Daily Devotional - Persistent Prayer - Week 40 - Day 272 - Month of Prayer Day 29 - 9/29/25 - "Why We Praise"

Author: Evangelist Lisa Dalton

“Why We Praise”
Scripture: Psalm 100:1-5

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 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. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Devotion:
This is one of my favorite Scriptures and one of my favorite songs to sing. It is the very Scripture I sing when opening Sunday School every Sunday. Making a joyful noise unto the Lord is a command for everyone. We often reference that verse when we hear someone singing who can’t quite sing; they will say, “well, I’m making a joyful noise”. Then those of us who do sing, will say, jokingly -  “yes, it’s noise alright.”

Then it says we should serve the Lord with gladness and come before His presence with singing. That may be a challenge for some, but when we think about the goodness of Jesus and all He’s done for us, there should NEVER be a time when we don’t do as this Scripture has said. Gladness is based on how happy we are. Unfortunately happiness is based on our condition, which means our gladness is too. But with the Lord, everyday should be a joyful day, a day filled with thanksgiving, and praise.

Entering His gates with thanksgiving is a picture of how we’re meant to approach God—not with hesitation, but with celebration. The “gates” and “courts” refer to the temple, the place of God’s presence. Today, we don’t need a physical temple to meet with Him. Wherever we are, we can enter His presence through thanksgiving and praise. And we should do it because He is good. This reminds us why we worship. It’s not just about what God does—it’s about who He is.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for Your goodness that never fades, Your mercy that never ends, and Your truth that never fails. Help me to trust You more deeply and live in the light of Your eternal promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.