“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: (Eccles. 3:1). The Bible addresses every aspect of our life and for many of life’s events, it seems there is a Psalm that can be appropriately applied. Solomon said there was a time to laugh, dance, and embrace (Eccles. 3:4-5). We celebrate people and their accomplishments. We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, baby showers and retirement. We celebrate our nation every Fourth of July and other national holidays such as New Year’s Day and Labor Day. Those end-of-the-year holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas bring families together while acknowledging the bountiful blessings God has bestowed upon us all year. Even the American funeral culture has shifted and now we emphasize a “celebration of life”. But for our purposes, there isn’t anything that we celebrate that doesn’t need God at the center of it all, getting all the glory.
The Old Testament Jewish folks had many reasons to celebrate as evidenced by their several feast days throughout the year. In Luke 15, Jesus taught us to celebrate spiritual victories when He told the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. When the lost are found, there is always a celebration.
We are not sure about the impetus for Psalm 100, but it is a Hebrew song of praise in consideration of the Lord’s faithfulness to His people.
Here are some things we learn from Psalm 100:
- Sing aloud to God (v.1-2). The lyrics insist that “come before His presence with singing”. As such we are to “make a joyful shout” and the we “serve the Lord with gladness. Notice the mood. We are His singers and God is our song!
- Be reminded that God is our Creator and we are His creation (v.3). Sometimes we forget Who is in charge. “The Lord, He is God” and “it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves”. It is “in Him” that “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). When we celebrate, let us humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God (1 Pet. 5:6).
- God is our Shepherd and we are His sheep (v.3). We are His people. We are the sheep of His pasture. Peter would remind us that we are a “chosen people” and a people for “God own possession” (1 Pet. 2:9). We are God’s property and anything we celebrate is a good and perfect gift that comes from God, the Father of lights (Jas. 1:17). Therefore, give God the glory as His people.
- God is the Blessed One and we are blessed by Him (v.3-4). We are to “bless His name” and “be thankful” as we come into His courts with praise. Jesus taught gratitude in Luke 17:17 by calling out the one Samaritan who had been healed of his leprosy and returned to thank Jesus. Paul taught us to “give thanks always for all things” (Eph.5:20). When we celebrate, don’t forget to say, “thank you” to God. Among the things for which we should appreciate God, the Psalmist highlights the enduring nature of His goodness, mercy and truth to all generations. Remember this when we celebrate our families.
Psalm 100 addresses our need to remember our identity in God, and to remember God in our work and service under the sun, in our blessings, and in our families. We might even go as far as to include remembering God in our trials and difficult circumstances by remembering that “the Lord is good” (Ps. 100:5). Paul said, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9). Christians ought always to remember God in every aspect of life, and the times when we are celebrating are no exception.
-Kris Groda