We Are God’s – Psalm 100

A text – Psalm 100

100:1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
100:2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come into his presence with singing.
100:3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.
100:5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

A reflection:

Here is a cheerful psalm, the sort of poem or song you would wish for when you are tired or weary. This is a psalm that is short enough to memorize and lightweight enough to pack away well and carry with you for troublesome times.

There were times the Israelites needed to be reminded that their God was good and faithful. There are also times we need that reminder. To be reassured that the creator of the whole earth is our God and provider – that is a good reminder indeed.

Do you know anyone today who is down in the dumps, who just cannot get “up” and rise to the occasion of life? Someone with long term depression or abiding grief? Verse 3 alone could be of some great comfort. Being the sheep of the Lord’s pasture means we don’t have to do anything – just eat and sleep and belong to God.

God, through Jesus, knows first-hand what it is to live a human life. Much of human life is joy and beauty, but much is also troubling and wearying. Luther once said, “Life is full of misery. Think upon the Prince of Peace.” When we think of Peace, Shalom, we should think not of the absence of anything big and heavy and difficult but rather the fullness of life, with big burdens as well as big joys that help us get through every day and move on toward tomorrow.

Eating and sleeping like sheep, knowing there will be rainstorms and a few lean grazing fields, is pretty easy when we trust that our shepherd will be making all the right decisions and protecting us from harms too big to handle. Psalm 100 reminds us that we can count on a big and powerful Lord God to look after us like sheep or little children. That is a comforting word that brings joy and a desire to happily say Thanks Be to God.

A prayer:

Gracious God, Thank you for loving us. Help us to remember that we are yours and you have everything we need. You take care of us, your creatures and we worship you and are grateful for that. Sometimes that is all we can do, but we can manage that.   Amen.