Read Psalm 100
This morning we will be
expository. That is, we will look at our
scripture line by line.
You may wonder why. We know the psalm. We say it often, more often at this time of
year. But let’s examine it verse by verse nonetheless.
I don’t use many commentaries. Some extend metaphors well beyond what was
likely intended. Some go down rabbit
trails. Some state the obvious, but as
we look at this psalm, I think Matthew Henry’s introductory notes hit the
target.
It is with good reason that many sing
this psalm very frequently in their religious assemblies, for it is very proper
both to express and to excite pious and devout affections towards God in our
approach to him in holy ordinances; and, if our hearts go along with the words,
we shall make melody in it to the Lord. The Jews say it was penned to be sung
with their thank-offerings; perhaps it was; but we say that as there is nothing
in it peculiar to their economy so its beginning with a call to all lands to praise
God plainly extends it to the gospel-church. Here. We are called upon to praise
God and rejoice in him.
The first verse says, Shout for joy
to the Lord, all the earth. Everyone, everywhere should exude joy as their
state of living. Even in our trials, we should have joy.
Paul wrote, rejoice in the Lord always. Once
wasn’t enough. He added again I say rejoice!
We remember This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Henry noted, if our hearts go along
with the words, we shall make melody in it to the Lord. Think about it. If
our hearts are in tune with the words, it’s music to the Lord.
The second verse says Worship the
Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
I have a little difficulty sometimes
discerning whether it is irony or paradox when people don’t want to come into
God’s house with gladness in their hearts and a joyful song for the Lord, but
they want him to hold their reservation in heaven.
Some come to worship in an Eeyore
state of heart and mind. Guess I’ve
got to go. I want to get to heaven after all.
Could be doing something else.
If we are not excited about lifting up
a joyful song to God, why do we want to spend eternity with him? Some might have come to their salvation
thinking I don’t want to burn in hell.
For those who came to salvation
knowing that God loves them and he loves us so much that he did everything
required for us to spend eternity with him—even committing his Son to death on
a cross—how could we come before God with anything but joy and gladness.
Now verse three.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
God is sovereign. He reigns. He was not elected and is not up
for reelection. He is sovereign. There are none beside him. He reigns.
The sooner that we accept this, the
sooner we can reconcile so much in our lives.
We are not the master of the universe. The world does not revolve around
us.
There is a term for people who think
the world revolves around them. That
term is teenager. It’s that unique period in a person’s life where they know everything about everything while
knowing nothing about anything. Most grow out of it.
We never grow completely out of
it. Sometimes we relapse and think everything revolves around us, but the psalm reminds us that it’s all about
God. He alone is sovereign.
Again, I will use part of Henry’s
Commentaries.
It is he that has made us, and not we ourselves.
I find that I am, but cannot say, I am that I am, and therefore must ask,
Whence am I? Who made me? Where is God my Maker?
We know that we exist but we must ask
how? Who? Why? Those answers come only
from God and not our own doing.
The pagans made their own gods from
their own workmanship and by definition they are not eternal or infinite or
even divine.
We belong to God. He made us. We are
his.
We are his people, the sheep of his
pasture. In those few words, we find
that God is not just all-powerful, but he is our Shepherd. He cares for us.
Verse four gets us to thanksgiving.
Enter
his gates with thanksgiving
and
his courts with praise;
give
thanks to him and praise his name.
Because God is sovereign and chose to
make us, we should be thankful. We might
have never existed. We not only exist, we exist in God's image and live in God's love and grace.
Is that not enough to evoke
thanksgiving in our lives, especially when we come to worship God.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
Let’s wrap up with verse five.
For the Lord is good and his love
endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
The Lord is good and the Lord does
good. We know that God will take everything in our lives and use it for
good. That is good news for us.
You know the mantra. God is good
all the time and all the time God is good. These last two lines contain
three powerful thoughts.
First, God is good. God would still be God if he were just
sovereign. But we are blessed that God is good.
Second, his love endures forever. He loves us with an everlasting love. It’s
not love you today and kick you to the curb tomorrow. He loves us now and will never stop loving
us.
Third, his faithfulness continues to
all generations as well. Even when we are not faithful, God is faithful. It’s just who he is.
He is good. He is loving. He is
faithful. That’s who he is.
Should that alone not evoke words and
songs and lives of thanksgiving?
Let us wrap up this morning by saying
Psalm 100 together. This time let God
know that we have joy in our hearts because of him and his love and we want him
to not only hear but feel our praise.
Let our hearts be in tune with the
words as we worship in this psalm of thanksgiving.
Shout for joy to
the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the
Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his
pasture.
Enter his gates
with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is
good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all
generations.
Amen.
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