Psalm 100 - A Psalm of Praise

A Psalm of Praise   Psalm 100:1-5 A Psalm of Thanksgiving 1 Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations...   Psalm 100 bears the title: "A Psalm of Thanksgiving." Some translations say: “A Psalm of Praise”. One translator called it: "Psalm—For a Thank-offering (or for Thanksgiving)." It was used in the second temple in connection with the sacrifices of thanksgiving. The thanksgiving offering was the "peace" offering. It was offered in gratitude for special mercies received from the Lord. In giving us the various laws of the offerings in Leviticus, the Holy Spirit places this offering last (Leviticus 7:11-34). This is probably because true expressions of thanksgiving flow from an appreciation of all that God has done in Christ. Not until we are done with our sins and ourselves can we truly worship as we ought.   Psalm 100 is the only psalm bearing this precise inscription. It is all ablaze with grateful adoration and has for this reason been a great favorite with the people of God ever since it was written. Most of us associate it with our worship services at Thanksgiving where it is read or sung in some form.   This psalm is a fitting climax to the collection of the theocratic and coronation or “royal psalms” (Psalms 93, 95-100),  which have been sounding one note of joy after another for the anticipated advent of the Messiah as King. Psalm 100 sums up their emphasis on God's sovereign rule, His goodness to His people, the responsibility of all nations to acknowledge Him, and the importance of God's people exalting and worshiping Him. (See Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7.) Hence the psalm is prophetic and anticipates the day when Jesus will reign from sea to sea and shore to shore.   The Apostle Paul admonished the believers in Ephesians 5:18b-21 to be filled with the Spirit of God. “…But be filled with the Spirit”. In verse 19, the evidence of this fullness is that we are joyful and will be singing: “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”. In verse 20, we will be thankful: “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”.  And in verse 20, we will be submissive: “Submitting to one another in the fear of God”.   It is interesting to note that in Colossians 3:16-18, Paul repeats these same instructions to the church at Colosse but starts by saying, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom…”.  Being filled with Spirit of God and the Word of God are synonymous. They go hand in hand, and you can’t have One without the Other. When you are indwelt and filled by both the Spirit and the Word, you will be joyfully, “Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  And you will be thankful and submissive: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.”   The three characteristics of the believer that is controlled and filled with the Spirit, and indwelt with the Word of God, is a heart that will be joyful, thankful, and submissive. Psalm 100 expresses all three of these characteristics in this wonderful song of thanksgiving. In verses 1-2, we will sing and be joyful. In verse 3, we will be submissive to God. And in verses 4-5, we will be thankful!   May God’s grace help us today to experience this kind of heart!   God bless!