There are 150 psalms in the Bible and each of them has its own characteristic motif such as: hymn, prayer, thanksgiving, kingship and wisdom. Psalms are not only meant for private use, they are for performing in a group setting where God is the audience
and the congregation members are the performers. In other words, psalms are commonly used within a formal worship service. We sing them as hymns and we use them as liturgies.
The motif of Psalm 100 is thanksgiving and it is widely used as Call to Worship; calling the congregation to come to God and worship him. This psalm has 5 verses. The first 4 verses contain imperative calls to praise and the 5th verse provides the basis for this praise.
Verse 1 – calls us to display uninhibited joy to the LORD
Verse 2- calls us to perform a service to the LORD that is characterized with gladness and joyful songs
Verse 3 – calls us to recognize and acknowledge that God is our Creator and that we are His covenanted people
Verse 4- calls us to enter God’s presence with praise and with thanksgiving in our hearts
Verse 5 – tells us the rationale for the above imperatives. We obey and perform the above commands on the basis of God’s beneficent attributes; His goodness, love and faithfulness.
It is important for us to grasp the truths expressed in this psalm. One, God is worthy of our praise; He is all-powerful and He is good. Two, praising God is a command hence not dependent on our feelings. Rather, it is a decision that we have to make; to obey or not to obey the command. Three, when we praise God despite the fact that we do not feel like doing so, it is a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise expected of us.
May all of us at SKMC determine in our hearts always be it good times or challenging moments to bring an offering of thanksgiving and praise to the LORD our God, Amen.
By Rev Boey Kok Yeow
