Psalm 100

The Christian church confesses a belief in an almighty God. We do this every time we recite the ancient creeds that begin, “We believe in God, the Father Almighty.”

We believe in a God who is Lord over all, who has a sovereign plan, and who is working out His eternal purpose. This is very confusing for us to confess, because it brings up many uncomfortable questions that are difficult to answer. But those who have embraced the truth that the Lord performs what He decrees, have found this one truth to be very comforting. We rest in Him.

Did the ancient Jews also confess this belief in an Almighty God who would work out His sovereign ultimate purpose? Absolutely. This fact could be demonstrated from many passages in the Hebrew Bible. Here is a striking one that comes through the prophet Ezekiel. The prophet was commanded to prophesy to the dry, dead bones of Israel, which would rise again to life by the power of the Lord.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:11-14)

“I will do it.”

Not only is Israel called by God to a Spirit-filled life, but in the words of Psalm 100, “all the earth” is told to make “a joyful noise to the Lord,” to “serve the Lord with gladness,” and to “come into His presence with singing.”

People will not serve and sing out of fear of death or out of guilt. Death and guilt will be gone. They will worship with full hearts of inner joy and not from a forced external coercion.

How could it be that the Lord will bring about this great plan of His? What is necessary to accomplish sincere worldwide devotion to the God of Jacob?

First, there must be peace between God and man in a way that is acceptable to God. This required the sovereign sending of a Messianic Servant who would live the perfect life of love for the Lord and for His people and then would pay their debt to the Almighty with His own blood. The Lord has done this. The peace that Jesus Christ has made for us with God through the cross has been declared acceptable to the Father through His resurrection from the dead.

But our side of the breach also had to be solved. Since sin entered into the world we have had a mad rejection of God and His purposes. If we are to call upon the Lord's Name with joy, and not out of a mere external compulsion, we need a complete inner renewal. The Lord has done this as well. The ascended Messiah has sent forth the Holy Spirit according to His sovereign decree, making His people alive in Christ. This Holy Spirit has also been at work through the messengers of the church who were sent out to proclaim life to Jews and Gentiles through the Name of Jesus Christ. By the Spirit at work within the Lord's people, that Word has been received. People are giving up their foolish war against the Lord. The Lord has done this too.

But not everyone has received this renewal as of yet. How will it be that all the earth will serve the Lord and sing to Him with true joy? The Lord will do it. He will come again in judgment, and there will be a final separation between those who are His people and those who are not His people. Then the words of Psalm 100 will have their greatest fulfillment.

You do not have to wait until the Lord Jesus returns with the host of heaven to worship the Lord God Almighty. By the power of the Holy Spirit, you can call upon His Name now.

There are two very good reasons for your heart to be settled upon the most sincere and joyful worship of the Lord. First, the Lord is God. Second, the Lord is good.

1. The Lord is God. We did not make ourselves. He made us. We did not come up with a perfect eternal purpose. He did. We did not choose one nation from whom a Messiah would be born. The Lord did that. We did not work our own redemption. That was the Lord. We did not empower suffering servants to preach the joyful news of Jesus to every tribe and tongue and nation. That was God. The Lord did it. He made us, He bought us back by the blood of Jesus, and He brought us home by the Holy Spirit. We are His people. We are the sheep of His pasture.

2. The Lord is good. Let your heart be filled with the knowledge of the steadfast love and faithfulness of the Lord. Who else would ever do what God has done in sending His own Son to suffer and die for us? Who would be so true to His own character and purpose, and so willing to save us in a way that displayed His perfect justice and mercy toward us? Who would stay on the cross and face the wrath of God that we deserved? Who would be faithful enough to continue His spiritual work in us over so many years? Who else would be eternally true to such costly sacrificial promises? Only the Lord.

The Lord is God. The Lord is good.

Sing about it, people of the Lord! Thank Him now and forever! Sing with true enjoyment and passion for the One who is above all and who loves you.

One day there will be a resurrection of the dead, and heaven will come to earth. One day the whole earth will worship and serve the Lord with sincere gladness in a world of perfect holiness. The Lord will do it. We believe in God the Father almighty.