Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me;
For I am afflicted and needy.
2 Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man;
O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
For to You I cry all day long.
4 Make glad the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And give heed to the voice of my supplications!
7 In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,
For You will answer me.
8 There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,
Nor are there any works like Yours.
9 All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And they shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are great and do wondrous deeds;
You alone are God.

11 Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever.
13 For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, arrogant men have risen up against me,
And a band of violent men have sought my life,
And they have not set You before them.
15 But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
16 Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
Oh grant Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your handmaid.
17 Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me. – Psalm 86:1-17

 

North Korea threatens world peace. Russia is attempting to reestablish herself as a super-power. Iran and its client-states are bent on destroying Israel. Islamists are terrorizing parts of Africa enslaving many. The Syrian conflict is still out of control. The United States is in internal turmoil while she attempts to use her might to stabilize the chaos around the earth. This picture makes it appear the world is in worse shape than it was during the last century with it’s two world wars and the cold war along with the cultural revolution that exploded on the scene in the West during the 1960’s.

Men’s hearts are failing them.

In this mess, what is the good news? Is there any? Yes, there is.

All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name.

There will come a day when North Korea, Russia, the United States, Iran, and African nations along with every nation God has made will worship before him. All these nations will glorify his name.

Before that happens, there will be a setting right of all things, also known as a judgment.

Remember in Acts 18 when Paul was in Corinth? He preached to the Jews for a while until it was evident there were no more who would believe the gospel, then he went to the Gentiles. Then the Lord spoke to him, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”  There was a lot wrong with Corinth, but the important truth was that Jesus had many people in that city. The same is true today of North Korea, Russia, Iran, the United States and the nations of Africa along with every other nation.

Jesus has many people in every nation on earth. Some of them haven’t yet found that out because they haven’t yet heard the gospel. They will, however, and they will believe it and become children of God who will worship him and glorify his name.

“And they sang a new song, saying,

‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.’” – Revelation 5:8-10

When we find ourselves overwhelmed by the news of the pain and suffering in this world, of the nations rising against nations, of the threats of war and carnage and degradation, let us remember this:

There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,
Nor are there any works like Yours.
All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And they shall glorify Your name.
For You are great and do wondrous deeds;
You alone are God.

This view isn’t pie-in-the-sky, it is a true vision of the future as it has been promised by the one who made all things and who holds all things together.