Psalm 100 Reflections

Psalm 100

New International Version (NIV)
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.2     Worship the Lord with gladness;    come before him with joyful songs.3 Know that the Lord is God.    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving    and his courts with praise;    give thanks to him and praise his name.5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

When I read this Psalm today I a lot of connections were made for me between it and what God is really trying to teach me through the Bible studies, sermons, and experiences I am having right now.  

1. First I should "Know...God"

2. I'm a dumb (helpless) sheep, but I live in God's pasture and that's why I am okay!

3. God is faithful in loving me - forever! 

Read it from a different translation:

Psalm 100

New Century Version (NCV)

A Call to Praise the Lord

A psalm of thanks.

1 Shout to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Serve the Lord with joy;

    come before him with singing.

3 Know that the Lord is God.

    He made us, and we belong to him;

    we are his people, the sheep he tends.

4 Come into his city with songs of thanksgiving

    and into his courtyards with songs of praise.

    Thank him and praise his name.

5 The Lord is good. His love is forever,

    and his loyalty goes on and on.

Life is supposed to be happy, and I have noticed my happiest moments are when I am completely and utterly focused on knowing the Lord.  My deepest depressions and fears come when I am distracted by images, activities, and sin that are contrary or absent of God.  

A side note: how do you worship?  Is it loud?  Is it with shouts?  Or are you one of those people who shy away cause you "can't" sing???  This psalm challenges us to be loudly proclaiming our excitement about who He is and what He has done for us.  

I like how the NCV puts verse 3 concerning us, "the sheep He tends."  God is tending to our needs, tending to our mistakes, and tending to our hearts that need cleansing.  He does that through Jesus at the cross and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  It's not a once and done deal (getting dunked in the water is crucial, but it's not the finish line).  God is "tending" to us every day.

I have a dog, she isn't very well trained, but I know she loves me very very much.  The problem is I don't think she is very loyal to me.  Whoever comes out and feeds her, pets her, and shows her attention - boy that's her favorite person right then.  She shows her love and affection immediately to me when I come out, but she does that to almost everyone who does.  Well God isn't like that, He does love no matter what - but He is also "loyal", and when God is loyal He expects us to be loyal too.  God doesn't get distracted like my dog does, He doesn't leave loving us just because someone better walked into the room.  His "loyalty goes on and on." 

Pray for Cambodia 

-That they would know God

-That they would let the good shepherd guide them

-And that they would experience the everlasting love of our faithful God