God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted. (Psalm 47:5-9) There is a bit of a call and response rhythm to these first few psalms of Book II of the psalter.  Do you notice it?  Psalm 44 cries out in suffering and psalm 45 responds with a hope-filled vision of the messianic wedding feast.  Psalm 46 speaks to the moment the earth gives way under our feet, reminding us of the promise that God will be glorified in all the earth.  Psalm 47 responds with exactly that: the glorified God ascending to his throne of glory. This is a psalm that has been sung in the Jewish faith at the turn to the new year.  In Christianity, it has often been recited on Ascension Day.  In the book of Revelation, this psalm surely informs the Apostle John's imagination as he sees the kings of the earth entering the royal city of Jesus, the King, bringing their tribute. Perhaps this psalm also informs Paul's vision of Jesus Christ being the one in whom all things hold together, indeed the one through whom all things (including thrones, powers, rulers, and authorities) are reconciled to God.   This is the movement of the psalm.  "The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham."  Did you catch that little word "as?"  The nations have somehow become the people of God!  You thought they were outsiders, but as it turns out: they belong to him!  The promises that God made to Abraham are fulfilled.  It is not just that Abraham will be the father of many nations, but also that "all peoples on earth will be blessed through" Abraham.  Indeed: all peoples now come under the rule and blessing of the God of Abraham.   There is again something within this psalm that smacks of our future hope in Christ.  The world we see at present is not the world we place our hope in.  We certainly do not see every nation and ruler bowing the knee to Christ right now, but our faith suggests with this psalm that God's reality looks different.  The heavenly country we long for has a much different texture to it.  No more power games or warring nations.  No more economic woes.  No more young men or women who die before their time or suffer from addiction or disease.   No: God is the God of the living, says Jesus.  And when God ascends to take his throne: all of his promises will be fulfilled.  All will be resolved to justice and peace under the one rule of Christ, the Lord King.  All will be made well and right in resurrection, reunion, restoration, and reconciliation through the one who holds all these things that we've entrusted to him against that day, together.     Amen. Come Lord Jesus, come. As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:     May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you.  May he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.

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