“But
the LORD sits enthroned forever; He has established His throne for
justice, and He judges the world with righteousness; he judges the
peoples with uprightness.” (Psalm 9:7-8)
Ever
play that game where you say a word over and over and over again until
it sounds like a different word,? The game involves a sort of a mind
trick where the repeated word seems to lose its meaning. Say the word
repeatedly until the mind sort of “clocks out” and the word sounds
foreign. Children at that moment laugh when they realize what happened. I
think this has happened with “forever.”
What
does “forever” mean? Well, the word as we know it has been around since
at least the late 17th century, combining the concept of “before” with
“at any time” or “always.” The Hebrew word is “o-lam” which carries the
idea of “hidden time, long” or simply “ancient.” So how long has the
LORD been enthroned? Since ancient hidden time.
How
long will He remain? Will He ever leave the throne? Look again at what
has been happening since ancient time: the LORD sits enthroned (“sits”
is present tense). Like His name, “I AM,” (present tense), here
translated “the LORD”. He is now sitting on His throne since before
ever. He’s not going to move.
Though
we’ve only mentioned it, let’s take a closer look at that on which the
present-tense, personal, covenant-making God sits. “Throne” means much
more than the exalted chair on which a regal sits. “Throne” carries the
idea of support, of that which is steadfast, strong and stable. We can
easily picture this in a chair but the best meaning says this is the
seat of law, the seat of statutes. Without going to the dictionary and
looking up “throne”, the Psalmist tells us this is the place of justice,
of judgment. The LORD dispenses justice from established law. He does
not make things up as He goes. He does not change His mind to fit
situations.
The
LORD sits on an established throne of justice judging the world with
righteousness. The people of the world, all nations are judged with
uprightness. Judgment is present-tense, not future. The LORD is at this
very moment passing down judgment from His ancient throne upon all
ethnicities. God determines what happens to people now and in the
future. The formula is simple: obedience brings blessing; disobedience
brings consequences. The LORD is not unjust to give any person what he
or she deserves. He is the same way with nations and governments as a
whole.
The LORD is on His throne and His reign is over all the earth. No nation is excluded from His rule or judgment.
“The Lord
is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:9-10)
