Song of Joy

You have likely heard the common assertion, “God is good!” and its familiar response, “All the time!” But is it true? Circumstances and our emotions certainly seem to contradict the often proclaimed affirmation. Heartache, sickness, loss, and general uncertainty are just some of the contributors to a general sense of skepticism of God’s goodness. This skepticism then leads to a lack of joy. Yet the scriptures unequivocally remind us that all God does is for His glory and our good. This should instill in us a consistent joy and a firm trust in our sovereign Lord - one that changes the way we view and respond to life’s constantly changing circumstances.

One passage of scripture that assures us of God’s goodness and calls us to live a life of joy is Psalm 100. It is a song that brims with joy! The psalm is beautiful poetry and its verses contain seven commands and two motivations that lead us to choose joy. Here it is taken from the New International Version:

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The structure of the psalm is quite simple. It begins with four commands supported by a divine motivation (Ps 100:1-3), followed by three more commands braced by another divine motivation (Ps 100:4-5). Note once more the highlighted commands: shout, worship, come, know, enter, give thanks, and bless. These commands are to elicit a series of seven actions that combine to shape a healthy spiritual heart in which joy can flourish. In and of themselves these actions can be done without Christian joy. However, when these actions are nourished by an appreciation of God’s kind actions and attributes, they reflect a choice that is based on faith. This choice doesn't ignore grief and sorrow, but rises above them. Rather than merely “turning that frown upside”, joy chooses to find hope in the power of Jesus’ victorious life and undivided love.

Let’s begin by simply considering the first four commands - shout, serve, come, and know - and their singular corresponding motivation by asking some personal questions:

• How do you feel about God being both the Conductor and the Audience of your life?

The psalm begins with a powerful command to “shout for joy” or “make a joyful noise” (Ps. 100:1). The entire universe is God’s creation. In turn, God conducts creation’s song while simultaneously enjoying its melody. As the universe makes noise through the songs of birds, the rolling of thunder, and a cymbal’s crash, God receives His deserved worship. With that in mind, “the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Ps 107:1-2). Let us not have our joyful noise be bested by the rest of creation!

• Does serving the Lord make you glad? Does it bring you joy?

While the NIV begins verse 2 with the word “worship”, the ESV translates the same Hebrew term with the word “serve”. The reason for this is simple - worship and service are inseparable. The old English word from which we derive our word “worship” is “worth-ship” and denotes something or someone of enormous worth. It further communicates that this “worth” compels a person to go to great lengths to serve and honor this something or someone. In our case, Jesus is our greatest treasure with infinite worth. We are captivated by Him. Thus, as we worship and serve Him, we receive joy as He receives glory! So, serve Him with gladness!

• Are you timid when you come into God’s presence?

The psalm calls us to “come into His presence with singing” (Ps 100:2). The Lord beckons us to come into His presence with boldness coupled with humility. It is an invitation that is not to be declined, so let us not hesitate to come to Him. Our God and is a generous Host, who welcomes the penitent into His presence and turns their sorrow into singing. What joy!

• Is God an established part of your daily routine? 

There is much information that we have come to know and even understand. Through memorization and practice, we are familiar with information and facts. Yet a relationship with our Creator has much less to do with the accumulation of theological facts and much more to do with a relationship that affects every moment of every day and is as intimate as it is real. Choosing and experiencing true joy is undeniably connected to being familiar with God’s character through daily time in His Word and in prayer.

Our motivation for obeying these four joyful commands is God’s kingship and rule. He made us and we are in His care (Ps 100:3). But there is a second set of commands: enter, give thanks, and praise found in verses 4-5. These too are motivated by God. But in this case our motivation for joy is based not on His actions, but His character. Our motivation for obeying the final three commands is God’s covenant keeping nature. He is invariably good, loyally loving, and forever faithful. 

God truly, unmistakably, and perpetually is good, regardless of our circumstances and our feelings. It is why we can experience joy even when the circumstances of a broken world make us feel differently. As A.W. Pink said, “The best antidote for anxiety is frequent meditation upon God’s goodness, power, and sufficiency.” His goodness, love, and faithfulness present us with reason to joyfully obey Him in everything! 

Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV) - “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”