Psalms 100:1

 Psalms 100:1 says, A Psalm of praise.  This is called a psalm of praise, then verse one says, Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  All nations were called on to make a joyful noise unto the LORD.   Matthew Henry says that the Jewish people say this psalm was written to be sung with their thanks offerings, but it has a universal call that is not a part of their belief.  It is the gospel church that reaches all nations, and we as followers of Christ are the ones who are to sing praises to Him.  Verse two adds, Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Serving God should bring us gladness, and we should sing His praises everywhere, because wherever we are as Christians should be His court.  Verse three states, Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  In order to sing praises to God, we must first know Who He is and who we are in relationship to Him.  He is the Creator of all things, including us, and if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are the sheep of His pasture.  Like sheep, we are to depend on God as the Good Shepherd, Who provides for our needs and protection.  We are to recognize and follow His voice.  Verse four declares, Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  We are to enter into God's presence with thanksgiving and praise.  There should never be a reason for us to be complaining to or about God and His work in our life as Christians.  Verse five adds, For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.  As followers of Christ, we are to sing praises to God because of His everlasting mercy and the fact that His truth never changes. 

Psalms 99:1

Psalms 99:1 says, The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.  Matthew Henry says this psalm was written to remind the Jewish people that they were not to forget God's laws as the awaited the coming Messiah, and we should not forget God's laws as we await the return of the Messiah.  God still reigned then and He still reigns now.  Verse two adds, The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.  As God reigned in Zion then and was high above the people, He still reigns today.  Verse three continues, Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.  The people of Israel were not to forget to praise the name of God because it was holy.  We as followers of Christ are not to forget to praise God for the same reason.  We should praise God because of Who He is and not for what He has done for us materially.   Verse four states, The king’s strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.  The people of Israel, from the king on down, were called on to execute righteousness and judgment.  We as individual Christians and as Christians collectively need to do the same thing.  Verse five adds, Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.  We today as the people of Israel then are to worship at the footstool of God.  We will never be God's equal, but are to come to Him in humility.  Verse six continues, Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.  The people of Israel were reminded that those who came before them had called on God and He had answered them.  We have the Bible, and the testimony of others, to remind us that God always hears His people and answers their prayers, even if the answer is no.  Verse seven declares, He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.  God spoke to the people of Israel in pillar of cloud, and they kept His testimonies and ordances.  God speaks to us today as followers of Christ through the Bible and the Holy Spirit, and we need to keep His ordances.  Being a Christian does not make us free to do anything and everything that we want to do.  Verse eight adds, Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.  God was and still is the God Who forgives us if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, but He still will hold us accountable if we stray away from His laws.  Verse nine continues,  Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.  We should exalt God in all that we do, because the LORD our God is holy. 

Psalms 98:1

Psalms 98:1 says, A Psalm  This simply says it is a psalm, then verse one says, O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.  The people of Israel were called on to sing a new song to God because of the marvelous things He had done.  This psalm is a prophesy of the coming Messiah, and His coming is the marvelous thing that God has done that means the most.  Verse two adds, The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.  When Jesus came, He made known the salvation plan of God and showed God's righteousness openly to the heathen, which everyone is until they accept Him as their Savior and Lord.  Verse three continues, He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.  Though God made His covenant with the people of Israel, it was to call all people to Him through faith.  As Christians, we have entered into a covenant relationship with God that separates in us from the rest of the world, but part of that covenant relationship calls on us to witness to the lost people of the world.  Verse four states, Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.  The whole world is called on to make a joyful noise unto the LORD and to rejoice and sing loudly to Him.  Verse five adds, Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.  People are called on to play music and sing to the LORD.  Verse six adds, With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.  This just continues to tell the people that they are to worship God using musical instruments, and this still applies to the church today.  Verse seven declares, Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein,  There is the beginning of a call for all of  God's creation to call out to Him, from the seas and hills to all the animals that live in them.  Verse eight adds, Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together.  Though mankind is the only part of creation with an everlasting soul, when God is truly in charge, all of creation works together for our good.  Verse nine continues, Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.  God is one day coming in righteousness judgment, and the only way that we can be declared righteous is by faith in Jesus Christ. 

Psalms 97:1

Psalms 97:1 says, The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.  This psalm says much the same as the last one, and that is that God reigns.  Since God reigns, and reigns in particular over those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, we are to rejoice.  Verse two adds, Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.  Though the world without about God may be full of darkness, righteousness and judgment come through God and a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse three states, A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.  Though we may not see it, a fire does await those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ.  Verse four adds, His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.  God's power is compared to lightning, there for all the world to see.  I don't believe that anyone can honestly deny the evidence of the existence and power of God, though many, many claim to.  Verse five continues,  The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.  God has the power to melt the hills, or the whole earth for that matter, with His word.  We either accept that or reject it.  Verse six declares, The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.  Even the heavens declare the righteousness of God and show His glory to all the world.  Verse seven adds, Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.  When Jesus Christ returns in glory, all those who put their faith in idols will be confounded, so there is a call by David for everyone to put their faith in Jesus Christ and to worship Him alone.  We cannot worship Jesus Christ and still worship any idol.  Verse eight says, Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD.  Those who are truly God's people hear and rejoice because of God's judgments, which bring them into an everlasting relationship with God as a part of His kingdom.  Verse nine adds, For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.  We, like the people then, worship God because He is above everything else.  Verse ten states, Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.  We who love God, His people through our faith in Jesus Christ, are called on to hate evil because God has preserved our souls.  We should have no fear of the evil of the world, because as followers of Christ we have everlasting victory.  Verse eleven adds, Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.  The Light of God shines for those who are made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.  As Christians, we are made upright in our heart and should live in gladness.  Verse twelve continues, Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.  We, those who are made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ, which is the only way to be made righteous,  need to give thanks to God in remembrance of what He has done for us.  We have everlasting life through our relationship with Jesus Christ, and for this we should daily rejoice. 

Psalms 96:1

Psalms 96:1 says, O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.  David calls on the people of Israel especially, and all the people of the earth in general, to worship God with a new song.  We as Christians need to worship God with songs today.  Verse two adds, Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.  Not only were they to sing unto God, but they were to show His salvation to those around them everyday.  Today, as followers of Christ, it is our responsibility to share the gospel with those around us, not just on Sunday in church, but everyday wherever we are.  Verse three continues, Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.  Like the people of Israel, we are to declare the glory of God to the heathen, those who do not believe in Him.  Verse four declares, For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.  We are to share the gospel because of the greatness and goodness of God.  He is to be praised and feared above all gods.  Verse five adds, For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.  As David stated then, so it is today, that all other gods are idols, and God alone is the Creator of everything.  Verse six continues, Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.  We need to acknowledge the honor and majesty of God and to live protected by His strength.  Verse seven states, Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.  David called on all people of the earth to give God glory and acknowledge His power.  We as Christians are called to do the same thing today.  Verse eight adds, Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.  God is still and always will be due our giving Him all the glory and worshipping Him with our tithes and offerings.  Verse nine continues, O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. As David said then, we are to worship God for the beauty of His holiness.  Verse ten says, Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.  David called on the people of Israel to tell the world that God reigns and that His world will not be moved by them and also, that He will judge the world righteously.  God is still in control, and we will one day be judged by His righteousness, and the only way to avoid being condemned is to accept Jesus Christ as one's Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven adds, Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.  David calls on the whole of creation to rejoice at the righteousness of God.  Verse twelve continues, Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice.  This is a continuation of the call for all of God's creation to worship Him, and one day everyone will acknowledge the righteous of God, but for too many it will be too late.  Verse thirteen concludes, Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.  As David stated, one day God is coming to judge the earth with righteousness and truth.  The only way we can be found not guilty is by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. 

Psalms 95: 1

Psalms 95:1 says, O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.  As the psalmist called on the people of Israel to do then, to sing and make a joyful noise to the rock of their salvation, so should we as followers of Christ do today.  Verse two adds, Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.  As the people of Israel were asked to do then, we today as Christians should come into God's presence with thanksgiving, because He is the only One Who can provide us with salvation.  We do not worship Him for material reasons, but for spiritual ones.  Verse three declares, For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  This always has been and always will be true.  God is above all else, even the things that we might attempt to make a god in our life.  Verse four adds, In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.  God is the God of everything and every place.  Verse five continues, The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.  As stated already, everything belongs to God, both the sea and the land of the world, and everything else in the universe itself.  Verse six states, O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.  We as followers of Christ must humble ourselves before God and worship Him alone.  Verse seven adds, For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.  If we will hear his voice, even though to be a sheep is today used as a term of derision, we are called on to be the sheep of God.  Like sheep with a shepherd, we are to be obedient to His voice and dependant on Him to guide us and keep us safe.  Verse eight says, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:  The people of Isreal were called on to not harden their hearts against God, and if we are Christians then we should never harden our hearts to the will of God, as the people of Israel did in the wilderness, and we should call on the lost of the world to not do so.  Verse nine adds, When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.  When the people of Israel refused to follow God's will and tempted Him, He proved that He was God by His work.  Today, even though we can see the work of God throughout the universe, we see His redemptive power through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Verse ten continues, Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:  God was grieved by the people of Israel, whom He had delivered from Egypt, and for forty years in the wilderness as a generation who didn't put their faith in God they were never allowed into the promised land.  It is not enough to claim to be a part of God's kingdom without putting our faith totally in Him, beginning by accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven concludes, Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.  God did not let the people of Israel who did not truly believe in Him into the promised land.  Likewise, He will not let anyone into the kingdom of heaven if they do not truly put their faith in Jesus Christ. 

Psalms 94:12

Psalms 94:12 says, Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;  The psalmist says that we are blessed if God does chastise us to teach us His law.  Still, we seldom feel blessed if God does chastise us.  Verse thirteen adds, That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.  Adversity sent from God to teach His people His law results in rest in the end, and avoids the pit dug for the wicked.  Verse fourteen states, For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.  The psalmist says that God will not cast off His people nor forget their inheritance.  Verse fifteen adds, But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.  Even if the people of Israel were suffering at this time, and much of the suffering coming from their enemies, the righteous would be restored in God's time.  It may seem that the world is defeating us today as followers of Christ, but we will be victorious in the end.  Verse sixteen asks, Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?  This is the question that God asks today, and as Christians we must answer we will stand for Him.  Verse seventeen adds, Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.  The psalmist said he had almost remained silent instead of speaking up for the LORD, but the LORD was his help, and He is ours today.  Verse eighteen continues, When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.  The psalmist said when he slipped in his walk for God, then God held him up.  If we begin to falter in our faith, God stands ready to hold us up.  Verse nineteen declares, In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.  The psalmist said that in the multitude of thoughts about what was going on in the world that thoughts of God brought Him comfort.  This should be true for us today as followers of Christ.  Verse twenty asks, Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?  Those who live in iniquity, even if they are in positions of power, will never have fellowship with God.  Verse twenty-one adds, They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.  Those in power often seem to gather together against the righteous, or those who have put their faith in God.  Verse twenty-two states, But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.  As Christians,  God is our defence and our Rock of refuge today.  The world will never defeat us in the end as long a we remain faithful to God.  Verse twenty-three adds, And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.  When Christ returns and God's judgment comes, those who have refused to acknowledge their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will be cut off from God forever.