Psalm 100 is ALL about thanksgiving… in fact, it’s an instruction manual ‘for giving grateful praise’!
“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.”
Psalm 100
In the message version it says…
“Enter with the password: ‘Thank you!’. Make yourselves at home, talking praise.”
We’ve set our minds at ease, welcomed the Spirit, and are ready to worship; now, thanksgiving ensures that we give all the glory to God, from the outset! Thanksgiving reminds us how and why we praise God – because He is LORD (v3); He made us and we are His sheep (v3); He is good, and His love and faithfulness endure forever (v5). Thanksgiving further prepares us to ‘come before Him’ (v2) with our offering of worship, and dwell in His Presence. What a delight that thanksgiving is prescribed in the Bible – what a great and beautiful command for us to follow!
What does this look like practically? According to the Psalmist: shouting and declaring God’s goodness, loud and upbeat praise, singing songs oozing with joy and gladness. It might look like that person who’s usually shy opening up just a little more; someone who is usually fixed to the spot gently moving from side-to-side; a young person raising their hands for the first time, or simply an older person smiling quietly to themselves, reminded of the good things God has done in their life.
I want to challenge us, as a worship team, whether we’re up the front or among the congregation, to reflect our thanksgiving with our bodies – whether that’s smiling whilst we lead from the front, instigating a round of applause in praise of God from the middle, joining in wholeheartedly with actions or sign language, or dancing all around the church – let’s be an example to others of how good and pleasing it is to praise the Lord with thanksgiving (Psalm 147:1).