The joy of service.
(Sermon for missions.) In this short psalm a note is sounded which echoes, and will never cease to echo, through the world. The trumpet of jubilee is blown, not for Israel, but for all mankind. Brief as this psalm is, it is one of the most wonderful portions of Scripture, glowing with self-evident light of inspiration, not poetic, but prophetic, Divine. This first verse exhibits the three characteristic features of the whole psalm—its catholicity; its joyfulness; its hope and promise.
I. Here, in the very heart of Old Testament Scriptures, is an anticipation of Christ's world wide command (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19). No trace of either national exclusiveness or ecclesiastical bigotry. God's temple is thrown open to all mankind (Psalms 100:4). "Courts," not the "court of the Gentiles" merely. All men alike are invited to say, "His we are [see margin]; we are his people." It is impossible to explain such words from Jewish lips, such feelings in Jewish hearts, but by Divine inspiration (cf. Galatians 3:8).
II. JOY IN GOD IS ONE OF THE MOST MARKED FEATURES OF THE PSALMS. In this psalm it rises to its highest pitch. Worship is a native instinct and need of the human heart; and heathen worship was often attended with tumultuous rejoicing. But not joy in God's holiness (Psalms 97:10-12); in our belonging absolutely to him (Psalms 119:94); in his righteous rule (Psalms 98:6, Psalms 98:9); in his mercy and truth (Psalms 100:5). These streams of joy are from a higher source (Galatians 5:22).
III. THIS PSALM CAN BE FULLY UNDERSTOOD ONLY TAKEN WITH, Psalms 93:1-5 :95-99. The whole series not only celebrates, but foretells, the coming of Jehovah to "judge," i.e. to rule and reign over the whole world (comp. Psalms 72:1-20.). Such bold world wide hopes would be utterly inexplicable as mere poetic dreams of Jewish imagination, and can be explained only as inspired prophecies and promises; so they would be wholly unmeaning and fictitious apart from their fulfilment in Christ (John 5:22, John 5:23; John 12:32; Matthew 28:18).
CONCLUSION. The enterprise of Christian missions is the most joyful work in the world; the proclamation of the most joyful news to every human being, on the authority of God's command, in the light of God's glorious promises.
HOMILIES BY S. CONWAY