Zooming In and Out

 Psalm 97:1 The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
    let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
    righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
    and burns up his adversaries all around.
4 His lightnings light up the world;
    the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
    before the Lord of all the earth.

98:7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

    the world and those who dwell in it!

8 Let the rivers clap their hands;

    let the hills sing for joy together

9 before the Lord, for he comes

    to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

    and the peoples with equity.

The Psalmist calls on the whole world to give God the worship He deserves. In the first psalm above he gives the panoramic picture of all creation humbly in awe of His power. That psalm goes one to call all people, and then specifically His people, to rejoice and give Him thanks. The second psalm begins with a call for His people to remember and rejoice in His faithfulness and steadfast love, followed by a call for all peoples to come and worship Him. The psalmist then concludes by zooming out again to call on the whole of creation to join in the worship of the One Who is Creator and Judge.