Enhancing Our Worship
29 September 2019 PM – Psalm 100:5 – Ps100 – Scott Childs
Introduction: As we have been studying Psalm 100, we have learned that worship is not just attending a service or saying a prayer.
Recently, in a youth activity message, I taught the young people six questions to ask which help us as we study the Bible. Who, what, when, where, how, why? Read Psalm 100. Who? All lands. What? We are to humbly, sing, praise and worship the Lord. When? When we approach God. Where? Where ever we pray. How? We are to shout, humbly serve, sing, thank, praise and bless. Why? Because of who God is and because of the character of the Lord as we will see this evening.
Transition: In verse 5, God gives us three reasons that we ought to worship the Lord as prescribed in this Psalm.
The 12th direction that will enhance our worship is to worship Him …
12. For the LORD is good; (v.5)
a. The Lord Jehovah is good.
1) He is not just the sovereign power of the universe.
2) He IS good.
a) Every fibre of His character and person is good.
b) He is kind, right, agreeable, pleasant, and excellent.
c) He is the perfect standard of moral goodness.
3) He DOES good.
a) He created all things very good (Gen 1:31)
b) He is the giver of good. (Psalms 33:5) “He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.”
c) He is the good Shepherd who laid down His life for His wayward sheep (Jn 10).
d) He is the good Samaritan who lovingly and generously cares for the needs of those who do not deserve His goodness (Lu 10).
e) He is the giver of every good and perfect gift (Jas 1:17).
b. Many Scriptures assure us that the LORD is good.
1) (Psalms 34:8) “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
2) (Psalms 145:9) “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”
3) (Lamentations 3:25) “The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”
4) (Nahum 1:7) “The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
² Pulpit Commentary, “Goodness is a very comprehensive quality. It is love, kindness, benevolence, that which leads you to wish well and to do good to those around you; and the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord, because it is so full of his works and ways, which are the fruits and manifestations of his goodness.”
c. The construction of our text suggests that the Lord’s goodness is seen particularly in His mercy and His truth.
The 13th direction that will enhance our worship is to worship Him for …
13. His mercy is everlasting; (v.5)
a. One way that the Lord is good is that he is merciful.
1) This Hebrew word speaks primarily of kindness. Wilson’s OT Word Studies defines it as goodness, kindness, and beneficence.
2) TWOT points out that this merciful kindness is always freely given. It is a choice. For this reason, it is often translated mercy.
3) God has showered us with goodness because he is mercifully kind. We have no qualities that motivate God to be good to us (Ro 3:12). All that we receive from God is because of His undeserved mercy.
b. God’s mercy is everlasting.
1) God has been mercifully kind from eternity past and will remain so into eternity future. It is part of His character that cannot change.
2) (James 1:17) “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
3) (Lamentations 3:22) “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”
4) (Psalms 103:17) “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;”
c. The phrase, “His mercy endureth forever” is frequent in the Bible.
1) (2 Chronicles 7:3) “And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.”
2) (2 Chronicles 20:21) “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.”
3) God repeats this phrase 26 times in Psalm 136.
4) Aren’t you grateful that God is always mercifully kind to you, even when you deserve His judgment? I am!
5) This is a reminder to us to be mercifully kind to those in our lives who mistreat us. Follow God’s example!
The 14th direction that will enhance our worship is to worship Him for …
14. His truth endureth to all generations. (v.5)
a. Another way that God is good is that his truth is forever.
1) This Hebrew word for truth is not the truth that is opposite of a lie. Instead, this word describes firmness, steadfastness, support, faithfulness, or fidelity.
2) TWOT: The term expresses God’s total dependability.
3) More than half of the times it is found in the Bible, it is translated faith, faithful, faithfully, or faithfulness.
a) A carpenter might say “The cut is true” meaning that it faithfully followed the straight line.
b) One might say, “That man is a true man” meaning that he is a faithful man.
4) The goodness of God is a faithful and constant goodness. God has always been and always will be faithful.
b. His firm faithfulness never changes.
1) God was faithful in Adam’s generation.
2) He was faithful in Moses’ generation.
3) He was faithful in Peter’s generation.
4) He is faithful in our generation.
5) He will be faithful for every generation to come.
c. Here is a sample of verses proclaiming God’s faithfulness using this word.
1) (Psalms 36:5) “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.”
2) (Psalms 92:2) “To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,”
3) (Psalms 119:90) “Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.”
d. The hymn writer expressed it accurately when he wrote the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” Turn to hymn 40 and follow along as I read the words.
Conclusion: If you will take an honest look at yourself and then consider the character of God, you ought to have plenty of reasons to worship the Lord as this Psalm prescribes. If this Psalm has not already enhanced your daily worship, I urge you to listen to the sermons again and memorise the Psalm. (Psalms 95:6) “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”
Song: O Worship the King 1