Do you need to learn to do something new? How will you learn? You could read a how to book. You could watch an instructional video on the internet. But if you want to know how to worship God you should spend time in Psalm 100 the divinely inspired how to worship guide.
Psalm 100
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.
4 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.
Psalm 100 shows how seriously worship was taken in Old Testament times. That in itself is enough to tell us we should take worship seriously today. There is a back and forth rhythm to this Psalm. The first part verses 1-3 was sung by a procession of worshipers as they approached the Temple gates with a thank offering to God. The second part verses 4-5 was sung by a coral group already in the Temple.
True worship overflows with joyous singing. We need to experience true worship. We are telling God, we believe in you! You are meaningful. You make a difference in my life.
Worship with joy. This is not about wearing a plastic smile and telling the world all is well when it really is not. The Psalms are too realistic for that. They have lament and anguish. But that does not rule out a place of joy in the Psalms and a place for joy in our lives.
The angels and the whole heavenly host serve the Lord with gladness. This Psalm is filled with joy. Make a joyful noise. True emphasis is not on a professional recital, but on the right attitude in your heart.
Shout to the Lord all the earth. Worship experience is meant for everyone it is not to be hoarded. Let the whole world know. He is God and He is worthy of praise. This is a time for celebration.
A glad shout when we come together and worship the King of Kings. All this gladness was in anticipation of the Messiah. What about now? We have even more reason to worship with joy and gladness. We worship in awe. Since we worship an awesome God it only makes sense that we worship with a sense of awe.
Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
The Lord is God. He alone is God. He is perfect, eternal and immortal. To God belongs honor and glory forever and ever! There is only one God and there is no one else like Him. He is supreme the great “I Am”. Worship God. We are standing on holy ground. When we worship with a sense of who God is we will worship with a sense of awe.
Can you imagine the original scene here? The Children of Israel coming to the temple of Jerusalem with their offering and singing “The Lord is God.” There was no doubt a sense of awe as they worshipped God in the original setting of this Psalm. Why should we approach God and worship Him with any less reverence?
Who made us? God. Who helped God make us? No one. God made us without the help of anyone. The term “self-made man” is not theologically correct. We are who we are by the grace of God. The creation should reverence his creator. God is the maker and owner of all. Man should worship his creator. We worship the God who made us.
There is stewardship. God owns all and we are stewards of what we have been entrusted with. Keeping in mind that we are clay in the potter’s hand that he is creator and we are creation then we understand God is our rightful owner. Then we worship God with true worship. Service flows from our lives. We are His people. Not we ourselves.
We are the sheep of His pasture. Twice in this passage the Lord gives an invitation to come to Him. He invites us to come with joyful songs. He invites us to enter His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts. There is an invitation to walk in the light that God has given. We know that light through the promised coming Messiah Jesus Christ. We are His people because we have been bought with a price.
God is the great shepherd and we are His people. Our pursuit is to know the shepherds voice and strengthen our relationship with Him. To be His people means to know Him. The Christian life becomes the great adventure only when we seek to know Him more.
God is so good. His love never fails and never changes. Stop to think where you would be right now without God? What would your future be without God? Who can we trust like we trust God who never breaks His promises. What is your eternal destiny without the grace of God? Our Heart should overflow with gratitude when we worship God. How thankful you should be for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. That thankfulness should abound in our praise.
It is amazing that we can know God. That is what verse three is telling us. We should have Joy, awe and gratitude. His invitation is for you to know Him. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
