Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Psalms 100:1-5 NLT
This short psalm was written to teach God’s people how to give the Lord praise and thanksgiving. Verses 1-2 and verse 4 are commands: calling the people of God to shout (not just sing) with joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and praise. These are commands because we need His command to overcome our fears. It can be scary to shout! But children are not afraid to shout; they want to be heard! Verse 3 reminds us who we are: we are His people, He is our Creator, and we are the sheep He loves. When we remember who we are and Who we belong to, we can sing boldly—shouting for joy! Verse 5 reminds us who God is: He is good, and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. We give thanksgiving by remembering who God is, who we are, and obeying His command to praise with joy!
This short psalm can be a big challenge. Do you sing for joy? Do you shout? Those are biblical commands. Can you enter His house focused on the resurrection of Jesus, full of joy and gladness? God knows our pain; He embraced our pain and suffered for us. Yet this psalm still calls on us to remember all God has done and to be thankful and joyful. Gratitude changes our attitude, and that changes everything about our lives.
How do you need to grow in your worship? Which area needs the most work: realizing who you are, recognizing who God is, or obeying the commands to worship?
