Enter his Courts with praise Psalm 100

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise: give thanks to him and praise his name."  Psalm 100:4


Worship in the ancient Jewish tradition was always filled with praise.  When Pilgrims traveling to the temple and the Courts of the Lord they began with praise and thanks giving.  When Pilgrims traveling from a distance caressed the mountain to view Jerusalem below there was shouting and spontaneous singing, laughing and dancing.  Such was their excitement about being in the Holy City! 

In the psalm for today the Palmist points out three reasons to worship and thank God.  In verse 5 it says, "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generation."   First God is good, Second God's love endures forever,  Lastly God is faithful.  When we put all these together we see a great picture of an awesome God!

Yes, God can do all things but is God good?  Oh course!  We might say this so flippantly without thinking about this attribute but just because God created us and God has all authority doesn't mean that God is also good.  God could have every right to be a judgmental and revengeful especially considering what we have done to our world and how we have hurt others and ignored God. But despite all of this God is good!  Our God cares for us and watches over us like a shepherd watched his sheep.

The Psalmist continues to build on to this statement by saying that God's love endures forever.   In the book of 1 John it says that God is love. God is the definition of love.  God is the essence of love and this love will last forever.  God's love is unchanging.

Finally God is faithful.  God is faithful to the point that when it meant that He would have to die on a cross, he would do it.  For he is faithful to his nature as a loving Savior.  Yes God is good.  God is love which will have no end and God is faithful to act according to his nature.   This is reason to give thanks.  This gives us reason to shout, to laugh, to sing, and to worship God with all that we have.

To Ponder:  When you come to worship on Sunday morning are you ready to shout for joy and worship with gladness?   Do you come before the Lord with joyful songs.  This Sunday enter the courts or the foyer or the sanctuary of your church with great expectation and joy!