The universe is one big worship song.

 

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

before the Lord, for he comes,

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness,

and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Psalm 96:11-13

God's glory runs the gamut of creation, and this song of joyful praise uses pictures from all of creation to call us to praise the Lord for His faithful, righteous justice. The psalm starts at the universal scale. The heavens should be glad. The earth should rejoice. God's goodness overfills the universe.

Then the scope narrows to planet earth, where the natural world is called to praise its Creator. The roaring oceans teeming with life, the lands and fields of earth in all their abundance, and the forests of the planet with all their wild, thrilling diversity are called to joyfully sing God's praises. This amazing world, the work of God's hands, is meant to bring Him glory. And all creation points to God in praise. 

Finally, the psalm points to people who praise God. As the LORD comes to judge the earth, it is the people who live here that He is most concerned in blessing. He wants them to worship Him so that His righteousness and faithfulness will be what they know of Him when He comes in judgment.

Lord,

May I sing in praise, tuned in to the song of the universe as I wait for Your just work to be done in this world. I'll be glad like the galaxies and rejoice as this earth does. I will exult like the fields and sing for joy with the forests full of the life You made. You are coming to judge this world and make it right. And all people everywhere will know Your faithful love and righteousness.

Amen