It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.
(Psalm 92:1-3)
Some Good News
The online journal Medical News Today recently published an article about HSD, or “Headline Stress Disorder.” Apparently, over the past several years, psychologists and researchers have seen a surge in overall social anxiety related to the persistent deluge of negative news stories. This seems to be a particularly stress-inducing phenomenon for women, and for younger adults in their 20s and 30s. You can read the article HERE. While the significant rise in news-related anxiety may not shock you, you might be surprised to know that this article is dated January 16, 2020—before the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 election, January 6, or Ukraine war headlines!
What’s the best treatment for Headline Stress Disorder? It turns out it’s not just having “no news.” It’s having a some “good news.”
Psalm 92 is a song written to offer some good news in the midst of a stressful news cycle! For more than 2000 years, Jewish and Christian scholars have discussed and debated the origins and author of this song—primarily because of its inscription “For the Sabbath day,” which is the only mention of Sabbath (Shabbat) in all the psalms. Some argue it was written by the first man Adam, when creation was completed; others suggest Moses, after Shabbat was commanded; still others consider David the author, when he had finally received Sabbath rest from his enemies; and some even consider the song to be referring to the eternal rest that awaits God’s people in the world to come (Hebrews 4:9-11).
Whoever the writer was, the promise and reality of Shabbat was “good news.” The psalmist proclaims God’s “love in the morning” and God’s “faithfulness and night” (vs. 2). God’s love evokes anticipated blessings to begin the day and God’s faithfulness confirms acknowledged blessings at day’s end. The song goes on to celebrate God’s good works (vs. 4-5), God’s good judgment (vs. 6-7) and God’s good promises (vs. 8-15). Even though wickedness and evil are everywhere and seem to be flourishing, eventually they will be defeated. Then the righteous will “flourish” and “grow,” they will “bear fruit in old age,” they will “stay fresh and green.” In a word, they will finally and fully understand and experience Shabbat—God’s promised rest. Each Sabbath day whispers the hope of eternity in our ears—it reminds us of God’s “good news.”
The word for “good news” in the Bible is euangellion in Greek, or gospel in our English translations. This “good news” is God’s story of everlasting love—through God’s creation, through our sinful rebellion, through God’s plan for redemption in Jesus’ death and resurrection. “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
It is the same “good news” of God’s love and faithfulness that inspired the prophet Jeremiah, even in the most desperate of times, to “wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:22-26). And it is the same “good news” that inspires and invites our hope today.
Regardless of who we are, where we are, or what we are facing, we can “rest” in the good news promises of God. We can anticipate the blessings of His love every morning and acknowledge the blessing of His faithfulness every night. Even in the constant noise of negative headlines, we can wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good to “praise the Lord” and “make music” to His name. That name is Jesus! He is Living Water. Trust in him, wait for him, worship him…and always stay thirsty for him!
Pastor Philip
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