Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.; give thanks to him and bless his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness through all generations. Psalm 100:4-5

If murmuring were a duty, some saints would never sin, and if mourning were commanded by God they would certainly be saved by works, for they are always sorrowing, and so they would keep his law. 

Many of the saints of God are as mournful as if they were captives in Babylon, for their life is spent in tears and sighing. They will not chant the joyous psalm of praise, and if there be any that require of them a song, they reply, "How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"

But, my brethren, we are not captives in Babylon; we do not sit down to weep by Babel's streams; "the Lord has broken our captivity, he has brought us up out of the house of our bondage. We are freemen; we are not slaves; we are not sold into the hand of cruel taskmasters, but we that have believed do enter into rest:"

Moses could not give rest to Israel; he could bring them to Jordan, but across the stream he could not conduct them; Joshua alone could lead them into the lot of their inheritance, and our Joshua, our Jesus, has led us into the land of promise.

He has brought us into a land which the Lord our God thinks on; a land of hills and valleys; a land that flows with milk and honey; and though the Canaanites still be in the land, and plague us full sore, yet is it all our own, and he has said to us:

"All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's:" 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.

We are not, I say, captives, sold under sin; we are a people who sit every man under his own vine and his own fig-tree, none making us afraid. We dwell in "a strong city, salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks:"

We have come unto Zion, the city of our solemnities, and the mourning of Babylon is not suitable to the palace of the great King, which is beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth.

"Let us serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with singing:" Psalm 100:2.

Many of God's people live as if their God were dead.

Their conduct would be quite consistent....

if the promises were not yea and amen;
if God were a faithless God.
If Christ were not a perfect Redeemer;
if the Word of God might after all turn out to be untrue;
if he had not power to keep his people, and
if he had not love enough with which to hold them even to the end...

then might they give way to mourning and to despair; then might they cover their heads with ashes, and wrap their loins about with sackcloth.

But while God is Jehovah, just and true;
while his promises stand as fast as the eternal mountians;
while the heart of Jesus is true to his spouse;
while the arm of God is unpalsied, and his eye undimmed;
while his covenant and his oath are unbroken and unchanged....

it is not comely, it is not seemly for the upright to go mourning all their days.

Children of God, refrain yourselves from weeping, and make a joyful noise unto the Rock of your salvation; let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.

C. H. Spurgeon MAGNIFICAT

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things, and consider the great love of the Lord. Psalm 107:43

Obadiah Holmes lived from 1607 until his death in 1682 – some 75 years.  A hardworking farmer in New England, constantly busy in the clearing and working of the land and raising 8 children. 

Seven years before his death he wrote a last will and testament, and this is a paragraph to his beloved wife, helping her to recall the grace of God that had been so richly poured out to them through the years…..
   
“Consider how the Lord carried thee along ever since thou had a being in this world, as by tender parents and since thou came from them, the Lord has provided for thee and preserved thee in many dangers both by sea and land, and has given thee food and raiment with contentment." 

"He has increased our store, sometimes to our admiration, also continuing our health in very great measure. He has given us a great posterity who have increased to a great number and has provided for them in a comfortable manner." 

"And the Lord has kept them from such evils as might have befallen them to our grief, but we have had comfort in them.  Also, consider the peace we have enjoyed and love we have obtained from our friends and our neighbors and strangers."
   
"Yet, my dear wife, those things are but common favors that many have their part in.  But consider that the choice particular favor that many receive not which God has given to thee in choosing and calling thee to the knowledge of Himself and His dear Son which is eternal." 

"So, do order thy heart to cleave to Him alone, esteeming Him as the chief good, as a pearl of great price, as worthy and causing thy heart to part with all for Him. His love has continued to help thee to harken to his voice, inquiring about His will, so that thou might obey His holy will and commandments, so as to serve Him in thy generation." 

"Oh, consider that great love of the Lord, to cause thy soul to cleave to Him alone and so He to be thy only protection! Having given the His Son, He has with Him given thee all things thou dost enjoy, and so to be to thee- both in life and in death – thy advantage.” VOICES FROM THE HEART page 48 

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32