Scripture: Psalm
100
The superscript for this psalm is, “A Psalm for Giving
Thanks.” It is a psalm that calls all people to give praise and thanks to God
their creator and protector (shepherd). The high point of the psalm comes at
the end as it reminds the reader that the Lord is good, steadfast in love, and
faithful forever. Psalm 100 continues to call us to praise and thanksgiving for
God’s goodness, love, and faithfulness as we have experienced these things in
Christ.
Teaching
As the psalmist calls all of creation to serve God and to join
in singing and worship, he roots the reason for their worship in the fact that
God has made them. This is the first relationship all people have with God: he
made us and we are his.
The psalmist continues calling the creation to come before
God with thanks and praise in v. 4. The reason given this time is that God is
good, his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness is eternal. The
words “steadfast love” translate one Hebrew word, which, in many ways is the
Old Testament’s word for “grace” – God’s underserved love. Thus the key relationship
people have with God is the grace that is received by faith in the God who
loves and saves them.
Life
Do you ever think of yourself as a creature? In Ephesians 2
we are called God’s “workmanship,” really his works of art. God has made you
and he has a purpose for you as you serve him and praise him. This means that
you have dignity and meaning in the presence of the Almighty.
We do well to ponder God’s goodness, love, and faithfulness.
These words encapsulate the heart of our relationship with him. It is not our
goodness, which is never good enough. Nor is it our love, which is always
fickle and never as profound as God’s grace. Nor is it our faithfulness, for we
all fall short in that area as well. Yet God is always good, loving, and
faithful, and therefore he saved us by giving his own Son to die as the atoning
sacrifice for our sin, and raising him us to give us everlasting life.
Prayer
Use Psalm 100 to guide your
prayer today. Pray that the Holy Spirit would help you rejoice in being God’s creature,
and for your joy in being made by God to lead you to wonder and awe at your
relationship with God. Pray, also confessing when you have not been good,
loving, or faithful and give thanks that God is and that he has saved you.
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