Title hymn of thanksgiving/Psalm 100:1-5
Content Title: A hymn of thanks
Scripture: Psalm 100:1-5 Hymns; 351, 353
<Introduction>
As the final concluding psalm in a series of psalms praising God's reign that began with Psalm 95, it is a psalm of joy and thanksgiving in a concise and concise way to give thanks to the Lord.
It is a song in which all the earth and all the peoples participate in the Lord's calling, "singing to the Lord with gladness, serving him with joy, and coming before him with singing." The main purpose of this poem is missionary work. “Going before him” means going straight through the gates of the temple to God in the holy place. “Before the Lord” means facing God as if you were dealing with a friend. Jesus said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” So the worshiper is not a distant God, but a person who is invited to come and worship the God of a person who is near.
1. Pilgrims should serve God, singing with joy (1-2)
These pilgrims came from the ends of the earth just as in the days of Jesus, including Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Edomites, and Samaritans. Even the Gentiles from such a distant place must worship the LORD, the God of Israel. Currently, all churches must make disciples of all nations to worship the Lord.
The first duty of a believer is to serve God and glorify Him. When serving God, you must not be selfish. It should be voluntary, dedicated, and serve with a heart of joy. God is not pleased with the service offered reluctantly. When all things are clearly recognized by God's grace, how can we not have spiritual inspiration and no praise of joy?
2. God made us, and we are to serve because we belong to him (3)
We are not beings that evolved by microbes or were created by chance. This is what God Himself had planned from eternity before, and finally, when the time was fulfilled, He brought us to this earth. Moreover, we were the beings who had no choice but to die forever in our sins and transgressions (Ephesians 2:1). For us, who were such futile beings, God, through His great mercy and mercy, atoned for our sins and transferred us from eternal death to eternal life. Moreover, God makes each one of us the most precious and will never forsake us forever (Zep 3:16-17). How can we not praise this grace?
3. We should give thanks because God is eternally good and merciful (4-5).
God is not the kind of person who only shows interest in His people for a short time when necessary, and then throws them away when they get tired of it. God will never forget the soul of the one you love, even if the life of the one you love is far from His will, no matter how great and wretched the soul may be (Luke 15:1-24).
Although we humans leave God's bosom and do not enjoy serving God, there are many ups and downs, but God's love and concern for us never change and is eternal (Psalm 121:1-8). This is God's eternal love. Indeed, once a captive of God's love, he will never abandon him until the day he goes to heaven. How can we not be grateful for this faithfulness of God?
It is natural to go to the temple to serve such a God.
<Conclusion>
We are called bodies for the glory of God, and we are creatures created to praise God. We are people no one should live for ourselves. But here, while glorifying God, we must offer devotion and service, not out of a sense of duty, but out of a willingness and joy in being moved by that love. You will have to live with gratitude for this grace until the day you go to heaven.