SERVE -“WITH GLADNESS.”

” Derek Kidner says,

“In Hebrew as in English, worship or service is indivisible. It is a word which leads no gap or choice between worship and work.”

Have you ever worked hard at something that you really enjoyed doing it, and found a great satisfaction, delight, at the end of it, because you were really glad to do it because it was something you were really glad and wanted to do it?

Our service to the LORD is not one of drudgery, dread, but one of “GLADNESS,”- The word “gladness” literally means “mirth or joy.”  The word “gladness” here is a Hebrew word that means “gladness and rejoicing,”  like you would experience at a  good banquet or enjoyable party. It comes from a verb that means “to be glad, or cheerful, or merry.” The basic idea of this root verb means “to brighten up” –  like when something good happens and your face lights up, with joy, gladness as a result!

We can serve the Lord as a “job” or with “Joy!”

” Now the Psalmist is saying that when a person is truly thankful to the Lord, then there is a desire to serve Him. It is what you really want to do, and when you get the chance to do it, it makes you glad. You have a sense of privilege and excitement. The opportunity to serve the Lord brightens your day.”- {Dr Dan Hayden}

GLADNESS “… This little word means “with mirth.” This is a word that we don’t use much in our modern times, but it means “gladness or gaiety accompanied with laughter.” This verse is telling us that we are to serve the Lord with laughter! We are to be so filled with love for Him that regardless of what He asks us to do, we are tickled to death to do it! This is the attitude that filled David’s heart in Psalm 122:1! He was filled with mirth when it was time to go to church! That word “gladness” is an interesting word. It carries with the meaning of being “wide-eyed with a big grin“. It brings to mind the unvarnished joy of a child. When something happens that they like, it affects the whole body! The mouth flies open, the eyes get wide, the face lights up, the heart lifts and the soul rejoices. Such should be the delight for us old sinners as we come to serve the Lord our God Who has redeemed us from death and Hell by His precious blood! “-{Alan Carr}

To Serve Him implies Humility, Faithfulness and Activity…the doing of something

Serve as His servant to know and do His will. But How? With gladness, not with drudgery, complaining, reluctantly, but gladness for who He is and what He has and is doing!

  • Serve the Lord with Gladness because… He is God!
  • Serve the Lord  with Gladness because… He has created us.
  • Serve the Lord with Gladness because… we are His – He is our Redeemer!
  • Serve Him with gladness because… He is good.
  • Serve the Lord with gladness because… His love is everlasting  everlasting.
  • Serve the Lord because… His faithfulness continues through all generations! -{ V 2-5}
  • Serve the Lord because… of His choosing you and His relationship with you.
  • Look again at the above reason for you to be glad, based on truth concerning Him and His gifts to you!
  • Read the Psalm and underline other reasons why to delight “with gaiety  accompanied with laughter!”
  • Remind yourself by speaking to yourself these truths. Share with others these reasons… and PRAISE and THANK Him…and “Serve The LORD with Gladness…”

This is a Psalm of Thanksgiving. The Psalmist is saying that a truly Thankful person will have a desire an eagerness to serve the Lord and that service with gladness, excitement for Him and the privilege!

A truly Thankful person  desires to serve the Lord and when they get the chance they do so with Gladness! It makes them glad.  The sense of privilege and excitement at the prospect for The opportunity “brightens” their day!

Our service to Him is a privilege afforded us by Him and  out of a heart of thankfulness our service for Him we can choose to be glad and delight in Him and because of Him! With each new truth we  learn about the LORD or reminded of, it should cause our hearts to rejoice in Him and fuel for our hearts to Sing to Him! He gladdens our heart!  In The New Testament,  we see  singing arises from the heart of two of the LORD’S prisoners. “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” – {Acts 16:25.}

A heart of gratitude is manifested in a willingness  and a delight to serve the LORD and with a desire which “brightens up,” gladdens our heart! A truly thankful person serves Him with gladness!

 Be glad He has revealed Himself to you. Be glad He has placed you in His service. Be glad you can be glad because of Him! Delight in Who He is. Delight in What He has done. Delight in His Being! Serve Him! But do so with gladness. Come before Him with JOYFUL singing! He is the source of our delight. He is the reason for Song!

This is a command– two parts to it,

1.- ” SERVE the LORD…”

How?

2.- “… with GLADNESS!” For Who He is and all He has done for you!

 With each thought and act Choose Him as the focus of your  Worshipful Service and Song!