Joy in Worship - Psalm 100

Neil C Richards

Few, if any, of us would question the assertion that Christian worship should be joyful. Worship reflects the character of the God to whom it is offered. The Puritan Stephen Charnock, in a sermon entitled 'Spiritual Worship', has this to say: 'God is a Spirit infinitely happy, therefore we must approach him with cheerfulness; he is a Spirit of infinite majesty, therefore we must come before him with reverence; he is a Spirit infinitely high, therefore we must offer up our sacrifices with deepest humility; he is a Spirit infinitely holy, therefore we must address him with purity...'. Our temptation is to play off one attribute against another, as though our reverence and godly fear made up for our lack of joy. But where joy is lacking, worship is defective, and what is more serious by far, such worship presents a defective view of God. Our worship declares to the world what God is like. Worship that is cold and joyless misrepresents God, and so dishonours him. Joyful worship is what we owe to God. We owe him worship that corresponds to that revelation which he has given us of himself in his Word and in his Son Jesus Christ.

Again, we should think of Christian worship as 'gospel worship', for it is by the gospel that we are made worshippers, and it is the gospel that gives our worship its distinctive spirit. How can we who have received such measureless grace and mercy in Jesus Christ be anything but full of joy and praise in God's presence?

'Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like thee his praise should sing?'

Our worship, both in prayer and in songs of praise, should reflect the whole gospel, every part of which promotes joy in the believer. Clearly the Lord intends us to be a joyful people. 'Man's chief end is to glorify God, and' -in so doing -'to enjoy him forever.' (The Westminster Shorter Catechism's answer to Question One.) For confirmation of this see Psalms 16:11; 27:6; 42:4; 43:4; 98:4; 100; and in the New Testament John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13; Acts 13:52; and so on. But I am sliding away from my subject, which is joy in worship, and particularly in corporate worship. So how can we promote this joy in our services?

1. By focusing our minds and hearts on our Saviour Jesus Christ, on his love for us and our acceptance in him. That is where joy begins and that is its foundation.

Amazing love! How can it be,
That thou, my God, should'st die for me?'

Let that truth sink down into your mind and it will produce joy in your heart.

2. By an appreciation of the privilege of joining with other believers to worship our God. In Psalm 42 David looks back with deep yearning to those days when he was able to 'go with the crowd. ..to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise.' To gather with the Lord's people to pray and praise and hear God's Word is an immeasurable privilege and a deep and satisfying joy. Are you finding that Sunday by Sunday?

3. Joy comes as we offer up to God the worship and praise of our hearts. Worship is giving to God the adoration, praise and thanksgiving of our hearts. As John Owen puts it, we 'raise unto God a revenue of glory'. This can be done only by the power and help of the Spirit, but it is in this activity of 'giving' that we find joy, and it is nothing but the joy of heaven.

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