Why Praise God!
"Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness; come before
His presence with singing."
Psalm 100: 1-2
Perhaps the best-known psalm of praise in the Old
Testament is Psalm 100. It is short, well organized,
and links worship with gladness and joy in singing.
In fact, modern use of choirs has its roots in the Old Testament
forms of worship. Choirs of thanksgiving were appointed when
the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem were dedicated after the return
from exile (Nehemiah 12: 31, 38, 40).
Psalm 100 establishes the pattern for worship:
We worship God for what He has done and for
who He is.
There are two exhortations to praise in the psalm. The first is in
verse 2, the reason being that He has made us and “we are His
people” (verse 3). The second exhortation to praise is in verse 4,
and the reason is because of who God is: He is good, merciful,
and truthful (verse 5).
If you are ever at a loss for motivation or reasons
to praise God with joy, remember Psalm 100. Praise
Him with joy for what He has done and for who He is.
He is faithful and loving as evidenced
by Him making you His child.
