Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he that 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.
– Psalm 100
Several years ago, when Debbie Thompson was our intern, she encouraged as many people as possible to purchase the newly published Lutheran Study Bible. Since there was a discount for ordering a certain quantity, my husband and I supported the project and thought it would be a good reference book to own. Our copy had not gotten much attention until this past year, but now it’s become a valuable resource when I need to find information and references on a subject. The study aids help me organize and express my thoughts .
Psalm 100 is short, joyful, and filled with thankfulness and praise. The Study Bible gives some insights into what I’ve always thought was a fairly simple, straightforward psalm. For starters, the reason for praise is not because God needs our praise or to flatter God, but to “tell of his salvation.” (Ps. 96:2) Praise is how we come into God’s presence. Praise says, “God is good! I am going to live in God’s goodness.” Many of us have heard calls to praise God from an early age, whether through Sunday School songs, Bible verses, or Luther’s Small Catechism. These few lines in the Study Bible give us an interesting and clarifying explanation of how praising God brings us closer to him and changes our lives.
Verse 3 tells us to “know” God, and this goes beyond what we can know with our minds. It also means to obey and follow. To “know” God is to internalize in your whole body that God is your Lord. These common words — praise and know — now have a deeper meaning and a new significance, thanks to these insights. Here’s a question to mull over this week: What has happened in your life to help you want to know God, and not just know some things about God?
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers