Psalm 100

For centuries, Christian congregations have sung William Kethe’s paraphrase of this psalm, wedded to the beloved tune “Old Hundredth.” First published in 1561, the words summarize the message of the psalm and help the worshippers give thanks to the Lord. Sometimes the traditional “Doxology” (“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow”) by Thomas Ken is sung as the last verse. The psalm is a fitting climax to the collection of “royal psalms” (93, 95–100) and 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 worshipping Him. (See 95:1-2, 6-7.)

We are admonished in Ephesians 5:18 to be filled with the Spirit of God, and the evidence of this fullness is that we are joyful (5:19), thankful (5:20), and submissive (5:21–6:9). In Colossians 3:16-25, we are instructed to be filled with the Word of God, and when we are, we will be joyful (3:16), thankful (3:17), and submissive (3:20-25). These three characteristics of the believer controlled by God’s Spirit and God’s Word–and they go together–are presented in this wonderful psalm of thanksgiving.