BLESSED IS THE MAN

Lesson 9

A Psalm of Praise

TEXT:  Psalm 100:1-5  

I. INTRODUCTION  

A. In this series we have found that blessed is the man:

1. That feareth the Lord

2. Whom the Lord choosest

3. Whose strength is in the Lord

4. That maketh the Lord his trust

5. That acknowledges his sins

6. That is godly

7. Whom the Lord Chastenest  

B. Psalm 100 is a hymn of praise to God

1. It has been placed to music in countless songs to worship and praise God

2. It is appropriate to finish our series with a focus on praising God for He alone deserves our praise  

C. This Psalm can be interpreted in a prophetic way

1. It points to the Millennial Kingdom

2. All nations and people will rally around Jesus and worship Him

3. The world now is out of balance and out of order

a. There is not one common bond holding all nations together

b. All are going own directions

4. When Jesus reigns He will hold all people together towards a common goal and ideal  

D. We will deal with this passage on a more practical level

1. Although there is a prophetical interpretation, Christians should live their lives now as all will live in the Millennium

II. HOW TO APPROACH THE LORD – Vs 1, 2, 4  

A. Approach God with joy, gladness, and singing - vs. 1-2

1. “Make a joyful noise” vs. 1

a. Much is made of these words in that we see that God does not require talent to praise Him—a joyful noise is something anyone can do

(1) Even mute people can make noise by playing some sort of instrument

(2) God is more pleased with a person who sings terribly but from the heart than a person who has a voice of gold but sings for his own praise  

2. “Serve the Lord with gladness” vs. 2

a. Whether serving the Lord in our outside of His house we should not do so with a heavy or burdened heart

(1) It is a pleasure to serve God

(2) It is not a right and it is not a burden

(a) Mt 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(3) Everyone spends his entire life serving someone

(a) Whether we serve ourselves or someone else we ARE going to serve someone

(b) Serving God has eternal rewards and we should be glad  

3. “Come before his presence with singing” vs. 2

a.  It was never appropriate to approach a king with a sad countenance, but always with joy

(1) Nehemiah went before King Artaxerxes as his cupbearer and the king said, “Why is thy countenance sad?”  Nehemiah said, “Then was I sore afraid.”

(2) Although God used this for good, Nehemiah could have been killed

(3) Who likes to be around a person who is always moping or complaining about something?

b. We can apply this to prayer and to entering a church service

(1) It implies not only singing but coming before God with a glad heart, with a thankful heart, with a spirit of praise and joy

c. Does this mean that we cannot come before God with a sad heart when grieving over a trial or temptation?

(1) Of course not!  What it means is that we should not always come before God with a murmuring or complaining heart

(2) We are supposed to take our troubles to God and rely on Him for guidance and help, but we can do that with a spirit of praise in knowing that He will take care of it for us  

4. “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving” vs. 4

a. We should be a thankful people; not ungrateful like the world

(1) We know that it is rude to receive something and not say thanks

(2) Why would it be different with God?

b. Why would a person eat without thanking God for the food?

(1) Even if a person does not thank God, shouldn’t he thank the farmer, or the butcher, or the grocer; or if he grew his own food, the ground from which it came?

c. God gives us so many things; life, salvation, health, family, home, friends, etc

(1) We should be in a constant state of thanks

III. KNOW THAT HE IS GOD – Vs 3, 4, 5  

A. He is God and we are His

1. We would do well do memorize this verse and think on it often

a. It is a humbling verse that reminds us who we are and who God is

b. We sometimes start thinking we are more than we really are—pride

c. We can sometimes lose our thankfulness when we forget that God gave us all that we have; we start looking at our own greatness and what we have accomplished but God gave us the ability to accomplish things

2. How wonderful a thought that we are His people, the sheep of His pasture

a. What an honor it would be to be a king’s son or the President’s daughter?

b. How many little girls have longed to be a princess?

c. How many little boys dreamed of being an heir to a king?

d. We are children of the Almighty King—God Himself—what an honor!?  

3. He is good and his mercy is everlasting! Vs. 5

a. This is the God to which we belong

b. A good God

c. A merciful God

d. This does NOT describe Allah

(1) Allah is not good or merciful and his people serve him in fear only

(2) Our God is good and merciful

e. It is a blessed thing to belong to Him and to serve Him