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.
Commentary:
God is our creator; we did not create ourselves. Many people live as though they are the creator and the center of their own little world. This mindset leads to greedy possessiveness and, if everything should be taken away, a loss of hope itself. But when we realize God created us and gives us all we have, we will want to give to others as God gave to us. Then, if all is lost, we still have God and all he gives us. God alone is worthy of being worshiped. Do you willingly and joyfully come into God’s presence, or are you just going through the motions? This psalm tells us to remember God’s goodness and dependability, and then to worship with thanksgiving and praise. So go and shout a loud joyful cry to our Lord and spread the word of Jesus Christ through the land.