Understanding Psalm 100
The Message of Joy, Thanksgiving, and Praise for All Creation
In the 1960’s, the Supreme Court took prayer out of the American public schools, or so the argument goes.
In several High Court cases, the issue was based on the First Amendment “separation of church and state” as gleaned from the “establishment clause.”
Yet, in many instances throughout the nation, it wasn’t prayer that began public school classes, but the reading of a passage of Scripture. One of the most popular passages was Psalm 100. The words could easily apply to any faith tradition that holds to a personal God.
A Psalm of Thanksgiving and Praise
The classic King James Version of the Bible begins the Psalm with the words, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.” Modern versions render the passage as shouting “joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.”
Both interpretations highlight a “joyful” action on the part of all people, not just the Hebrews. God was the Lord over “all lands.”
In the second verse, the people identified in the first passage are urged to “serve the Lord with gladness” and “come before his presence with singing.”
The message is upbeat and positive. Serving the Lord refers to everyday life. Whatever a person’s vocation, it is a service to God and should be done with “gladness.”
Singing is also emphasized – not the somber hymns of sadness, but joyful song. The implication is not toward chants but to heart-filled choruses that express a person’s complete euphoria with praising the Lord. Singing to the Lord involves the total being and demonstrates the highest form of praise.
The reformer Martin Luther learned this well and instituted bold reforms in terms of hymnology, beginning with “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
The Lord’s Relationship to Man
Verse three is pivotal: “It is he who has made us, and not we ourselves.” At a time in human history when such issues as abortion, stem-cell research, and cloning are creating moral and ethical dilemmas, the Psalmist reminds the reader that the Lord is the author of creation. God creates human life. His creation cannot create itself.
The Psalmist further states that “we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.” Interestingly, the Psalmist does not say that only a certain group of people fall under this category. “We” refers back to verse one which referred to “all the earth.” Everyone can “enter his gates…and his courts…”
The Faithfulness of God
The second part of verse four exhorts all to “give thanks to him; bless his name.” Every time Jesus broke bread or initiated a meal, he gave thanks to his father. Giving thanks, in Psalm 100, refers to all peoples. Although the Lord blesses people differently, some with more and some with less, the act of giving thanks should be a part of every gift from God.
To “bless” is to declare holy. In the Hebrew, the term derives from the action of bending the knee, worshiping, and praising. There is also the connotation of the sprinkling of blood, often identified with pagan rituals. In the Old Testament, the Hebrews offered blood sacrifices as an atonement for sins.
The Psalmist declares that the “Lord is good; his lovingkindness is everlasting, and his faithfulness to all generations.” This passage highlights the on-going mercy of God. Jesus is the “Alpha and the Omega,” the beginning and the end. The Lord’s mercy or lovingkindness spans the generations of creation. Whether BC or AD, the Lord is still the same, “yesterday, today, and forever.”
Psalm 100 is an antidote that can unite Muslims, Jews, and Christians. It sketches key attributes of God and outlines a basic relationship between the Lord and his creation.
Sources:
- King James Version of the Holy Bible (Thomas Nelson, 2004).
- New American Standard Bible (Moody Press, 1973).
Make a joyful noise
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