Psalm 100 says 1Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.
Psalm 100:1
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
- This verse begins with an invitation to shout for joy to the Lord! That means our praise isn’t meant to be quiet or hidden, it’s meant to be alive, from the heart. God is calling us to worship.
- A woman once told her chaplain, “I don’t sing because my voice isn’t good.” The chaplain said, “God didn’t say sing good, He said sing joyful.” God listens to the heart not the way it sounds.
- Cross reference: Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Psalm 95:1
- Application: Start your day with thankfulness. Praise Him for what you have. Praise shifts your focus from your pain and problems to His presence. Focus on Him, not circumstances.
Psalm 100:2
Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
- Serving with gladness shows an expression of love. It shows why we serve. When we come before Him with singing, we draw near to His presence.
- Imagine a parent complaining every time they had to feed their child. They didn’t do it because they love the child, but because they had to. How would it make the child feel? In the same way, we serve the Lord because we love Him not because we have to.
- Application: You can serve right where you are. Offer prayer to someone. Choose to be kind.
Psalm 100:3
Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
- This verse tells us who we are and whose we are. You didn’t make yourself. God created you, knows you, and claims you. You belong to Him, not to your mistakes, your past, or the number on your wristband. You are His sheep and He is your Shepherd who loves, restores, and protects.
- A shepherd once found a lost sheep tangled in thorns. He didn’t beat it – he lifted it, cleaned it, and carried it home. That’s what God does when we wander off. He rescues us with love, not judgment.
- Cross references: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Ephesians 2:10
- Application: Declare daily that you are a child of God. Find scriptures about your identity in Christ and put them in a place you can see them.
Psalm 100:4
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
- This verse shows that as we approach God, we combine thanks and praise, recognizing how much God has done for us. To bless His name for who He is.
- Imagine your heart like a locked gate. Complaining keeps it locked shut. But the moment you choose to give Jesus praise and thanks the gate swings open for the presence of the Lord to flow.
- Application: Start everyday with at least 5 things you’re thankful for. Praise God for these things. He may remind you of more things. Keep a journal of what your thankful for and praise God for who He is. Find scriptures of God’s character and write them out. Put in a place that you can see to remind you of who He is. This keeps your mind on Him, not yourself. The enemy wants to keep you focused on yourself and your problems. Don’t give in!
Psalm 100:5
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.
- These are everlasting reasons for all our praise, the Lord is good. Not sometimes, but always. His mercy never runs out, and His truth never expires!
- Think of the sunrise, it shows up every morning no matter what. That’s what God’s mercy is like – faithful, steady, and unchanging.
- Cross reference: Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:1
- Application: Be sure you have no sin in your heart. Ask God where you need to repent. When He reminds you of certain sins, confess them and receive forgiveness. Then make this a declaration. The Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting. His truth endures forever.
Summary
- God deserves joyful praise (v.1)
- Serve with gladness, worship draws His presence (v.2)
- God is your creator, you belong to Him (v.3)
- Thanksgiving and praise unlock His presence (v.4)
- God is good, merciful, and truth (v.5)
Encouragement
- Be thankful for what you have and all God has done. Praise Him for who He is.
- After you confess and repent of your sins the enemy will come and try to condemn you.
- Do not listen to the voice of the enemy! You fight back with scripture! Always speak the word of God to the lie!
- Spend time in God’s word daily, spend time worshiping God, memorize scripture, build a lifestyle of prayer, pray with one another and start bible studies together!
Quote:
“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes us thankful. Contentment is the flower of heaven, and blooms in the heart that praises God.” ~Charles Spurgeon
Prayer of Thankfulness:
“Heavenly Father,
I may not be living my dream,
But that doesn’t mean I’m living in lack.
You know exactly what I was created for.
Forgive me for focusing on the struggle.
For getting distracted by comparison, insecurity and my unmet expectations.
Today, I repent for my judgment of you, others and even myself.
I’m not capable of running the universe let alone my own life!
Who am I to rebel against the One who holds every solution, answer and revelation?
I bow before you in deep repentance, asking for another chance to start afresh.
The truth is:
You are a good God.
You promised to provide for my every need.
You committed to guide my steps…and I’ve been the one who’s strayed.
My struggles are the result of me positioning myself as god of my life.
Today, I recommit to making you Lord.
I’m grateful for the breath in my lungs.
For your unending mercy and grace.
I praise you for another chance to use my voice, opportunities and circumstance to sing your praises in the song of my life.
For without you, I can do nothing,
But, with you all things are possible.
Let this be the focus of my mornings and the closing of every day.
Bless my mouth. and. life to reflect my grateful heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
*thank you, Jessica Prines for this teaching
