Good morning. Welcome to this week’s Bible Lesson. The title of our study today is: “The LORD Reigns: A Call to Worship, Reverence, and Joy for All the Earth.” Our scripture text is found in 1 Chronicles 16:23-33. Let’s begin by asking the Lord to bless our session.
Heavenly Father, open our hearts to Your Word, humble our minds before Your truth, fill us with reverence, joy, and obedience as we study Your glory together today in faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation. (1 Chronicles 16:23)
This verse calls God’s people to a life marked by continual worship and continual testimony. It unites praise toward God with proclamation to the world, showing that true devotion is never silent or occasional.
“Sing unto the LORD” places worship where it belongs—focused on God Himself. Singing in Scripture is truth expressed with joy. It is doctrine carried by the heart.
Praise lifts the soul above circumstances and fixes attention on God’s character, faithfulness, and power.
God commands singing not because He needs sound, but because the human heart needs expression. What is treasured inwardly will be voiced outwardly.
The command widens: “all the earth.” God’s worth is universal. He is not a local deity or a cultural preference; He is Creator and King of all. This call hints at God’s redemptive purpose for every nation. Worship that truly honors God cannot remain private, because God’s glory is too great to be confined.
Then comes the daily mission: “show forth from day to day His salvation.” To “show forth” means to proclaim openly. God’s salvation is not merely a past event remembered once; it is an ongoing reality.
God rescues from sin, sustains faith, forgives failures, and renews strength continually. Each day brings fresh mercy and fresh reasons to testify.
This verse teaches a holy rhythm: praise that rises daily and witness that continues daily. When salvation stays fresh in the heart, worship stays alive—and God’s saving grace is made known again and again.
Declare His glory among the heathen; His marvellous works among all nations. (1 Chronicles 16:24)
This verse calls God’s people to move beyond private admiration into public proclamation. Worship that remains silent falls short of its purpose, because God’s glory is meant to be known.
“Declare His glory among the heathen.” To declare means to speak clearly, intentionally, and confidently. God’s “glory” is the fullness of who He is—His holiness, power, wisdom, justice, faithfulness, and mercy. The “heathen” are those who do not know the true God.
The command is not one of contempt, but of compassion. People without knowledge of God live surrounded by false ideas and false hopes. God calls His people to speak truth into that darkness.
The verse then explains how God’s glory is often made understandable: “His marvellous works among all nations.” God has acted in history. His works—deliverance, provision, judgment, mercy, and covenant faithfulness—are visible demonstrations of His glory.
God does not ask His people to promote a theory, but to testify to what He has done. His works validate His character.
Notice the scope: “among all nations.” God’s purpose has always been global. He is not the God of one people only, but the rightful Lord of every nation. This verse anticipates the missionary heart of Scripture, showing that worship must overflow into witness.
This verse also warns against silent faith. If God’s people do not declare His glory, the nations will fill the silence with idols and false wonders. But when believers humbly and boldly speak of God’s glory and works, they participate in God’s plan to make Himself known throughout the earth.
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods. (1 Chronicles 16:25)
This verse lays the foundation for all true worship by revealing God’s greatness and defining the proper human response. It holds together praise and reverence, joy and awe.
“For great is the LORD.” God’s greatness is not relative or comparative. He is great by nature—eternal, uncreated, self-existent, and unlimited. His greatness is seen in His power to create, His wisdom to govern, His holiness to judge, and His mercy to save.
Nothing adds to Him, and nothing threatens Him. Scripture presents God’s greatness as objective reality, not personal opinion.
Because God is great, He is “greatly to be praised.” Praise should match worth. A great God deserves more than casual acknowledgment or routine devotion. When praise is weak, the problem is not God’s glory but our vision.
Remembering God’s faithfulness, patience, and sovereignty enlarges the heart and strengthens praise. True praise is not excess emotion; it is a fitting response to infinite worth.
The verse then adds balance: “He also is to be feared above all gods.” This fear is not terror, but holy reverence. It recognizes God’s moral perfection and absolute authority. The fear of the LORD guards worship from becoming shallow and belief from becoming optional.
“Above all gods” confronts every rival—ancient idols and modern substitutes alike. Only the LORD deserves ultimate reverence, trust, and loyalty. This verse calls us to rejoice deeply and bow humbly before the One who alone is truly great.
For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. (1 Chronicles 16:26)
This verse draws a sharp contrast between false worship and true reality. It exposes the emptiness of idols and the unmatched authority of the LORD.
“For all the gods of the people are idols.” Idols are powerless substitutes created by human imagination or human hands. They may appear impressive, ancient, or comforting, but they cannot save.
Whether carved from wood and stone or expressed today through wealth, power, pleasure, or self, idols promise security and meaning yet fail to deliver.
They cannot forgive sin, heal the conscience, or give eternal life. Idolatry is not merely religious error; it is misplaced trust.
Then comes the decisive contrast: “but the LORD made the heavens.” Idols are made; the LORD is the Maker. This single truth destroys every rival claim.
The heavens—the vast, ordered, and beautiful expanse above us—testify to God’s power, wisdom, and sovereignty. No idol created stars, seasons, or life. God spoke, and creation existed.
Because He made the heavens, He owns them. Because He owns them, He rules them. His authority is inherent, not borrowed. He depends on nothing and no one. While idols fade when belief fades, the LORD remains eternal and unchanging.
This verse confronts the heart with a choice: trust what humans create or submit to the One who created everything. Idols feel manageable and safe because they are small.
God is greater—and therefore worthy of surrender. Only the LORD who made the heavens can sustain life, judge with justice, and save the soul.
Glory and honour are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place. (1 Chronicles 16:27)
This verse reveals what naturally surrounds God wherever He is truly acknowledged. It describes the atmosphere of God’s nearness, not temporary emotions but enduring realities.
“Glory and honour are in His presence.” God’s presence is never ordinary. Glory speaks of weight and splendor—the unmistakable worth of God’s being. Honour speaks of rightful reverence. When God is truly present, self-importance fades and perspective is restored.
The soul recognizes that God is central and everything else is secondary. This is why Scripture often associates God’s presence with awe and humility. Nearness to God clarifies reality.
The verse continues, “strength and gladness are in His place.” This pairing is significant. Strength without joy can become harsh, and joy without strength becomes shallow. In God, they exist together.
Strength points to God’s power to sustain, uphold, and enable. Drawing near to God provides endurance for obedience and stability in weakness.
Gladness reveals the warmth of God’s dwelling. God’s presence is not oppressive or cold, but life-giving. This joy is deeper than circumstances; it flows from knowing God is sovereign, faithful, and good. In His place, joy rests on truth rather than convenience.
Notice the emphasis on His presence and His place. The source of glory, strength, and joy is not environment, ritual, or emotion, but God Himself. When worship is disconnected from God’s presence, it becomes hollow. But when hearts truly draw near, transformation follows.
This verse invites us to seek God Himself. In His presence, we gain reverence and clarity. In His place, weakness meets strength and sorrow gives way to joy.
Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. (1 Chronicles 16:28)
This verse issues a universal call to active worship. It summons all peoples to recognize and respond to the rightful authority of the LORD.
“Give unto the LORD” does not imply that God lacks anything. Rather, it means to ascribe or acknowledge what already belongs to Him. Worship is not adding to God; it is aligning ourselves with reality. When we give to God, we publicly confess His supremacy and our dependence.
The command is addressed to “ye kindreds of the people.” This phrase expands worship beyond individuals to families, tribes, and nations. God is not the possession of one group or culture.
He is Creator of all, and therefore all are accountable to honor Him. Worship is not merely private or cultural; it is universal.
What are they to give? “glory and strength.” To give God glory is to recognize His supreme worth and treat Him as central, not optional. Glory given to God reshapes priorities and dethrones lesser loyalties.
To give God “strength” does not mean adding power to Him, but confessing Him as the source of all power. We give God strength when we trust Him instead of ourselves and rely on His ability rather than our own.
This verse also balances corporate and personal worship. Entire peoples are addressed, yet each heart must respond. Public acknowledgment never replaces private surrender.
Ultimately, this command confronts misplaced trust. Whatever we depend on for security or identity reveals what we truly honor. To give the LORD glory and strength is to confess with life and lips that He alone is worthy.
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name: bring an offering, and come before Him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. (1 Chronicles 16:29)
This verse calls for worship that is fitting to who God is. It describes not only what we are to do, but how we are to approach the LORD.
“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name” reminds us that honor toward God is not optional. His “name” represents His revealed character—holy, faithful, powerful, merciful.
Glory is due to Him; it is owed. Worship is not a favor we grant God but a rightful response to His worth. To withhold glory is to misrepresent reality.
Next, “bring an offering, and come before Him.” In Scripture, offerings were tangible expressions of devotion that involved cost. God did not need the offering, but the worshiper needed to give it. True worship always brings something—repentance, gratitude, obedience, surrender.
To “come before Him” implies intention. Reverence does not happen accidentally; it is chosen. We deliberately set ourselves in God’s presence with humility.
“Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” Holiness here is not grim severity but moral beauty. It is the loveliness of purity, sincerity, and obedience. God is not honored by impressive worship offered from an unrepentant heart. Worship becomes beautiful when the life aligns with the praise.
This verse teaches that worship and character cannot be separated. When holiness is neglected, worship becomes empty. But when hearts are cleansed and lives submitted, worship reflects God’s own beauty.
In one command, God calls His people to honor Him rightly, approach Him sincerely, and worship Him with lives marked by reverent purity—because He alone is worthy.
Fear before Him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. (1 Chronicles 16:30)
This verse calls all creation to reverent awe and anchors that reverence in a powerful truth: God’s rule brings stability.
“Fear before Him, all the earth.” This command is universal. It is not limited to the faithful or the willing. To fear the LORD is not to live in terror, but to recognize His holiness, authority, and sovereignty.
It is the clear awareness that God is not answerable to humanity; humanity is answerable to God. This fear restores order to the heart. When the fear of the LORD is absent, lesser fears dominate—fear of loss, fear of chaos, fear of people. But when God is rightly feared, every other fear finds its proper place.
Then the verse declares the result: “the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.” Scripture does not deny turmoil or change. Nations rise and fall, and creation groans.
Yet beneath all visible instability is an unshakable foundation: God’s sovereign reign. The world is upheld by His power and governed by His will. Nothing escapes His control or threatens His purposes.
This stability is not mechanical; it is moral and intentional. God’s plans cannot fail, and His promises cannot be overturned. Even chaos operates within boundaries He sets.
For believers, this truth produces confidence rather than fear. The God who must be feared is the same God who sustains all things. When hearts bow before Him, they find security. To fear the LORD is not weakness; it is wisdom. In a shaking world, reverent trust in God provides the only true stability.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. (1 Chronicles 16:31)
This verse is a triumphant declaration that unites creation, humanity, and proclamation around one central truth: God reigns as King.
“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.” Scripture often portrays creation as responding to God because it exists for His glory. The heavens declare His majesty through vastness and order; the earth rejoices through life, beauty, and provision.
Joy is presented as the natural response of a world under God’s righteous rule. Sin introduced disorder and groaning, but God’s reign promises restoration and harmony. Creation rejoices because it was designed to flourish under His authority.
This joy does not depend on human agreement. God reigns whether people acknowledge Him or not. The heavens and earth rejoice because His kingship is an unchanging reality, not a human decision. When people align themselves with this truth, they step into a joy that already exists in God’s design.
The verse then turns to humanity’s responsibility: “and let men say among the nations.” Joy must become testimony. What creation proclaims silently, people are commanded to announce clearly.
God’s reign is not a private belief reserved for the faithful; it is a public truth meant for every nation. The scope is global because God’s authority is universal.
The message itself is simple and powerful: “The LORD reigneth.” This is not a future hope or a political slogan; it is present reality. God is not struggling for control—He possesses it fully. Human powers rise and fall, but God’s throne remains unchanged.
This declaration comforts and confronts. It comforts because chaos is not ultimate. It confronts because no life is autonomous. The LORD reigns—and that truth calls the world to rejoice, trust, and submit.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. (1 Chronicles 16:32)
This verse calls creation itself to join in celebrating the reign of the LORD. It presents a world that is not silent or random, but purposefully designed to respond to its Creator.
“Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.” The sea often symbolizes power, depth, and mystery beyond human control. Its roar can inspire fear, yet here it becomes praise. The sea glorifies God by existing as He designed it—vast, alive, and ordered.
“The fulness thereof” includes every creature and unseen depth. Nothing is hidden from God’s authority. Even what humans cannot control already operates under His rule.
Then the scene shifts to land: “let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein.” Fields represent growth, provision, and daily sustenance. They rejoice because they flourish under God’s order. Crops grow through sun, rain, and seasons set by God.
Every plant and living thing in the field testifies to God’s faithful care. Creation praises God through obedience to its design.
The repetition of “all that is therein” emphasizes completeness. Nothing is excluded from God’s reign or from this call to rejoice. From the smallest organism to the largest ecosystem, all creation reflects God’s wisdom.
This verse also quietly challenges humanity. Creation rejoices effortlessly by fulfilling its purpose, while people often resist God despite greater knowledge. The sea roars and the fields rejoice, but humans must choose whether to join.
Spiritually, the verse invites alignment. When we submit to God’s rule, our lives echo the joy of creation. God’s world rejoices under His reign, and this verse calls us to live in joyful agreement with the Creator who governs all things well.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because He cometh to judge the earth. (1 Chronicles 16:33)
This verse brings the song of praise to its climax by joining joy and judgment—a combination that reveals the righteousness and goodness of God’s rule.
“Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD.” Trees represent stability, life, and endurance. They grow quietly, stand firmly, and bear fruit in season. Here they are pictured as singing, not with voices, but with their very existence.
Their movement, growth, and persistence become praise when the LORD draws near. Creation responds naturally to its Creator. God’s presence restores alignment, and alignment produces joy.
The phrase “at the presence of the LORD” is crucial. God’s nearness is never neutral. When He comes, reality is clarified. What is broken is exposed, and what is faithful is affirmed. Creation rejoices because God’s presence signals renewal and order returning to the world.
Then comes the reason for the rejoicing: “because He cometh to judge the earth.” In Scripture, judgment is not merely punishment; it is the act of setting things right.
God’s judgment confronts evil, ends injustice, and restores moral order. The earth has suffered under sin—violence, corruption, and decay. Judgment means these things will not last forever.
This verse challenges the idea that judgment is bad news. For a broken world, righteous judgment is hope. Without it, evil would reign unchecked. God’s judgment is good because it flows from His holiness and justice.
For those who trust Him, this coming judgment is not terror but confidence. The Judge is also the Creator and Redeemer. The trees sing because God is near, evil will be addressed, and the earth will finally reflect the goodness of its Maker. Hallelujah. Amen. Let us close in prayer.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the truth of Your Word and the reminder of Your sovereign reign. Let what we have learned deepen our reverence, strengthen our faith, and shape our daily lives. Teach us to worship You in holiness, to trust You in every circumstance, and to declare Your glory among all people. Keep our hearts steady, our joy rooted in You, and our hope fixed on Your coming kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Thank you for your attention. You are blessed in Jesus’ name!
More grace,
Michael Wilkerson 1/11/2026