Bible Commentaries
Psalms 100

Verses 1-2

All people should shout praises to the Lord joyfully. We should willingly serve Him with happy hearts. We should sing out with joy to honor Him.

Verses 1-3

1. Happy service 100:1-3

Verses 1-5

Psalms 100

An unknown writer invited God’s people to approach the Lord with joy in this well-known psalm. We can serve Him gladly because He is the Creator, and we can worship Him thankfully because He is good and faithful.

"Known as the Jubilate (’O be joyful’), it is a psalm much used in liturgical worship; but William Kethe’s fine paraphrase, ’All people that on earth do dwell’, has even wider currency wherever English is spoken. Finer still, but somewhat freer, is Isaac Watts’ version, ’Before Jehovah’s aweful [sic] throne’." [Note: Kidner, Psalms 73-150, p. 356.]

"Its [this psalm’s] position after the psalms proclaiming Yahweh’s kingship (96-99) suggests the classification with these psalms. More than likely it functions as a hymnic conclusion of this collection." [Note: VanGemeren, p. 638.]

Verse 3

We should appreciate the fact that Yahweh is the sovereign God. We should acknowledge that He has created us and that we are not self-made individuals. We belong to Him, and we partake of what He graciously provides for us.

Verses 4-5

2. Grateful worship 100:4-5

The psalmist called on the Israelites to enter the gates of Jerusalem with thanksgiving in their hearts. They should enter the temple courtyard with praise on their lips. They should express their gratitude to Him for His many blessings and should bless Him. The reason for this behavior is that God is good to His people. His loyal love lasts forever, and He will continue to remain faithful to all generations of people.

Every generation that benefits from Yahweh’s goodness, loyal love, and faithfulness should carry out this psalm’s exhortation to serve God happily and worship Him gratefully.