A Call to Worship

​Psalm 100:1-2 ~ “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”
 
There are in this wonderful text for today three actions taken by the people of God in the worship of the LORD. Psalm 29:2 declares, “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” Many relegate the worship of the LORD to the music service of the church on a Sunday morning. This is truly an act of worship, but it is not the only activity that can be described as such. There is to be worship before the LORD in the company of the redeemed, and that takes place in the gathering of His people. There is also meant to be worship during the week, as we look to the LORD every day with the joyful delight of a heart that loves Him. So, as we consider our text for today, let you heart be opened to the jubilant expressions of service to Jesus. For with each action declared in our text, it is illuminated with a sense of cheerful exhilaration on the part of the believer.
 
We begin with a look at the first action that is expressed in our text for today, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!” This phrase is lost upon some of the quieter saints. Though it is not meant to be an obligation upon the heart that you must be loud to be faithful, yet there is a sense in which a glorious shout to the LORD is meant to be heard. Picture a grand tournament or contest between two opposing teams. How quickly the home spectators give cacophonous praises and shouts to their team when they take the field. It is a joyful noise offered to men, let us look upon the LORD and all that He has done to win us the victory over sin and death and give Him the praise due His name. This is done in all the earth—in every place where God’s people dwell, wherever His salvation is proclaimed and His saints abide, let there be the continual offer of joyful noise. Psalm 98:4 states, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!”
 
We look next at the second action expressed in our text today, “Serve the LORD with gladness!” To serve the LORD is to work or to labor diligently. Many will look upon hard work as a burdensome duty that must be performed in order to get to the leisure that is desired. But work was given to man even at the beginning of his life, even before the fall. Genesis 2:15 says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” And this service offered to the LORD is given with gladness, with an abundance of joy. Let your heart be gladdened by the invitation of the LORD to join Him in the work He has commanded. It is a blessing given to those who believe to be yoked together with Jesus, with their hand to the plow and not looking back to the world. God is pleased when His children are doing what they can in their service to Him. In Mark 14:8-9 Jesus spoke of a woman who rendered Him a service, “She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
 
And, finally, we look upon the third action described in our text, “Come into his presence with singing!” This is no dirge offered by the children of God, a lament of sorrow or concern. We come into His presence and what will we find there? For those who are His people, we will find the fullness of joy! Psalm 16:11 proclaims, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” How then could we forgo singing when we enter into His presence? It is the expression of a heart filled with joy. I have encountered those who, with joy in their life, seem to walk through this world with a hymn upon their lips or humming a tune that reflects their happiness in Christ. Psalm 40:3 says, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” It does not require the skills of a concert performer for you to have a song bursting forth from your heart. If you have that joy in you from Christ Jesus, then make music with your heart to the LORD (see Ephesians 5:19).
 
In this grand call to worship the LORD, let us walk in this world with our hearts rich with His joy, that we should sing to and serve Him, declaring His praise that the world might know Christ.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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