True Worship

 Temple Baptist Church - 9-13-2026

Psalm 100

 

Introduction:

A. I can think of not better verses to introduce this Psalm with than the words of our Lord in John chapter 4, when speaking to the woman at the well.  In His words, we find both commandment and order. 

 

John 4:23-24  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  (24)  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

1. In spirit (this is not the Holy Ghost.  Our spirit is God conscious and to be controlled.  We are to be orderly in our worship. 

 

1 Corinthians 14:32  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.   

 

2. I did not say liturgical, I said orderly for God is not a God of confusion and disorder.

 
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

1 Corinthians 14:40  Let all things be done decently and in order.

3. And in truth, to be consistent with the biblical teaching of sound doctrine.

 

B. Every line of Psalm 100 has spirit and order with no confusion in either order or purpose.

 

C. I want to look at the Psalm backwards tonight as it shows the Who, Where, and How of worship in a godly, biblical way.

 

1. Verse 5. The Person of Praise.  “The LORD!”  We are not here to elevate this pastor or the people with praise.  We are here to worship the LORD, who alone is worthy of praise.  It there is anything good in this world, He made it. 

 

a. For the LORD is Good!  Every good and perfect gift in life comes from God, who controls everything because He owns everything.  The earth and the fullness thereof!  I have no complaints, no sad stories to tell.  Through it all, the good days and the bad days, the LORD has been better to me than I deserve!

 

b. His mercy is everlasting!  New every morning.  New because of our human frailty will fail today and tomorrow!  Naught of good that I have done turns into prone to wander, LORD, I feel it!  All the days of our lives!

 

c.  His truth endureth to all generations.  We have the same truth that God’s people have had from the beginning through divine preservation.

2. Verse 4. The Place of His Praise.  His gates and His courts, the Tabernacle and Temple in the Old Testament and the local church today. 

 

a. I am glad that we can worship, and should do so, anywhere at any time, but nothing takes the place of the House of God.

 

b. What the world hates and forsakes shows us what God loves and never forsakes.  Where two or three are gathered together, Our LORD has promised to be in the midst.  Not on the fringes but in the middle of it all!

 

3. Verses 1-4. The Performance of our Praise!

 

a. Verse 1. A Joyful Noise! A loud noise! Unto the LORD!

 

b. Verse 2. Serving with Gladness! It is getting more difficult to get people involved in the local churches.  To fill every choir seat, to help out in Sunday School, to work in VBS! Service is a wonderful thing and a glad thing. I will never be sorry for the years that Barbara and I have spent in the work of the Lord! Gladness!

 

c. Verse 2. Singing! Congregational, choir specials, special singing! Singing with the joy of the LORD in our hearts.

 

d. Verse 3. Remembrance!  He is God, we are His, and He is ours!  My little children, write I unto you in 1 John chapter 2 and 3! Beloved, now are we the sons of God! That should thrill our souls to know that we are children of the Lord!

 

e. Verse 4. Thanksgiving! Enter into His gates with thanksgiving ... be thankful unto Him” In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning you!  Giving thanks with a thankful heart for all this and heaven too!

 

f. Verse 4.  Praise!  The last 5 Psalms begin and end with the phrase “Praise ye the LORD!”  Praise Him for His love, compassion, substitutionary death-burial-bodily resurrection, forgiveness, mercy and grace!

 

g.  Verse 4.  Adoration!  Blessing the LORD only with our lips, but also with our lives! We owe it all to Him for without Him I would be lost and on my way to hell tonight.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name tonight!