Who's In Charge?

Psalm 100

Sometimes we hear people say that they are the masters of their own fate, they are their own boss, and no one tells them what to do.  They think of themselves as independent, a self-made person. They act almost as if they created themselves. Our psalm for today is generally considered a psalm of thanksgiving, and that it rightly is. However, it also does speak some words of reminder and caution for those who have this independent streak, who say they are the “captain of their own ship”, and no one, including God, determines their course.

Like many psalms, Psalm 100 begins with a call to sing praises to God, and rightly so, as Yahweh is deserving of all praise and glory (vs. 1 - 2).  We do the same thing in most churches, opening the service with hymns of praise to the Lord. Rather quickly, though, our unknown psalmist reminds his readers and listeners a very important truth, that is as applicable today as it was several millenniums ago.  In verse 3 he gives words of admonition to us, reminding us that God is God, not us. He created us, we didn’t. He is the Shepherd and Leader, we are the flock.

At the time of the writing of this psalm, the people of Israel frequently succumbed to the temptation of worshipping the false gods and idols of the nations around them.  The prophets continually told the people that Yahweh, alone, is God. He is the only God. He does not share His deity with any other man-made gods. He is not one of many, or even chief among many other gods. Today there are religious leaders who like to lump Jesus in with all sorts of other religious teachers and figures from other religions. They teach that they all are good, and that all paths lead to God. As our psalm indicates here in verse 3, the Lord Yahweh, alone, is God.  Jesus is not one of many. He, and He alone, is the only way to eternal life.

Next, our psalmist goes on to say that Yahweh created us, not we ourselves. This message is one that should be noted by all those who live and act like they are self-made men and women, who feel they alone are in charge of their lives. God is the Creator of all mankind. We did not evolve from some other form of life. As our Creator, He has the final say in our lives, not us. Both the prophet Jeremiah, and later the Apostle Paul spoke of how God is the Potter and we are the clay (Jeremiah 18:1-6; Romans 9:20-21).  The clay does not tell the potter what to do. The potter decides that. God is the Creator, and we are the created.

For those who have turned to Jesus, calling upon Him for salvation, God is also our Shepherd, and we are His sheep.  Like a good shepherd, Jesus guides and protects us (John 10:11-14). Who decides in what fields the sheep graze, the shepherd or the sheep? Who decides when to go in and when to go out, the shepherd or the sheep? The shepherd, of course. Who should make the decisions at home, the young children, or the parent? We, as God’s children and sheep of His pasture, need to humbly submit to our loving Heavenly Father. Do we live as if we are the center of creation, and everything revolves around us?  Be sure to make God the center of our life. Then, if everything else is lost, we still have Him.

Our psalmist continues on by instructing us to enter God’s gate with thanksgiving, and into His royal courts with praise (vs. 4).  Gates differentiate between being outside or inside. We are to enter God’s gate with words of thanks, and to enter into His presence with words of praise.  Praise and thanksgiving are the first step in entering into God’s presence. They are like a divine password. Do you want to be in God’s presence? Then we need to come with praise and thanksgiving!  They are the door leading to His throne room.

As our psalm ends, we are reminded that God is not an angry or distant God (vs. 5).  He is love itself, with a heart of goodness. God is good, absolutely perfect and holy.  He alone is the standard of all righteousness. All that God does is just and right. He is our Creator and our Shepherd.