God Has a Sense of Humor

One of the opening songs in church this Sunday was "You Said" - better known, perhaps, as the one which goes "'Ask and I'll give the nations to you.' O Lord, that's the cry of my heart...." etc. So there I am, singing along, when it occurs to me that, in any context other than that song, me talking about obtaining the nations would have more to do with setting up the Pax Gabica than the sweet missions sentiment being expressed. God and I shared a private chuckle. The service moved on.

We came to a responsive reading of Psalm 2, whence the line about asking for the nations comes. About mid-way through most of the congregation was confusedly but perseverently mumbling the text as I thought to myself "Now there's a song!" Psalm 2, for your edification:

Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers gather together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying
“Let us tear their fetters apart
and cast away their cords from us!”

He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying
“But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

“I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord:
He said to Me: ‘You are my Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance
And the very ends of the earth as your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.

Now, therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning of judges of the earth.
Worship the Lord with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!