A Psalm For Giving Thanks!

SERMON OUTLINE:

A call to worship (vs 1-3)

• Shout (vs 1)

• Sing (vs 2)

• Remember (vs 3)

A call to thanksgiving (vs 4-5)

• Be full of awe (vs 4a)

• Be full of Gratitude (vs 4b)

• Be full of praise (vs 5)

SERMON BODY:

• This is the only Psalm in the 150 Psalms that is in its entirety a "Psalm of Praise".

• There is not one single note of sadness in the entire Psalm.

• This Psalm is ablaze with gratitude and thanksgiving.

• It is an appeal for everyone to gratefully worship the Lord.

Ill:

• The Puritan Bible commentator Matthew Henry was well known for his thankful attitude:

• He was always giving thanks in all sorts of circumstances:

• On one occasion he was beaten and robbed;

• An entry in his diary reads;

• "I am thankful to God that: (1). I have not been robbed before.

• (2). That I was robbed not killed; (3). That I was robbed and not someone else".

• You will not be surprised to know that his nickname was "Thankful Henry!"

• He was a man with a great quality - a thankful attitude

Ill:

• For you and me I guess it’s not always easy to give thanks like that!

• I like the story of the two boys who were walking through a field.

• Suddenly they could hear footsteps behind them;

• When they turned to look,

• To their horror they saw that it was a bull running towards them!

• One boy turned to his mate and cried out; “Run!”

• But the faster they ran, the closer the bull seemed to get.

• Realising they were not going to make it to the gate in time,

• The boy said to his friend; “We’re doomed, quick pray”.

• The other boy said; “I’ can’t”

• His friend said; “Why not?”

• The other boy replied: “Because I only know one prayer”

• His mate said: “Then you had better pray it!”

• “Okay” said the friend; “Lord, for what we are about to receive….”

Well this Psalm has the title ’A Psalm, for giving thanks’

• Now you can of course use many of the Psalms to give thanks to the Lord.

• And Psalm 118 uses the word ’thanks’ more than any other Psalm;

• Yet Psalm 100 is the only Psalm explicitly identified as ’A Psalm for giving thanks’.

• Psalm 100 contains seven great imperatives (important truths),

• Plus two clear explanations of why we should give God thanks.

The Psalm divides into two parts:

• Verses 1-3: A call to worship.

• Verses 4-5: A call to thanksgiving.

FIRST: A call to worship (Vs 1-3).

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

3 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.”

• This Psalm was probably sung in Jerusalem outside of the temple.

• The people gathered outside of the temple;

• And then the priest (or worship leader) gave the instruction;

• The people were to turn their back on the temple,

• And face the nations from which they had come from,

• And to shout to them and invite them -No! Command them to come;

• To come and to worship YAHWEH the true God.

• To come and worship the God of tiny Israel!

• To come and publicly declare; That “The Lord God".

• In the Hebrew it means "That the Lord (him alone) is God".

Ill:

• Can you imagine next Sunday doing that outside your building;

• Backs to the building – calling to the houses all around;

• “Come and worship” the living God.

Ill:

• With the introduction of Mosques in the UK;

• We are familiar with The ’adhân’ the Islamic call to prayer

Ill:

• Church of England always used to have clocks on the outside;

• Telling folks when to come and worship.

• Then some bright spark put them on the inside of Churches;

• Telling folks when to go home!

SECOND: A call to thanksgiving (Vs 4-5).

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

• Having shouted out a verbal invitation to all & sundry;

• The worshippers were instructed to turn around and face the temple;

• And then as they approached the gates;

• They ceased from looking outwards ("Ends of the earth")

• And they faced one another saying; "It is he who made us, and we are his”