Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. —Psalm 100
This short Psalm seems to merit being rendered here in its entirety, though our “Nugget” is v.3. In our Bibles it is titled “A Psalm of praise.” I should like to suggest another; “A call to worship.”
In the beginning of the relationship with my beloved which eventuated in our marriage we often attended her church together. There it was the practice every Lord’s day to sing “Old Hundredth” as a call to worship. It left a lasting impression, imbedding the essence of this wonderful Psalm in mind and heart. In it God issues a call to the whole world to gather at his footstool and enjoy happy fellowship with Him in joy (v. 1), gladness, singing (v.2), thanksgiving, and praise (v.4). The sad fact is that in “all lands” few have responded to His invitation.
What it takes—what it really takes to respond to this invitation and enter into this experience is suggested in our Verse for today. True praise and worship are generated by ‘the knowledge of the Holy.’
First, one must recognize His sovereignty. “Know ye that the Lord He is God.” The very nature of creation itself, coupled with the nature of man makes God and His lordship evident. Men are without excuse who persist in unbelief (Rom. 1:18-22) and are called “fools.” “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God [Psalm 14:1].” To join the ranks of those who gather in “His presence with singing,” one “must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him [Heb. 11:6].” To truly know that He is God is to acknowledge His sovereign majesty and His majestic sovereignty.
There follows from this the realization of our true identity. “It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves.” The man who knows God and realizes himself as the offspring of a heavenly Father is possessed of both meaning and dignity. Those who deny the Lordship of Jehovah and His creatorship have neither. Following the increasingly popular pagan philosophy of evolution, tracing our roots to matter without mind and process without purpose, man has no significance in the universe that can be rationally established, no ground for morality and no hope beyond the grave and disintegration. And of course no reason to worship.
Thirdly, this leads to an appreciation of His fidelity. “We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.” Those who believe in the true God are His people by virtue of creation, and trace their origin and existence to Him. They have not only a sense of belonging to Him, but an awareness of His goodness. There comes with the recognition of His Deity a sense of dependence; these can say with humility and gratitude, “The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing [Ps. 145:15-16].” Our daily bread is a constant reminder of His goodness and greatness.
Not only, though, are we His people by virtue of our being and His daily benefits (common grace), but we are His sheep by reason of His mercy. The figure brings immediately to mind the various references of the Good Shepherd to those who constitute His flock. We were lost, and He found us, giving His life for our rescue (Lk. 15:6; John 10:15-17); prone to go astray, He leads us (if we will follow) in “the good and the right way.” Dependent in a variety of ways, He supplies our every need from here to eternity (Psalm 23). Surely the redeemed will have no difficulty entering into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Praise is comely for the upright.
“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.” For now this command goes unheeded by the vast majority of mankind. But, there is a great day coming! The prophet Habakkuk anticipated it when he said, …the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea [Hab. 2:14].” And the Beloved apostle got a glimpse of it under the figure of the Holy City: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband… And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life [Rev. 21:1-2, 26-27].”
Is your name written there? Spurgeon commented here, "Only those who practically recognize his Godhead are at all likely to offer acceptable praise." I would amend that to say, only those are able to offer such!
For His glory and our good,
"Pastor" Frasier
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