Make A Joyful Shout to the LORD!

 Much of America just celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday.  Yet, how did we express our thankfulness?  To whom did we express our thankfulness?  Was our thankfulness focused primarily on the “things” that I have noting that I have more than last year or more than someone else?  Were they focused on the people that I have in my life because I realize that I would be lonely without them? 

In Psalm 100:1 the psalmist says, “Make a joyful shout to the LORD all you lands…”

The command here often translated “joyful noise” is not simply singing as we have often been challenged that we must sing out.  Some have even said that it doesn’t matter if we are on key or not because we are to make a “joyful noise.”  However, the meaning behind this statement “joyful shout” is a clear audible forceful action, a shout of triumph!

I’ve seen enough grown men watching football games to know that they respond with excitement to their teams scoring an amazing touchdown or making a great defensive play, sometimes to the detriment of their recliner.  Yet are we willing to get excited about our God and what he has done for us?   I have one friend who in his excitement for his team would pick up his 40 lb. English bulldog and toss him up and down in celebration when his team did well.  Fortunately for the dog, he was a Cubs fan, and it was rare.

Notice also in this phrase that not only was there to be a triumphant shout, but there was also to be a clear recipient.  That recipient is to be the LORD,   the covenant God of Israel and the “I AM that I AM” as Moses got to know Him. Are we so generic in our thanksgiving that we never give credit where credit is due?  Did we go through the whole thanksgiving celebration without mentioning the LORD of Creation who has blessed us?

The final part of the phrase reminds us of who is to be making this “shout of praise;” it was “all you lands”.   All mankind is to be lifting their voice in praise for the awesome deeds that he has done.  No one is exempt from the command.  Yet, many will never come to know the Almighty, All-powerful God well enough to realize that it is “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

I hope that as you reflect upon not only Thanksgiving, but the coming celebration of the birth of our Savior that you will indeed be able to “Make a joyful shout the LORD”.  

The video edition of this is available at www.youtube.com/churchoflittleton   FW #38