Our scripture this morning is Psalms 100:1-5.
Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with joy! Enter his presence with joyful singing! Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give him thanks! Praise his name! For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.
King David as God’s chosen leader was responsible for everything in Israel. This included demonstrating and encouraging the worship of God. David was gifted with musical talent and we are told in 1 Samuel 16:14-23 that as a boy he was called to King Saul’s court to play his harp. Then “relief would come to Saul and he would be better”.
Praise, worship and joy are the primary subjects of this short psalm. It reminds us that God “made us and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture”. We are all connected to God whether we acknowledge it or not, and He is always ready to welcome us back into the loving relationship for which we were created.
Prayer, study and outreach to others are all essential, but it is through worship that we offer our thanks and praise to the Lord for all His many gifts. We are blessed to be His people and called to go in His name to share the love He gives. As this psalm tells us “His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations”.
Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we neglect our duty to others and ignore our connection to You. Forgive us, strengthen us in faith, and send us to spread the Good News everywhere. Amen.
