Worship the Lord with Gladness (Psalm 100, Part 1)

Psalm 100 gives us a glimpse of God’s great party, with glad singing and merriment, as well as thanks and praise. May we fill our hearts, homes and churches with the sweet-smelling aroma of gratitude to God. May we gladly worship our loving Lord.

Worship: The Lord is God (verses 1-3)

¹Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
²Worship the Lord with gladness;

         come before him with joyful songs.
³Know that the Lord is God.

      It is he who made us, and we are his;

      we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

The peoples of the whole world are invited to worship the Lord gladly, for He is their God, their Maker and their Shepherd. Joy must characterize our worship. He delights in our songs of gratitude. Worship and service go together. Loving service is the grateful response to the grace of God. Since we have the privilege to serve the Lord let’s serve Him cheerfully. An infinitely perfect, self-existent, and self-sufficient Being, God is our rightful owner because He made us. In His infinite mercy He also purchased us with the blood of His Son. We are the sheep of His pasture; God is our shepherd.

We worship You, Lord our God. We make a joyful noise to You together with all the earth! We want to serve You with gladness! We come into Your presence with singing! We know that You, Lord, are God! You made us, and we are Yours; we are the sheep of Your pasture.

Worship the Lord Our Holy God (Psalm 99, Part 3)

Worship Our Forgiving Lord, Who Was (verses 6-9)

⁶Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

         Samuel was among those who called on his name;

      they called on the Lord and he answered them.
⁷He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;

      they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

⁸Lord our God, you answered them;

         you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.
⁹Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain,

      for the Lord our God is holy.

The great Old Testament intercessors prayed and prophesied and saw God’s holiness. In prayer we can join their company. God blesses with answered prayer when His people submit to His rule and obey His commands. God is gracious in holiness and justice, readily forgiving His people.

Thank You, forgiving Lord, that when we call to You, You answer us. Help us to keep Your statutes and decrees. Forgive us. We worship You, Lord our God, for You, Lord our God, are holy!

Our holy God makes us holy by the power of His Spirit. God’s holiness demands that sin be punished. But God’s holiness also sent His Son to die on the cross. God welcomes every individual who embraces by faith the sacrifice of His Son.

Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!

All thy works shall praise thy Name,

In earthy and sky, and sea;

Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and mighty!

God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity.

Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Worship the Lord Our Holy God (Psalm 99, Part 2)

Exalt Our Just Lord, Who Is (verses 4-5)

⁴The King is mighty, he loves justice—you have established equity;

         in Jacob you have done what is just and right.
⁵Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.

God executes perfect justice, tempered with perfect mercy.  We exalt the Lord our God who is holy. He allows us to approach His throne through Christ Jesus. Because of God’s grace, sinners are invited to worship before His presence. God’s holiness and forgiving grace characterize His reign on earth. We, God’s people, will lead the nations in exalting the Lord our God.

We exalt You, Lord our God. You, our King, love justice. You establish equity and execute justice and righteousness. We worship at Your footstool! Holy are You!