our love for God cause us to hate evil? How are these two
concepts related?

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 T uesday January 16

God Is the Judge

Read Psalms 75. Why is the boasting of the wicked in vain?
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As the Sovereign King, the Lord is also a Lawgiver (Ps. 99:7) and
a Judge (Ps. 98:9, Ps. 97:2). The wicked constantly threaten the just
order that God established in the world, but the Lord will judge the
world and bring the rule of evil to its end (Ps. 75:8−10, Ps. 96:13).
In Psalm 75, several images depict the irrevocable destruction of the
wicked. The image of a cup with red wine (Ps. 75:8) conveys the inten-
sity of God’s fury (Jer. 25:15, Rev. 14:10). Cutting off the horns of the
wicked depicts the end of their power and dominion, while the horns
of the righteous shall be exalted (Ps. 75:10). God chooses a “proper
time” (Ps. 75:2, NKJV) or “appointed time” (NIV) for His judgment.
This executive judgment clearly will take place at the end of time (Ps.
96:13, 1 Cor. 15:23−26).
The Lord probes people’s hearts as part of His judgment. Read Psalm
14:2. It is reminiscent of Genesis 6:5, 8. Both texts show that the execu-
tion of God’s judgment of the world is preceded by God’s examination
of the people’s lives and seeking whomever He can save. This judgment
is sometimes called “the investigative judgment,” when God defends
the righteous and decides the fate of the wicked.
How does it work?
First, God delivers His people from the wicked (Ps. 97:10, Ps. 146:9)
and crowns the humble with salvation (Ps. 149:4). Second, the unrepen-
tant wicked are destroyed forever (Ps. 97:3). Some psalms poetically
describe the uselessness of human weapons against the Divine Judge
(Ps. 76:3–6). The Lord is also a forgiving God, although He punishes
people’s misdeeds (Ps. 99:8). God’s people, not only the wicked, shall
give an account to God (Ps. 50:4, Ps. 135:14).
The Psalms convey the same notion that is expressed in other biblical
texts, that God’s judgment begins with God’s people and is extended to
the whole earth (Deut. 32:36, 1 Pet. 4:17). The psalmist cries to God to
judge him but relies on God’s righteousness to defend him (Ps.7:8−11;
Ps. 139:23, 24).
The Psalms call us to rejoice in anticipation of God’s judgments
(Ps. 67:4, Ps. 96:10−13, Ps. 98:4−9). How is God’s judgment good
news for those covered by the blood of Christ?

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 W ednesday January 17

Ever Mindful of His Covenant

The theme of God’s judgment prompts a significant question: How can

God’s people have peace with God and assurance of salvation at
the time of judgment? Read Ps. 94:14, Psalm 105:7−10, Dan. 7:22.
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God’s people are secure because the Lord placed His dwelling place
in Zion (Ps. 76:1, 2) and established His everlasting covenant with them
as His treasured possession (Ps. 94:14, Ps. 105:8–10). God does not
simply promise not to reject His covenantal people—He actively works
to keep them secure in Him. He forgives their sins (Ps. 103:3); He
instructs, blesses, and strengthens His people (Ps. 25:8−11, Ps. 29:11,
Ps. 105:24). God’s judgments are given to turn the people to righteous-
ness and to demonstrate that God cares for them (Ps. 94:8–15).
Psalm 105 as a whole shows the Lord’s faithfulness to His covenant in
Israel’s history. In everything that happened, the good and the bad, God was
there. He providentially led Joseph to Egypt and through him saved His
people and the nations in that area during the severe famine (Ps. 105:16−24).
The Lord raised Moses to lead His people out of Egyptian slavery, which he
did with signs and wonders on their behalf (Ps. 105:25−38).
The Lord granted His people the Promised Land (Ps. 105:11, 44)
and His continual protection (Ps. 105:12−15). He multiplied them (Ps.
105:24), freed them from their overlords (Ps. 105:37, 38), and provided
for their daily needs (Ps. 105:39−41). The Lord is undoubtedly in sov-
ereign control of all that involves His people—a truth that the psalmists
wanted His people never to forget.
When God remembers His covenant, it involves more than cogni-
zance or memory because it always leads to action (Gen. 8:1, 1 Sam.
1:19, Ps. 98:3, Ps. 105:42–44). Likewise, when the people are called
to remember God’s wonders and judgments, it means that the people
should live in ways that honor God.
In this covenant, Israel’s primary calling is to remain faithful to the
covenant by observing God’s laws (Ps. 78:5−7, Ps. 105:45). God’s
people also are called to bear witness about God to other nations because
the Lord wishes all nations to join His people Israel (Ps. 105:1, 2). The
world is thus secure in the protective covenant of the almighty and merci-
ful God (Ps. 89:28−34).
What do we have in Jesus, which shows why these promises made
to ancient Israel can now apply to us? (See Gal. 3:26–29.)

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 T hursday January 18

Your Testimonies Are Very Sure

Read Psalm 19:7; Psalm 93:5; Psalm 119:165; Psalm 1:2, 6; Psalm 18:30;
and Psalm 25:10. What common thread runs through them all?
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The Lord’s supremacy in the world as the Sovereign Creator, King,

and Judge has theological implications for the reliability of His tes-
timonies. The testimonies (Hebrew ‘edut, “decree,” “law”) refer to
the body of laws and ordinances with which the Lord governs the
religious and social life of His people (Exod. 32:15). They are “very
sure” (Ps. 93:5), reflecting the stability and permanence of God’s
throne and the world that God created and sustains (Ps. 93:1, 2). The
Hebrew word translated as “sure” (the English word amen derives
from this word) conveys the notion of reliability, faithfulness, and
firmness (2 Sam. 7:16, 1 Chron. 17:23). God’s laws are unchangeable
and indestructible.
God vouches for the integrity of His promises and commands. God’s
faithfulness is both wholly reassuring in guaranteeing the unchange-
able character of His rule and wholly demanding in asking the people’s
responses of trust and obedience to God.
At the same time, the lack of justice in the world is poetically
described as a shaking of earth’s foundation (Ps. 18:7, Isa. 24:18–21).
God’s law instructs the people in the way of righteous life that can
withstand God’s judgment. The righteous, thus, shall not be shaken
because they are firmly rooted in God’s law, which provides stability
and security, and their hearts are steadfast (Hebrew kun, also, means
“be firm,” “be secure”) in the Lord (Ps. 112:1, 6, 7). Nothing causes
those who keep God’s law to stumble (Ps. 119:165), which signifies
God’s protection and guidance in life (Ps. 1:2, 3, 6).
God’s Word is depicted as the lamp to the psalmist’s feet, and so, it
protects him from the enemies’ hidden snares (Ps. 119:105, 110). Great
peace, which is enjoyed by those who love God’s law (Ps. 119:165),
obviously does not result from a total absence of trials (Ps. 119:161). It
rather derives from abiding in God’s presence and having a wholesome
relationship with Him.
What are practical ways that keeping God’s laws and rules and
testimonies have helped you in your life? On the other hand,
what have you suffered from violating them?

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 F riday January 19

Further Thought: Read Psalm 86:5, 15; Ellen G. White, “God’s

Love for Man,” pp. 9–15, in Steps to Christ. How does the truth that
God is love help us better understand the various descriptions of God
and His deeds in the Psalms?

This week’s study focuses on some key descriptions of God and His
activities, which establish the world and render it firm and secure. The
psalmists appeal to God, who is the Creator, King, Judge, covenantal
Savior, and Lawgiver. The roles in the world that God occupies are
further reflected in God's various other names and titles, including
Shepherd (Ps. 23:1, Ps. 80:1), Rock of Salvation (Ps. 95:1), and Father
(Ps. 68:5, Ps. 89:26). In the world we can be secure and safe, even
amid the turmoil of the great controversy, because God is sovereign
and faithful in all He does and says. Although these theological themes
are by no means exhaustive, they are suggestive of the various ways in
which God reveals Himself in the Psalms.
As we continue to study the Psalms, it is important to remember to read
the Psalms in the light of God’s character of love and grace and His plan
to save and restore the world. “The more we study the divine character in
the light of the cross, the more we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness
blended with equity and justice, and the more clearly we discern innu-
merable evidences of a love that is infinite and a tender pity surpassing
a mother’s yearning sympathy for her wayward child.”—Ellen G. White,
Steps to Christ, p. 15. In the Psalms, even when the people face God’s judg-
ment for their rebellion, they continue to call upon God because they know
that God’s anger is only for a time, but His mercy is everlasting (Ps. 103:8).

Discussion Questions:
Ê Why is understanding the reality and prevalence of the great
controversy crucial in helping us understand that despite God’s
ultimate rulership and sovereignty, there is still much turmoil and
suffering in our world? Why is the great controversy motif so help-
ful to us?

Ë How should the belief in God as Creator shape our under-

standing of ourselves and our relationship with the rest of cre-
ation? What happens when the people stray from that truth (Ps.
106:35−42)?

Ì What was wrong with the idols of the nations in biblical times
(Ps. 115:4−8)? What about modern idols? Why are they just as
dangerous to our walk with the Lord?

Í How should God’s people live knowing that God’s judgment

begins with His people? How does God judge His people and to
what end?
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 i n s i d e
Story
“I Fought and Won”
By Andrew McChesney
Pedro was shocked at the greeting that he got when he returned from
church services in Mozambique.
“Don’t go back to the Seventh-day Adventist church,” his sister said. “It’s
not a good church because it has false prophets. If you go again, you can’t
live here anymore.”
Worrisome thoughts filled Pedro’s head. Family problems in his home-
town, Beira, had forced him to move 700 miles (1,140 kilometers) to his
sister’s house in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo. Because he was new to
town, he had missed a few worship services as he searched for an Adventist
church. Now he had found a church, worshiped there for the first time, and
returned home to find that his sister didn’t want him to go again.
Pedro prayed and kept going to church.
His sister stopped sharing her food with Pedro. She hoped that hunger would
cause him to change his mind. But church members gave him food to eat.
Pedro thanked God for His care and kept going to church.
One Sabbath morning, as he was preparing to leave for church, his sister
told him not to return.
“Are you still refusing to listen and insisting on going to your church?”
she asked. “You don’t want to live here anymore because you don’t want to
comply with the house rules.”
Pedro was sad but not discouraged. He realized that he wasn’t caught in
a conflict with his sister but in a spiritual struggle between Jesus and Satan.
He remembered Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:12, “For we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness
in the heavenly places” (NKJV).
He went to church and asked the pastor and church members to pray for
him. When he returned home later that day, he was kicked out.
A friend allowed Pedro to stay with him for two nights. Then a church
member gave Pedro a job as the caretaker of his house in exchange for room
and board.
Today, Pedro still works as a house caretaker, he is free to worship God
every Sabbath, and he believes that God is working on his sister’s heart. Their
friendship has been restored, and she no longer insists that he stop going to
church on Sabbath. Pedro hopes that one day she will accept the whole Bible
truth and learn to appreciate the inspired writings of Ellen White.
“I put on the armor of God,” he said. “I fought and won, and ‘I can do all
things through Christ who strengthens me’ ” (Philippians 4:13).
Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that help spread the good news of
Jesus’ soon coming in Africa and around the world.

Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at AdventistMission.org. 27