Typists have conventions too. The older generation of typists learned to put two spaces between sentences in a paragraph. This is now unnecessary and can cause problems in justified text. And double-spacing between paragraphs should be "out" with appropriate spacing determined under paragraph properties.
The old typewriters had limited ways of expressing emphasis - block capitals and underline. All that is outdated now - and open to misunderstanding. According to the newer email protocols, we should avoid block capitals in most situations - they are regarded as "shouting" and that’s offensive.
In general experience, a "shout" can mean many different things. It could simply mean that the other person is deaf. A shout can express anger - in disagreement or rebuke. A shout can come from pain or grief. A shout can also signify discovery and excitement.
The heading of Psalm 100 is simply "A psalm. For giving thanks." It calls for a very positive response to the Lord - "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth" (v. 1). This is closest to what I have called the shout of discovery and excitement.
Our relationship with God is a commitment affecting every part of our life. That is why Jesus said that God’s worshippers must worship "in spirit and in truth" (Jn 4.24). True worship must spring from the core of our being. It can’t be bland and subdued. It is the "Wow!" of awe and amazement, of appreciation and love, of faith and joy.
"Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs" (Ps 100.2). More literally, this is "serve the Lord with gladness."
One church had a sign above the door by which people left the building. It reminded them that "Divine service is about to begin." That’s an important reminder that faith needs to move into practical action in the world about us.
And yet - such service in the world is to follow our service to the Lord in worship - "with gladness," "with joyful songs." Jesus made it clear that the first and greatest commandment is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." The second is "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mt 22.37-39). Jesus didn’t put loving neighbour ahead of loving the Lord, but saw it as something that must inevitably flow from our love of the Lord.
"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" (Ps. 100.3).
In worship we acknowledge who God is and what our relationship to him is. The Lord is God - sovereign, supreme, majestic... The surrounding nations of the time worshipped their idols. Our culture worships a variety of ideologies and material achievements. But in worship we acknowledge that in the final count only the Lord is God.
The Lord is our Creator. We belong to him as part of his creation. But we also belong to him in a particular sense because of redemption and grace. We know his loving protection, care and nourishment.
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name" (v. 4).
The Lord’s people are called to go into the temple to offer their thanks and praise to the Lord for all his blessings to them. Since "all the earth" has been called to "shout for joy to the Lord" (v. 1), this invitation is extended to all believing people. All may come and mingle their thanks and praise together with those of Israelite descent.
"For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations" (v. 5).
"Love" (hesed) is God’s covenant love - his special care for all those who put their trust in him. Generation after generation continue to experience his faithfulness.
We belong to the Lord. He is our Creator and our Redeemer. We have known his faithfulness and love. Let’s shout out our joyful thanks to him so that others will know him too!
| Prayer: Eternal Lord,we shout for joy because you are our Creator! We shout for joy because you are our Saviour! We shout for joy because you are our loving Father! In so many ways we have experienced your constant love. Thank you! Forgive us that our thanks is so timid and quiet that nobody else would know how great and good you are. Help us to live our thankfulness and to live out your love and grace day by day. In Jesus’ name, Amen. |
With joyful shout
bring praise
to God!
Everyone,
come
and worship him!
Sunk in sin,
doomed to die,
for you he came
and lived
and died
to rescue you
to bear his name,
to shout his praise!
With joyful shout
bring praise
to God!
Spead the word
that others too
will hear his name
and shout his praise!
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