Psalms 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his^[a] ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalms 100 Commentary

Chapter 100

An exhortation to praise God, and rejoice in him.

- This song of praise should be considered as a prophecy, and even used as a prayer, for the coming of that time when all people shall know that the Lord he is God, and shall become his worshippers, and the sheep of his pasture. Great encouragement is given us, in worshipping God, to do it cheerfully. If, when we strayed like wandering sheep, he has brought us again to his fold, we have indeed abundant cause to bless his name. The matter of praise, and the motives to it, are very important. Know ye what God is in himself, and what he is to you. Know it; consider and apply it, then you will be more close and constant, more inward and serious, in his worship. The covenant of grace set down in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, with so many rich promises, to strengthen the faith of every weak believer, makes the matter of God's praise and of his people's joys so sure, that how sad soever our spirits may be when we look to ourselves, yet we shall have reason to praise the Lord when we look to his goodness and mercy, and to what he has said in his word for our comfort.

Cross References

• 1. S Psalms 98:6; Psalms 98:4
• 2. S Deuteronomy 10:12
• 3. S Psalms 95:2
• 4. S 1 Kings 18:21; S Psalms 46:10
• 5. S Job 10:3
• 6. Psalms 79:13; Isaiah 19:25; Isaiah 63:8,17-19; Isaiah 64:9
• 7. S 2 Samuel 24:17; S Psalms 74:1; Ezekiel 34:31
• 8. S Psalms 42:4
• 9. S Psalms 96:8
• 10. Psalms 116:17
• 11. S 1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalms 25:8
• 12. S Ezra 3:11; Psalms 106:1
• 13. Psalms 108:4; Psalms 119:90

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "and not we ourselves"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 100

\\<>\\. The Arabic version ascribes this psalm to David, and very likely it is one of his: the Targum calls it ``a hymn for the sacrifice of thanksgiving;'' and so Jarchi. It is supposed to have been used when peace offerings for thanksgivings were offered up, Le 7:11,12. The Syriac inscription is very odd; ``concerning Joshua the son of Nun, when he made the war of the Ammonites to cease;'' though it more rightly adds, ``but in the New Testament, when the Gentiles are converted to the faith:'' and indeed the scope of the psalm is to exhort the Gentiles to praise the Messiah, to serve and worship him, from the consideration of his goodness and mercy, truth and faithfulness.