Peter Barnes: Enter His Gates with Praises, Psalm 100 (Sunday 24 May 2020 Morning Service, 9.00 a.m.)
William Kethe has given us the Old Hundredth: All people that on earth do dwell,/ Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice, while Isaac Watts revamped it (with some improvements by John Wesley) as Before Jehovah’s aweful throne,/ Ye nations, bow with sacred joy. Spurgeon: ‘Nothing can be more sublime this side of heaven than the singing of this noble Psalm by a vast congregation.’ Imagine Revelation 14:1-3a. There is a pattern through the Psalm: invocation (100:1-2), reason given (100:3), invocation (100:4), reason (100:5).
1. Sing and serve. – 100:1-2. This is an invocation, a call to worship God (or serve Him) and to do so with gladness and joy in our singing. Isaac Watts: ‘Let those refuse to sing/ Who never knew our God.’ – it is understandable that a Christian will experience times of misery (see Psalm 88); but note Acts 8:39.
2. Because the Lord is our God. – Acts 17:22-23. The Psalmist speaks the language of ‘knowing’ – Ps.100:3. – by creation and regeneration. John 10:11; 1 Cor.6:19-20. If the fruit of the Spirit is love, it is also joy – Ps.16:11.
3. Thank and praise. – 100:4.
4. Because God is loving and trustworthy. – 100:5; see Jer.33:10-11. Isaac Watts: Wide as the world is Thy commands,/ Vast as eternity Thy love;/ Firm as a rock Thy truth shall stand,/ When rolling years shall cease to move. It is directed to all the earth (v.1) and it endures forever (v.5) for all generations (v.5).
Watch the service below.