THE POWER OF PRAISE (Psalm 100)

Do you believe in the power of prayer?

Of course you do.

Do you believe in the power of praise?

We have come to Psalm 100, which is only five verses long but is so full of God’s truth. There is so much for us to unpack here. This psalm is all about the power of praise.

Verse 1: “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.”

The word “noise” has the idea of a greeting. Do you ever greet the Lord each morning and with joyful praise throughout the day?

Verse 2: “Serve the Lord with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.” Too many people are serving the Lord but have lost their gladness.

Verses 3-5: “Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

I love that the psalm begins with “all ye lands” and ends with “all generations.” True worship doesn’t change by place or time; it transcends all. True worship is the same everywhere because God is the same everywhere.

One word that jumps out at me in this passage is “with.” It is seen several times here. We have been learning in the previous psalms that we are coming into God’s presence to worship Him. But Psalm 100 shows us what to bring with you when you come to worship.

What do you bring? Gladness, singing, thanksgiving, and praise.

There is a discipline to praise. It is more than emotion; it is action, a certain attitude toward the Lord. The Bible says as much about praise as it does about prayer, but we spend so much more time asking of Him than we do adoring Him.

I believe that praise is the secret to serving with gladness and being a happy servant of Jesus Christ. Praise is the one thing you can do that the angels are doing at this moment and that you will be doing throughout eternity. Why is praise so powerful?

Because of Who we are praising.

Verse 3: “Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” We are praising the God who made us, leads us, and feeds us.

Pride and praise never live in the same heart or home. Praise humbles us. It reminds us of who we are and who God is. It brings us low and lifts Him high.

Because of why we praise Him.

Verse 5: “For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

We praise Him because of His goodness. Think of just one thing God has given you. The Bible says in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.”

We praise Him for His mercy. Think of one evil God has held from you. The obvious thing that comes to mind is Hell, which we all deserve. But God in His mercy has kept that from us. Then there are dangers we know nothing of that He has withheld from us. Praise God for His mercy.

We praise Him for His truth. Aren’t you glad it endures? Think of one great truth God has used to transform your life. Make a praise list, and then praise Him for His goodness, His mercy and His truth.

Far too often we ask God to bless us. We want the blessing, when He is the One who is worthy of blessing.

Because of what happens when we praise Him.

It is not just what comes out of you, but what it does to you. Praise brings you into the presence of God, and it brings that presence into your circumstances.

Sometimes you can praise your way through things you cannot pray your way through. Maybe instead of just asking, we need to acknowledge who God is. There is power in praise — in a home, in a church, in a life. True praise will make a man humble, holy, and happy.

God has designed it so that what brings Him the most glory does us the most good. He gets what He deserves, and we get what we desperately need. There is power in praise.

The title just above Psalm 100 reads, “A psalm of praise.” The word “praise” literally means thanksgiving. The way to always begin your praise is with thanksgiving.

Verse 4: “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” What a great place to start our praise.

As we said, the psalm begins with a greeting to the Lord. It ends with blessing His name. We begin by saluting the King, and we end on our faces before the King.

Praise is not some passing salute; it is an acknowledgment of how great God is.

When you begin to do that, you will bow your knee along with your head and your heart in the presence of a holy God. You will thank Him for His goodness and mercy in your life.

Pause right now and join me in giving Him thanks and praise.

“Lord, we thank You today that You are good. Your mercy is everlasting, and Your truth endures to all generations. Thank you for your goodness, your mercy, and your truth in my life. Lord, help us live a life of praise today, and may the power of praise be evident in all of our lives. May we point others to our great and good God. Help us all to serve you with gladness today. In Jesus’ name, amen.”