What a blessing it truly is for God and for us when we enter the gates of our church buildings, dedicated to God with pure, humbled, grateful praise for God—without anything else coming from our lips, laying down the worries of the world, offering ourselves in surrender to God, with a desire for Him to renew our minds—all in that holy moment of worship.  It’s all about Him in that moment set aside for God.  It is not about us but all about Him!  The more we know God the more we want God.  Worship becomes then a daily desire to be in the Presence of God.

“My Jesus, my Savior
Lord, there is none like You
All of my days, I want to praise
The wonders of Your mighty love

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to worship You”

“On your feet now” cries the Psalmist! 

“Shout to the Lord
All the earth, let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King
(Mountains bow down) Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands
Forever I’ll love You, forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You…”

(Composer, Darlene Zschech)

This is the song of a grateful people who love the Lord, desiring to give Him praise for all He has done, is doing and will do for us for our God is forever faithful, His mercies last a lifetime, and His love for us never ends! This is our God, the One and Only God!  He is the One we worship with gratitude flowing from our created beings because we long for Him and want to be near Him always.  We know Him more as we honor Him with hearts of active praise for Him.  God was, is, and always will be God!  God is right here as I write this to you! 

My comfort, My shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath, and all that I am
Never cease to worship You…

Psalm 100, The Message

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

^1-2 On your feet now—applaud God!
    Bring a gift of laughter,
    sing yourselves into his presence.

³ Know this: God is God, and God, God.
    He made us; we didn’t make him.
    We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.

⁴ Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
    Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
    Thank him. Worship him.

⁵ For God is sheer beauty,
    all-generous in love,
    loyal always and ever.

Psalm 100, NIV  (Because it bears repeating!)

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.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

But don’t take just my word for it—Warren Wiersbe, Bible Scholar and devoted pastor writes the Truth, proving Truth of God’s Word with God’s Word!  He comments;

“This psalm is a fitting climax to the collection of “royal psalms” (Ps. 93; 95–100) and sums up their emphasis on God’s sovereign rule, His goodness to His people, the responsibility of all nations to acknowledge Him, and the importance of God’s people exalting and worshiping Him (see 95:1, 2, 6, 7). We are admonished in Ephesians 5:18 to be filled with the Spirit of God, and the evidence of this fullness is that we are joyful (Eph. 5:19), thankful (Eph. 5:20), and submissive (Eph. 5:21—6:9). In Colossians 3:16–25, we are instructed to be filled with the Word of God, and when we are, we will be joyful (Col. 3:16), thankful (Col. 3:17), and submissive (Col. 3:20–25). These three characteristics of the believer controlled by God’s Spirit and God’s Word—and they go together—are presented in this wonderful psalm of thanksgiving.”

This entire psalm is a simple statement of faith: Jehovah is God, Creator, Redeemer, and Shepherd, and we are submitted to Him.  It is HE who made us. We didn’t make us. If the sheep do not submit to their shepherd, they will stray into danger.  Our shepherd knows where to look for us, pursues us, with a desire to bring us home to Him.  Embrace the One who love us most! 

What a loving Father/Shepherd, Redeemer, Savior, and Lord we have! 

Live grateful lives—for what He has done we cannot do for ourselves—save our souls!

Lord,

Thank you for this psalm I was taught to memorize as a child so long ago.  We’ve had a great journey together and I’m still learning about you! Thank you for parents and grandparents who knew you and led me to you in grateful praise. Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole. Thank you for teaching me Your Word that indeed provide wisdom and light throughout my entire life with you! I pray my children and grandchildren know you as they see you in me! 

Thank you, even today for who you are to me. Thank you for our growing relationship that is intimate, holy, and comforting as well as challenging me to be more like you. Thank you for your love and care that is forever!  To you be all glory, honor, and praise!  I surrender gladly and praise you for all you have done, are doing and will do in my life. I love you, Lord and I’m listening.

In Jesus Name, Amen