It would be a very special day if I looked in my mailbox and found a personal invitation to come for a private visit to the White House, or to Buckingham Palace, or some other royal or presidential residence. Imagine, the President or the King invites me to come visit! And when I enter their residence I should be sure not to be griping and complaining, or have a sour look on my face. Instead, this calls for rejoicing and thankfulness. I have been given a special opportunity. Well, such an invitation is highly unlikely to ever happen to me. However, I have been given an even greater invitation, and you have, too. Our psalm for this week describes such an invitation and just how we should respond. Let’s take a look.
Psalm 100 is a psalm of praise and thanksgiving to Yahweh, giving us a call to worship Him, and recognize His sovereignty. The unknown author of this short but beautiful psalm calls us to joyfully worship the Lord, and to show Him our gratitude. When a great leader, political or otherwise, steps out before a large crowd, we frequently will hear the shouts of the crowds cheering for him, and often there might be music, such as a marching band, playing music fitting for the occasion. This is to be no different with the Lord. When we are in His presence, we should give out a joyful shout, and sing with gladness and joy (vs. 1-2).
Who does the psalmist call to bring to God these joyful cheers and songs? Is it a select few that are called upon? As we read here, the psalmist says that “all lands” are invited to sing their joyful praise to Him. This shows that Yahweh isn’t just the God of Israel, alone, or that every other nation should just stick to their own pagan gods. Instead, He is God of all nations, all lands, and these people are also called to worship Him. Worship is not just for a select group, but for all people who acknowledge Him. Our worship and praise should be heartfelt, enthusiastic, and especially sincere.
The psalmist continues by giving us one strong reason why praise is an appropriate response, and that is that the Lord God is our Creator and our Shepherd (vs. 3). Humans were created by God, in His image (Genesis 1:27). We did not evolve from some one-celled creatures from the ocean or bottom of a pond. Neither are we completely self-sufficient. We need the Lord God every day. Some people go through life thinking that they are the masters of their lives and destinies, and that they don’t need any deity. However, there will be a day coming for them when they will have a rude awakening, and know that they didn’t make themselves, nor are they the boss of themselves!
When we get saved, God brings us into His family. We become His sons and daughters. All humans are creations of God, and He is their Creator, but only those who are saved through the Lord Jesus are His children (John 1:12). Not only are we God’s children, but we are His sheep and He is our Great Shepherd. As a Good Shepherd, Jesus keeps us in His pasture, feeding us and keeping us safe from all harm. God made us and we are His. Our identity is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Next we read a great invitation by God to come into His presence (vs. 4). Christians are invited through His gates and right into His divinely royal court. Some gates are open ones, and any can enter. Others are closed to all but a select few. The gates into the presence of God are opened to all who have accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior. We are to come with joy , thanksgiving, and praise. We don't enter, though, with grumbling and complaining, nor with a bad attitude. We are told to enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Those are the first steps towards entering God’s presence. When we come to the Lord in prayer, we should never be so disrespectful, but instead show Him honor and homage by giving praise and thanks first before bringing our petitions.
As this brief psalm of praise and thanksgiving ends, we are reminded of God’s unchanging nature (vs. 5). Satan tries to have us believe that God is a distant God, filled with anger and wrath, and is just waiting for us to make a mistake so that He can clobber us. That is not the case, as our psalmist informs us here. We read that God is good, He has everlasting mercy for His children, and His truth endures forever.
The values of this world change from day to day. What is accepted one day, is scorned the next. What society says is true today, they will claim as false tomorrow. However, God’s nature is unchanging, and His truth, the Bible, will endure forever. So let’s get ready to enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise each and every day.