A growing body of research has tied an attitude of gratitude with a number of positive emotional and physical health benefits. A November 2010 article in The Wall Street Journal summarized the research:
Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not, according to studies conducted over the past decade. They’re also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy, or become alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly, and have greater resistance to viral infections. Now, researchers are finding that gratitude brings similar benefits in children and adolescents. [Studies also show that] kids who feel and act grateful tend to be less stressful, get better grades, set higher goals, complain of fewer headaches and stomach aches, and feel more satisfied with their friends, families, and schools than those who don’t. The researchers concluded, “A lot of these findings are things we learned in kindergarten or our grandmothers told us, but now we have scientific evidence to prove them. The key is not to leave Thanksgiving at the Thanksgiving table. So we are to develop a lifestyle of thanksgiving.
A noted Physician in Wales… When a patient comes to me discouraged, pessimistic or full of their woes but without any symptoms of a serious ailment, he would give this prescription…For 6 weeks I want you to say Thank You whenever anyone does you a favor and to show you mean it emphasize the words with a smile. The patient replies, But no one ever does me a favor doctor… The wise doctor would reply, Seek and you will find. 6 weeks later more than not the patient would return with quite a new outlook, freed from their sense of grievance against life, convinced that people, had suddenly become more kind and friendly.
First… MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD
This verse has probably been used more than any other text to get questionable talent in the choir…Joe will say…I can’t sing well. John will say…well you don’t have to sing well…the bible says, make a joyful noise to the Lord! I am so glad that no matter how terrible you think you sing… you can still sing and need to sing…well maybe not in the choir. But you can sing out because it just says… make a joyful noise… I like the songs that have the “La la la’s” or “Oh! OH! OH’s” cause it really doesn’t matter how well you sing. You are making a joyful noise!
This verse may cause trouble for those who like a very quiet and dignified service experience. Of course, we must remember that this was describing a Hebrew or Jewish worship experience, so it has different cultural trimmings. But we should notice that this joyful noise is to be made not just by Hebrews or Jews. Notice it says ALL the lands of the earth should engage in making this joyful noise.
Some suggest it is like a call to worship. This shout of praise was like a processional song with people outside the temple and processing into the temple for worship. Now our more charismatic friends may have one up on us here. One rendering of this verse even has it with a suggestion of leaping for joy! Like David danced before the altar…
Long ago in the 1800’s in Camp Meeting Days I have heard of Shouting Methodists and then Praying Baptists. But I have never heard of leaping Methodist or Baptists these days, maybe sleeping Methodists or Baptists, but not shouting or leaping for sure!!
For some a joyful noise might be ROLL TIDE. For Others in might be WAR EAGLE or Go JAGS or GO TOROS… For others, a joyful noise might be the cha ching of the cash register ringing up a sale.
What are some joyful noises? Here are some for me. Children playing and laughing on the playground. It was great to hear their voices. Hearing the star -spangled banner before a ball game. Listening to the sound of corn growing on a quiet evening. For others, a joyful noise might be the roar of a Stock Car down the backstretch. The sound of a symphony and operatic vocalists. Or maybe sitting by the ocean and listening to the waves rush into the surf.
But all these sounds might be missing something very important. Those joyful sounds might not be joyful noises TO The LORD! They may be joyful noises for our own entertainment or our own pleasure. While they are good in what they represent, they are still only limited and are never meant to replace the joyful noises which are given UNTO THE LORD. This is the true spirit of worship and this is what deepens our relationship with God. Our joyful noise must be first and foremost UNTO THE LORD!
There is certainly a lot of NOISE in our world. A lot of the noise is not so joyful. And if the world’s noise is all we hear it can leave us deeply lonely, depressed, uncertain and without any real hope. Ultimately there may be no children on the playground, the corn will not grow, the stock car may crash or finish next to last, the cash register will not be ringing up a sale. And if you are cheering for my team…well there is simply not a lot of joyful noises coming out of Morgantown these days! Then the only noise we hear is sighs and moans of disbelief and grief. Such is the reality of life in some dark seasons like many have been experiencing this year.
But the Psalmist is putting life in its rightful perspective. This joyful noise is unto the Lord! This is the joyful noise of singing and exalting God’s name in worship.
One of the most incredible sounds I have heard was at a Promise Keepers Rally several years ago in Atlanta. Nearly 70,000 men were singing in a stadium… they were singing acapella, How Great Thou Art. That was an incredible and unforgettable sound of singing praise to God. I think it was a real foretaste of heaven!
In the NT in Luke 19:37-40 Jesus is making His way to Jerusalem. This journey is called the Triumphal Entry. People were excited, putting down their cloaks and waving palm branches… Yes, we celebrate this on Palm Sunday. In Luke 19 it says,
V37 the disciples began to PRAISE GOD JOYFULLY WITH A LOUD VOICE. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven! Some of the Pharisees responded, Teacher order your disciples to stop… V40 Jesus answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out!
God wants us to give Him praise and glory. But even if we do not God can use someone else or something else, even the created order.
Notice again it reads, “May A Joyful Noise ALL the earth”. I think every part of creation is involved in this joyful noise… Steve Green made popular the chorus… all creation great and small, lift their voices one and all in a symphony of praise!!
Verse 2 says… Serve the Lord with Gladness… Then here
v4 ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING
This is a real declaration and commitment…like taking a vow and saying, I do. I will enter his gates. There is no question or hesitation or distraction that will prevent me or dissuade me. I WILL enter His Gates. David wrote, Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. Ps 84:10
Adam Clarke commenting on these verses writes: It is your privilege and duty to be happy in your religious worship. The religion of the true God is intended to remove human misery, and to make mankind happy. He whom the religion of Christ has not made happy does not understand that religion or does not make proper use of it.
So God desires to give us Joy. The Fruit of the Holy Spirit that indwells every believer is to bring about JOY! So we sing… I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart… I will enter his courts with praise…I will say this is the day that the Lord has made…next… I will rejoice for he has made me glad… He has made me glad… He has made me glad…(have people sing along with this!!) Sing with me…. He has made me glad…He has made me glad… I will rejoice for He has made me glad!
But let’s be honest. From a human standpoint there are many distractions and obstacles that can keep us from entering his courts. And you know we have an enemy…who tries so hard to disrupt this intended design of God…From entering His courts with praise…. Sometimes that song could more truthfully be sung from a human standpoint… he has made me mad…she has made me mad… somebody has made me mad!!
Even trying to enter God courts with praise on a Sunday morning…getting ready to come to church can be an exhausting task… Normally we are in a rush… It goes something like this. We are going to be late for the service again… Well I am trying my hardest… stop rushing me… And so it goes… and now we are entering his gates with exhaustion, stress, sometimes even madness… We enter his gates with misgivings not thanksgiving and his courts in a daze more than praise… The enemy has robbed us of our joy and praise before we enter the gates! Ask me how I know this… even as a pastor I have lived it too many times.
So how do we prepare our hearts for worship? I think one answer is found in the classic hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing which reinforces the instruction… Tune my heart to sing Thy praise. There is a process of tuning our hearts and I really think that is a great part of why worship is so essential.
Musical instruments like the guitar and piano must be tuned…if they are not tuned properly the instrument can never play the music as intended. If they are out of tune it will be a sad distortion of the intent of the music and the author of the music. In our world, there are a lot of sad distortions of hearts and minds that are out of tune with God our Creator and Maker’s desire and design.
But again… we need to know there is such a spiritual battle over this experience. Many years ago I recall a college experience visiting with a friend for a weekend. We stayed up late on Saturday night. Often, I find that Sunday morning is lost on Saturday night. Sunday morning came and we were not ready. Oh no!! The alarm clock went off and it was painful. We were not ready for worship. But my friend’s mother put on some music and speakers were dispersed throughout the house. Then Christian praise music saturated the entire place, including me and the others. She was creating an environment and atmosphere for worship to happen. She was tuning our hearts to worship where it was not before. It was an unforgettable lesson and experience. Tuning our hearts for worship.
Some talk about coming to worship to recharge and to be spiritually fed or refueled. That is good. But worship is much more. Worship is not mainly about receiving as much as it is giving. We come to give our praise, give our offering, give our prayers, and certainly give our thanks to God. And through all this we are giving a witness to those around us. Worship is an event that envelopes a culmination of what God has been doing in our lives and recalling the greatness, power and faithfulness of God. This then changes our whole mindset and attitude. That is what this Psalm is encouraging us to do.
V4 Enter His Courts With Praise
Thanksgiving is expressing gratitude for what God and others have done for us. But Praise is acknowledging God for who God is. This acknowledges God’s total ownership in my life. Here the Psalmist is acknowledging God as our Creator. God is our Shepherd. It reminds us that the Lord is good and the Lord constant and faithful! Many of the Psalms are simply reflecting or remembering what God has done and then giving praise….
One example is Ps 105 signifying God’s faithfulness to Israel. Let’s look at it quickly:
V9 God made covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He promised land and many descendants. Through Abraham all the nations would be blessed.
v17 Joseph is mentioned as one who was a dreamer and ended up being second in command to Pharaoh and spared his people from famine.
v26 Moses and Aaron are sent to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage… the 10 miraculous plagues are sent and then the Exodus of God’s people into the land that God had promised Abraham.
So, Praise comes when the Psalmist remembered and called to mind God’s faithfulness in Israel’s history and fulfilling promises in such powerful ways. What might this look like for us today?
As God’s children we remember that we have been given a new covenant through the blood of Christ and our sins are forgiven. One Greater than Moses has come to deliver us. We too have been promised a land that is fairer than day. And the same Jesus who ascended into heaven will come to receive us and put all enemies under His feet. Our God is greater than any human power of agency. No weapon formed against us can stand. Our God is greater than our sin. Our God is greater than the forces of evil. Our God is greater than our last and final enemy, death! Our God is simply… GREATER THAN. As Paul writes, IF God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). Is this not something for which we all should give thanks and praise to God? More personally this is a time when we recall God’s acts of goodness and greatness toward us.
For some of you today you have had life-saving surgeries. Others have had great financial gains. Others have had reconciled relationships in your family or with children or grandchildren.
But we are to praise God regardless of our circumstances. There may be some in the opposite direction. Where this year has been very difficult. You may have suffered financial loss. You may have encountered a heartbreaking loss in your family or in personal relationships. You have had a real struggle with health or battling infirmity. And you may have to say like Job… naked I came from mother’s womb and naked I will return… The Lord gives and the Lord takes away…Blessed Be the Name of the Lord. Job never ceased to worship God.
In the fall of 2000, former megachurch pastor Ed Dobson was diagnosed with ALS (or Lou Gehrig’s disease), a degenerative disease with no known cause or cure. Our friend Natalie Anusciewz died recently with ALS and a friend in Jax, Fl recently passed battling this disease. In 2012 Dobson shared his ongoing struggle to give thanks while living with an incurable condition. He writes:
There are many things for which I am not grateful. I can no longer button the buttons on my shirt. I can no longer put on a heavy jacket. I can no longer raise my right hand above my head. I can no longer write. I can no longer eat with my right hand. I eat with my left hand, and now even that is becoming a challenge. And over time all of these challenges will get worse and worse. So what in the world do I have to be grateful for? So much. Lord, thank you for waking me up this morning. Lord, thank you that I can turn over in my bed. Lord, thank you that I can still get out of bed. Lord, thank you that I can walk to the bathroom … Lord, thank you that I can still brush my teeth … Lord, thank you that I can still eat breakfast. Lord, thank you that I can still dress myself. Lord, thank you that I can still drive my car. Lord, thank you that I can still walk. Lord, thank you that I can still talk. And the list goes on and on. I have learned in my journey with ALS to focus on what I can do, not on what I can’t do. I have learned to be grateful for the small things in my life and for the many things I can still do.
As the NT reminds, we are to give to God in ALL things. Or has the prophet Habakkuk put it…
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
In Closing let’s review this:
I will make a joyful noise to the Lord!
I will enter His gates… nothing will distract me or deter me. I will enter his gates.
I will enter His gates with thanksgiving… I will remember God’s work in my life
I will enter His courts with praise … I will remember God’s goodness and faithfulness
I believe the greatest witness we have is not just when we come into God presence with thanksgiving in worship and make a joyful noise here… but when we go into the world, into the maddening crowd…and there turn our complaints into thanks… Happy Thanksgiving… let’s all prayerful ask God how we make a joyful noise for God in our world!