What does it mean to make a joyful noise unto the Lord?

The great point is to have the sense that God is ever working for the glory of His blessed Son. Nevertheless I think we should see a great deal more of His work made manifest if there were more prayer and fasting. When saints are not very happy, they sigh. If they are happy, they sing (James 5:13). If you are walking with God, you will pray with the man that is afflicted, and, if you are happy in your soul, you will sing with the brother that sings. It is the Spirit that produces joy in the soul, and that relieves itself in song. The question of having a voice, as men say, has nothing to do with it. I remember a dear brother, a fisherman, who was in the Edinburgh Infirmary when I was a Resident Physician there. He had leave to go out on the Lord's Day mornings to meet with the saints for the Lord's Supper. On his return, he said: "Oh, it was grand, the presence o' the Lord, and the singin' was sae sweet. Ye ken, doctor, I hae nae v'ice, sae I canna' sing masel, but I aye mak' a joyfu' noise." His heart was overflowing with the grace of the Lord. And, brethren, the Lord stir us up a little bit more to that. He loves to hear our songs.

(vv. 1-2) Jehovah has taken His place in Zion, and sits between the cherubim (Ps. 99). All the earth is summoned to serve Jehovah with joy, and to come before His presence with exultation. The godly remnant had indeed “served” in circumstances of sorrow; now all can serve with joy. When surrounded with enemies the godly came into His presence with trepidation, now all can come with exultation.

Psalm 100 is the summons to universal worship of Jehovah with gladness and praise. Jehovah is good. Verse 5 gives in principle the great truth so often laid down as Israel's hope — His mercy endures for ever — which gave them too to say, How long? "All ye lands" is free as a translation; it is rather "all the land" (of Israel) or "all the earth." The claim of Israel to be His people and the sheep of His pasture seems to extend it to the earth. It is, however, to me very doubtful if it is not simply "all the land of Israel." This closes the remarkable series picturing the coming of Jehovah (Christ) to establish righteousness and judgment in the earth and His throne in Israel.

The hundredth psalm closes this series with the full anthem of praise. Naught else remains. Perfection is found and rest; and both are in God. There is little need of interpretation. Jehovah is now to be in every mouth, not the superstitious dread of men afraid of uttering His Name, but shouting it aloud for very gladness: joyous service, with a song. Jehovah is indeed the manifest God, to whom belong His people: the creatures and the cared for of His hand. Strangely it may seem, but most beautifully, surely, the thankful approach of the worshiper falls into the fourth place, which speaks of the practical life. The life will now be praise (comp. Heb. 13:15-16). And the psalm ends with the record of Jehovah's ways, which are the theme of the praise itself: "for Jehovah is good: His loving-kindness is for ever; and His truth endureth from generation to generation." Amen.

ENDURING PRAISE In the previous psalm the praises of the Lord have been building up to this final ascription of honor and glory to the eternal God, which is shown to be, not simply final, but eternal. All lands are bidden to shout with joy to the Lord (v. 1), and to serve Him also with gladness, — how much higher than the servitude that is virtually enforced, either by commandment or by the pressure of conscience (v. 2). Nor is there the same uncertainty of fear in this coming into the Lord's presence, but with joyful singing.

Surely our thankful hearts gladly respond to the sweet singer’s stirring strains—“Serve the Lord with gladness!” Our wretched lost estate is left behind for ever, and it is not becoming to serve with sadness! The apostle Paul had plenty of trials, infirmities, persecutions and imprisonments to sadden him; but he possessed in Christ what nothing could rob him of; therefore he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!” The apostle John was permitted to see defection in the assemblies, and he suffered banishment; but he wrote of the Son and of the Father, and of the present Comforter, the Spirit of truth come from the Father and the Son, that fullness of joy might be ours, as we have said—“that your joy may be full!” are his oft repeated words.

Leaving alone therefore, all that ministers to the wretchedness which once was ours, may holy, happy liberty in serving the Lord mark us increasingly, as we draw near to that day of “exceeding joy,” when we shall be “for ever with the Lord.” While we are waiting for Him, may our eyes be wide open watching for Him, our ready hands outstretched working for Him, and our glad hearts so filled with His love and glory that we cannot help worshipping Him!—“SERVE THE LORD WITH GLADNESS!”

"For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands" (v. 4). Thus, it is made clear that the emphasis here is not on the fact of music being played well, but on the fact of God's work giving occasion for gladness of heart and worship. His work is mentioned first, then His works. Does this not impress us that God's great work of grace in the sacrifice of His beloved Son is that which first gives us occasion of gladness? This stands out above all other works as that which draws hearts in adoration of the blessed Son of God. But when once we have known such sovereign grace, we learn also to triumph in all the works of His hands, because we understand them better; whether His creation, His incarnation, His perfect life on earth, His resurrection, His ascension, His present exaltation, His High Priesthood, and much, much more. So that we adoringly tell Him, "0 Lord, how great are Your works!" Your thoughts are very deep" (v. 5). His works bear clear witness to the fact that His thoughts are very deep, more deep than we can comprehend.

They thus, by the musical instruments and their songs, expressed their joy before the Lord. The character of this is given in the next verse in connection with the sacrifices; for they remembered again on this festival that the only ground on which they could stand before God, though it were to thank and praise His holy name, was the efficacy of the sacrifice. Joy could therefore flow out, and it was joy of no ordinary kind; for "God had made them rejoice with great joy." Nothing could be more blessed. Our poor hearts long for joy, and are ever tempted to seek it from human sources, only to find that it is both unsatisfying and evanescent. Hence the apostle writes, "Be not drunk with wine" (type of the joys of earth), "wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." (Eph. 5:18-19.) Such was the joy on this day of the children of Israel; for it had its source in God, and He it was who had filled their hearts with thanksgivings and their lips with praise. They had, we might say, sown in tears, and now they were reaping with joy.

The first thing to be remarked upon this outburst of joy is, that we have no singing mentioned in Scripture, except in connection with redemption. Angels even are never said to sing. At the birth of our blessed Lord "there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Luke 2:10, 14.) So in the Revelation John says, "I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Rev. 5:11-12.) It is only therefore redeemed ones who can sing, and we learn therefrom the true character of Christian song. It should express the joy of salvation, the accents of praise and gladness produced in the soul by the knowledge of redemption. "Is any merry?" says James, "let him sing psalms." (James 5:13.) That is, if any one is overflowing with true joy — joy consequent upon known redemption, joy in the Lord as the Redeemer, it should be expressed in psalms — psalms of praise to God. "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the Lord." It was then, when they knew for the first time what redemption was, that they poured forth the gladness of their hearts in song., And there should be no other, indeed there is no other, song for the Christian. To take another into his lips is to forget his true character as well as the only source of his joy.

Now, then, we come to the "song;" and how important it is that the soul should have a song! "Abounding therein with thanksgiving," says the apostle. If our hearts are not in the enjoyment of the deliverance, the deliverance can scarcely be in realization. There is power in joy: "the joy of the Lord is your strength." Happiness in Christ is an absolute necessity for holiness. The joy is worship — heaven begun.