Psalms Book 4 (Psalms 90-106)Sample

Holy riot!

If holy awe and silent wonder are the first proper response to the decisions made by ‘the Judge of the earth,’ a holy riot is what should follow.

The scriptures speak of ‘the festal shout,’ and what is described here is at least a ‘festal shout’ but probably much more!

There is a place for holy riot in worship.

When was the last time you were in worship and everyone (EVERYONE) lifted up their voices and shouted out their praise to the Lord all at once?

It’s scriptural! Psalm 100 states it! ‘Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.’

We British are the losers because, in our nice, socially acceptable way, we break the command of God! We lose out badly because we chose not to obey scripture!

Psalm 100 speaks of outrageous praise and worship to the Lord of all heaven and earth. The Jews understood this so well.

Yes, Paul exhorted us to do all things decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). So let’s do the ‘Shout for joy to the Lord’ ‘decently and in order.’ But let’s not break God's command by not doing it!

Why?

Because; ‘it is he who made us, we are his people and the sheep of his pasture,’ 100:2. ‘For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations’, 100:4. ‘For he does not treat us as our sins deserve,’ 103:10. ‘As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us,’ 103:12. ‘As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him’ 103:13. ‘From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him’ 103:17.