Joy, Psalm 100
If I can join the perennial argument about the difference between happiness and joy for a moment, this psalm makes an excellent point of being joyful in the good times, but does it help us when life gets a bit tougher? I think so, yes. What reasons does the psalmist give for being joyful? The Lord is God; he made us; he cares for us; his love will last; and he is faithful to all generations. But what about when the evidence of these words are not a part of our daily lives? How does the drug addict know God made him? How do the homeless experience God’s care? How can the abused child see God’s love and faithfulness when all they have known is selfishness and abandonment? I think there are two answers here, or two parts to the same answer …
First, the psalmist isn’t talking about joy in our modern sense of the word, he’s not expressing pleasure or delight, instead the emphasis is on making a joyful noise. The Hebrew word here is rua and it’s more about sounding an alarm – as in Joshua 6 when the Israelites shout in order to bring down the walls of Jericho. And second, Psalm 100 goes on to speak about worship, coming into God’s presence, and giving him thanks and praise. These are an outworking of our joy. And they can be employed on someone else’s behalf. When, as Christians we sound the alarm or raise the awareness of addiction, neglect or abuse in our towns and cities are across the world, then we make a joyful noise. And when lives are made better, when circumstances are changed, or when governments step in, then we can give thanks to God who makes all things possible and bless his name that we have accomplished such a good work.
But it works in reverse too: I’ve heard it referred to recently as ‘changing the atmosphere’. When we ‘worship the Lord with gladness’ (joy) – as we lift his ‘name above every other name’ (Php2:9) – then heaven touches earth and God’s will comes to pass on earth, as it is in heaven. (Matt6:10) Sometimes, in order to see and experience the joy of the Lord, we must first proclaim it, as an act of will, of conscious choice: I will rejoice in the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever but it is active now.