“Shout for Joy to the Lord”
Psalm 100
Theologians have often pointed out that we human beings tend to engage in acts of worship, whether we believe in God or not.
We all have objects that we praise: a musical instrument, an actor or actress or even an awesome view.
“It’s amazing or awe-inspiring or magnificent,” we might say, making it clear that we have come upon something that is truly praiseworthy.
Now, whether this praise rises to the level of worship, is, of course, questionable; but the terminology we use does indicate it is a form of praise that is pretty intense and can continue over a long period of time.
We all have things we have a devotion for, and they aren’t all directed to God.
We only need to go to an occasional football game, rock concert, or political rally in order to see or even be a part of the sort of adoration and praise that are kind of hard to distinguish from worship.
If, say, an alien from another planet were to land on earth and try and figure out what we worship—based on how we spend our time, energy and money—would sports, power, politics, movies, rock stars and other things be higher on the list than God?
Of course, God alone is worthy of worship and praise, but, if you are like me, we do sometimes find ourselves engaged in something very much like worship with things that are not God.
And that is dangerous.
It can lead us down the wrong path, hurt us spiritually, mentally and cause us to lose sight of who and Whose we are.
It’s no fun being a “lost” Christian, shall we say.
One of the reasons for the Psalms in general, and particularly Psalm 100, is to help us clarify, reaffirm and remember the true object of our worship: God alone!
Originally, Psalm 100 was written for the people of Israel.
God had basically said to them, “When you come into the promised land, and settle down in your warm homes, and have plenty to eat…don’t forget Me!”
“I led you out of the wilderness and I brought you into a land flowing with milk and honey.”
But it doesn’t take long to realize that the people of Israel needed a reminder, and we need a reminder as well—daily, perhaps minute by minute, even.
I believe God had us in mind, as well as the first hearers, when this Psalm was written.
For instance, notice to whom it is addressed.
The first verse says it’s addressed to “all the earth,” and the last verse says that it includes “all generations.”
Who is excited about Thanksgiving?
I have to say that it is my favorite holiday.
It’s not overly commercialized, and it is a time to be thankful.
And the importance of giving thanks to God is so deep and so wide that it applies to every person of every generation who has ever lived.
It brightens our mood, helps us to get our priorities back in place and is important for our spiritual, mental and physical health.
In other words, giving thanks is good for us.
And I think it is because it is what we are created to do.
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines the word “Thanksgiving” as “a formal public expression of thanks to God.”
And there is something about giving thanks together to God that breaks down barriers between people and brings about a common unity.
Ever sat in a prayer meeting with folks who are much different than you?
Ever pray for one another and praise God in that kind of setting?
You know what I’m talking about.
Psalm 100 is a hymn that was sung while entering the Temple, and it probably was done in connection with a thanksgiving ceremony.
Let’s look at what the Psalm emphasizes; let’s just scan the Psalm.
In verse 1 we find the name of the Lord.
In verse 2 we find the name of the Lord.
In verse 3 we find the name of the Lord.
In verse 4 it says, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving,” and in verse 5 we are told: “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
This is the basis of our thanksgiving—The Lord!!!
Alex Haley, the author of “Roots,” had an unusual picture hanging on his office wall.
It was a picture of a turtle on top of a fence post.
When asked, “Why is that there?” Haley would answer, “Every time I write something significant, every time I read my words and think that they are wonderful and I begin to feel proud of myself, I look down at the turtle on top of the fence post and remember that he didn’t get there on his own.
He had help.”
How many of us have had help?
Where did this help ultimately come from?
Think for a moment.
Where would you be without the help of the Lord…
…without the goodness of the Lord…
…without the faithfulness of the Lord?
Verse 3 says: “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.”
Again, where would we be?
Where were you before you knew that the Lord is God?
Were you like a lost ship—out at sea?
Was your life just one big confusing mess?
Were you scared?
Were your actions driven by fear rather than love, confidence and hope?
To “know that the Lord is God”…
…THAT is the most important thing we can ever know.
Money is not God.
Popularity is not God.
Good health…well, that will fade along with youth and physical strength.
Friends may abandon us.
Sin will destroy us.
Satan will tempt us.
Grief will overcome us.
“Creature comforts” will never satisfy us.
But the Lord, “the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
“It is he who made us, and we are his…”
God thought of you while you were still just the dust of the earth.
God used God’s creative energies to make you.
God loves you beyond your ability to comprehend.
Ultimately, we all belong to God.
It’s an awesome thing to be a parent.
Before my kids were born, I never knew the degree to which a person can love another human being.
They are my joy, even when they are acting up.
How much more does our Heavenly Father--Who knows us better than we know ourselves--love us?
We belong to God.
“we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Do we realize this?
For it is the knowledge of this reality which makes life worth the living…
…brings meaning into an otherwise futile existence…
…and causes “sons and daughters to prophesy…
…old women and men to dream dreams…
…and young men and women to see visions”!!!
It is a life changing thing to believe and have the assurance that God loves you, that Jesus died for your sins, and that there is a call on your life—to love God and neighbor.
It goes entirely against the grain of this, often, dog-eat-dog world.
And praise God for that!
Psalm 100 is filled with wisdom.
Verse 1 says: “Shout to the Lord, all the earth.”
This is really a slice of heaven, isn’t it?
There is nothing more healthy for the soul, more cleansing for the mind…
…there is nothing that makes a human being more happy than utterly and completely praising God with all we have.
In her classic autobiography, The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom tells of a time when she and her sister Betsie were forced to take off all their clothes during Nazi inspections at a death camp.
Corrie stood in line feeling forsaken and defiled.
Suddenly she remembered that Jesus had hung naked on the Cross.
Struck with wonder and worship-- along with a new perspective on how God loves us—even during that seemingly forsaken moment, Corrie leaned forward and whispered to her sister: “Betsie, they took His clothes too.”
Betsie gasped and said, “Oh, Corrie, and I never thanked Him!”
Thanksgiving doesn’t require bounty—just recognition of what our Savior has done for us.
It is so easy to say: “Woe is me.”
It is so easy to be angry and hold grudges, to judge and to gossip and wish ill on others.
And Satan loves nothing more.
And this kind of thing, when it creeps into the Church, into Christian people--which it does—is so terribly destructive.
And so, being thankful requires intentionality, does it not?
It’s been suggested that the first thing we should do when we wake up is to take a few moments to give thanks.
We might pray something like this: “Dear Lord, Today I am thankful to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it.
I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to love God and neighbor for the benefit of all people.
I am going to have kind thoughts towards others.
I am not going to get angry or think badly about others.
I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”
Robert E. Bruce describes the following incident: “While walking along a busy street one day, I heard someone singing.
His sweet voice was distinguishable even above the noise of the traffic.
When I located him, I noticed that he had no legs and was pushing himself through the crowd in a wheelchair.
Catching up to him, I said, ‘I want you to know, friend, that to hear singing from a person in your condition gives everyone a lift.’
He answered with a grateful smile: ‘When I stopped looking at what I had lost and began concentrating on all I had left, I found much for which I could rejoice and be happy!’”
Being thankful changes us; it transforms us.
There was a man who served as a medical missionary for many years in India.
He served in an area where there was progressive blindness.
People were born with healthy vision, but there was something in that area that caused people to lose their sight as they matured.
Well, this medical missionary developed a process that would stop progressive blindness.
So people came to him and he performed his operation, and they would leave realizing that they would have become blind, but now they were going to be able to see for the rest of their lives.
The people never said, “Thank you,” to this missionary because that phrase was not in their dialect.
Instead, they spoke a word that meant: “I will tell your name.”
Wherever they went, they would tell the name of the missionary who had cured their blindness.
They had received something so wonderful that they eagerly proclaimed it.
Have you received something so wonderful that you eagerly proclaim it?
When we come to the point in our lives when we are able to see the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ…
…and we surrender our very selves to follow Him…
…and a burden is lifted…
…when we realize that God has been so good to us…
…that God loves us so much…
…that we can’t keep it inside any longer…
…from the depths of our being we shout our joy to the Lord with both our words and our actions.
And this is something that endures forever!
I pray this will be the most meaningful Thanksgiving week for all of us.
…Go into the Great Thanksgiving on page 13 of the United Methodist Hymnal.
