Untitled Sermon

Give Thanks

Psalm 100 ESV

A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Intro: Doxology a short hymn of praise given normally at the end of a song or or Psalm. But today we do not in with the doxology we began with it. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow! Praise him, all creatures here below! Praise him above, ye heavenly host! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! The principal of worship contains a few essentials including giving thanks or thanks giving (Thanks for giving). The premise is that one has already received something of value from another person or party. There is also the assumption that person or party that has given the valued contribution is in no way obligated to do so. If a man is married to a devoted wife and he breaks her heart she is in no way obligated to allow him to experience her love, commitment and devotion after such a violation. When we as believers come to worship the Lord our attitude (thoughts and feelings) should be characterized by gratitude established on the remarkable person and promise of God.

Both the writer and the occasion of this psalm are unknown. This is the only psalm designated as “a psalm of thanksgiving.” From ancient times this psalm has been used in the daily service of the synagogue. This brief psalm consists of two stanzas, each of which is a call to praise and a reason for so doing.[1] It is is a benediction to the series of psalms which are occupied with the Lord’s kingdom rule (, ). Most of it is a call to praise and thanksgiving,

Who Should Give Thanks?

V1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

This first call to worship may well have been rendered by a choir outside the Temple precincts.This well-known psalm, included as an emphasis the universal nature of God’s kingship. It is evangelical in nature extending the worship invitation to all nations, ethnicities, and the entirety of the human race. This means the request to worship includes people that do not look like you and me. The summons encompasses people that may have a past scared by bad decisions drug addiction, abusive behavior, domestic violence and sexual exploitation.

Some may ask why does God extend an invitation to such people.

The answer is found in:Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Whether you are from War-torn country of Syria, the troubled borders of Afghanistan, the crowded city of Kathmandu, you do well in quiet escape of the suburbs or you live in the hustle and bustle of the hood. The imperative call has been made to:

Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! Who should Give Thanks to the Lord??

declares Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! [2]

How should we Give Thanks?

V2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Serve in this context means to worship. We Give Thanks to the Lord through our delightful and cheerful worship. Worship indicates that there is reverence, adoration and a surrendering of the will.

During this time of antiquity it was normally accompanied with a sacrificial gifts. But the Author of this Psalm was concerned about the attitude of those who came to (worship).

Our attitude toward worship can be affected by our surrounding circumstances. These situations not only hinder specific areas of our lives but also our approach towards (serving) worship and therefore our mindset concerning the Lord. Life for the Israel was different in many ways than it is for us today but, it was also the same in many respects. Marriages still had trouble, there remained unexpected financial conditions, Sickness-Illness and death of a loved ones remained a surreal reality, Peer Pressure, Rejection, Alienation and Disenfranchisement were a part of daily life then and is a part of daily life now.

Does this mean that we ignore our emotions, and the reality of our pain?

Does this suggest that we overlook the effects of life changing events that we endure? No! No & No!

Don’t let the vicissitudes, of Life Change your view of Lord.

Don’t let the fluctuations, of Life Change your attitude towards Lord.

Don’t let the instabilities, of Life Change your approach to Lord.

The Lord remains the same yesterday, today and forevermore.

(ESV) The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Isaiah 40:8 ESV

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

(ESV) “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

Malachi 3:6 ESV

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”[3]

Nehemiah 8:10 ESV

Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The face of God is the revelation of the grace of God.

Why Should we Give Thanks?

3 Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

We should Give Thanks to God because he is the creator of the universe.

The writer reminds them that as they participated in the procession to worship that they were to keep in mind and be completely assured of the truth regarding identity of the God to whom they Gave thanks. “Know that the Lord, He is God” Not only is he Lord: Yahweh the true God of the covenant but he is also God: Elohim the who reveals his power and authority in various way consistent with his true nature. -the Supernatural being who created and rules over the universe; In the Book of Deuteronomy the name Elohim is used repeatedly to stress the majestic power of God which was shown in Israel’s release from bondage in Egypt, her preservation in the wilderness, and her preparation for entrance into the Promised Land. The psalmists also used this name repeatedly as they acknowledged and praised God the regal ruler who had demonstrated his omnipotence in many dimensions of life. This is the same God who created the universe as created you and me.

(ESV) For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

We Should Give Thanks to God because we his our Shepherd. As Sheep we do some pretty ominous, senseless, thoughtless and reckless things. Things that cause self-inflicted pain and collateral damage to the people around us. But God is a Good Shepard.

(ESV) 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

(ESV) 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

(ESV) 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Where Should we Give Thanks?

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

This second call to worship may well have been the invitation by a choir within the Temple precincts. The worshipers, approaching the gates, were invited to continue their worship by entering the gates and then the courts. However we do not today worship at a temple at neither at the tabernacle. So the question remains where should we give thanks? Where should we bless his name? Where should we give God praise?

Wherever we encounter God Presence (Everywhere).

(ESV) 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

At Home ,At Work (Church) ,In Your Car

At the Mall ,At the Gym, In The Café , At the University

In the on the field On the Court, In the Hospital, In the Nursing Home

· Jehovah-Shalom (Shal-lom) = (); the LORD is peace; the LORD my peace;

· Jehovah-Rophe (Rophi) (Ro’-phay) = (); the LORD is healing

· Jehovah-Rohi (Ro -ee) = (); the LORD is a Shepherd; the LORD my Shepherd;

· Jehovah-Jireh = (); the LORD is provision; the LORD will see and provide.

Finally Simply Give Thanks?

5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

God is good all the time and all the time God is good. What is good? (Gods is full of virtue, generosity and upright. God is the true source and perfect example of all that is good. Good in this context means that God is deserving of esteem and respect from his people.

One of the primary expression of God’s goodness is his “Steadfast love”. Steadfast simply means that God Will Not Give Up On You. This kind of love is defined as a loyal love that is an unfailing because of Gods faithfulness to his covenant.

You cannot stop God’s Love for you. David states in “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

· Your steadfast love (Mercy), O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

· Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love (Mercy) endures forever! 2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love (Mercy) endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love (Mercy) endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love (Mercy) endures forever.”

· Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

(Other Translations included Mercy) In other words God give His people the type of Love they do not deserve.

[1] James E. Smith, The Wisdom Literature and Psalms, Old Testament Survey Series (Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co., 1996), .

[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .