Sing! Serve!

I love to sing hymns, although folks around me probably wish I’d spray myself with a can of hush. Because I don’t sing beautifully, I’m thankful the Bible says, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (Psalm 100:1-2, ESV, emphasis added).

Now, I can make a joyful noise, even if I don’t have a church-choir voice. And I do come before His presence with singing many times throughout the day, especially early each morning before I read the Bible. (I sing softly behind closed doors, of course, so as not to disturb anyone else.)

This morning, I sang a few phrases from the chorus, “I Will Enter His Gates,” which includes these words found in Psalm 100:4, ESV: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!” (If you’d like to listen to the entire song (and sing along!), click here.

After making my joyful noise unto the LORD, I decided I’d "pray back" Psalm 100, so I said to God:

I will, day by day, make a joyful noise unto You, O LORD of all the earth. I will serve You with gladness in my heart and on my face no matter where You lead me to serve, no matter whom You want me to serve. As I serve, I will remember that You are right beside me, so I will sing praises to you  throughout the day as I sense Your presence, not just in the mornings.

I do know that You are the LORD God, the One who made make me, the One who keeps me. Because I’m happy to belong to You, to be  one of the untold numbers of “sheep” in Your pasture and under Your tender care, I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart. I will enter Your courts with praise. I will give thanks to You. I will bless/honor Your name by my words, actions, and attitudes.

I will gladly do these things because You, O LORD, are good, and Your steadfast love endures forever, and Your faithfulness to all generations. 

Because I experience Your goodness, Your steadfast love, and Your faithfulness every day, I will sing and serve with joy!

Will you, Dear Reader, do the same?