“The Lord reigns, let the earth exult, let many islands rejoice.” – Psalm 97:1

I am following the ongoing Olympic Games in France with keen interest.

On a number of occasions, I’ve seen some athletes win gold medals against great odds, and in the process sending their fans into delirium and sheer ecstasy.

When the crowd goes crazy with cheering, dancing and leaping for joy, it’s called ‘exulting.’

It is particularly common with Arsenal fans when their team wallops a certain team.   

The word ‘exult’ was derived from a Latin word that means to leap for joy or celebrate with fervor and zeal.

It is much stronger than ‘rejoice,’ and may be used to express a sense of great joy and celebration, and the noun, ‘exultation’ refers to a feeling of triumphant elation or jubilation.

Our meditation today admonishes the earth – all of creation – to exult because the Lord reigns.

Historically, Israel was a tiny and vulnerable nation that was surrounded by powerful adversaries.

In those circumstances, it was pretty easy for the people to live in perpetual fear and anxiety, hence the admonition for them to exult.

Biblically, ‘islands’ represent distant lands or continents – basically the Gentiles in far-off nations that were expected to also come to the recognition of God’s sovereignty and glory through the Gospel – hence the call to them to rejoice in Christ’s triumph over Satan, sin and death.

If you’re not doing it already, it’s not too late for you to start cultivating the discipline of exulting in the Lord who reigns!

This idea is poignantly presented in Prophet Moses’ doxology in Deuteronomy 32: “Rejoice, you nations, with His people, for He will avenge the blood of His servants; He will take vengeance on His enemies and make atonement for His land and people” (verse 43).

Today, the Lord continues to call on the world to celebrate in the faith that He is sovereign and is in total control of the entire universe and everything in it, regardless of what might be going on around us.

Despite our circumstances, this exultation should be grounded on the conviction that God’s reign does bring order, justice, and righteousness, and His love for you is “unrestrained, unrivaled, unashamed, unbridled and all in all invincible” as the Planet Shakers sang.

Whereas I am aware that for some of us the religious upbringing restricts us from truly exulting in the Lord, the Bible says; “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you” (Isaiah 12:6).

Our loud exulting is not only an acknowledgment and declaration to the world of Christ’s enduring kingship but also the celebration of His presence, influence and triumph in this world and the entire universe.

If sports fans can exult in the success of their teams and athletes, we surely have a bigger reason to exult in the eternal triumphs of our Lord Jesus.

If you’re not doing it already, it’s not too late for you to start cultivating the discipline of exulting in the Lord who reigns!