Psalm 100, His Sheep Enter into the Temple

This is the seventh and last psalm (see Psalms 93, 95-99) calling people into the temple to worship in song.

A psalm. For giving thanks.

Unlike the others before it, this one adds an introductory line about the purpose of the psalm.

Psalm 100:1-2, Worship with gladness

 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

 Worship the LORD with gladness; 

come before him with joyful songs.

The song begins with a short statement of purpose. In the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is known as Jubilate Deo (Sing joyfully to God!)

Psalm 100:3, His sheep

 Know that the LORD is God. 

It is he who made us, 

and we are his; 

we are his people, 

the sheep of his pasture.

This is a simple, but strong, statement of identity. As Psalm 23 begins, "The Lord is my shepherd...," there is pride and considerable comfort in being identifyied as the sheep, as the precious possession of YHWH.

Psalm 100:4-5, Eternal faithfulness

 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; 

give thanks to him and praise his name.

 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

 his faithfulness continues through all generations.

YHWH is good and eternal, always faithful to His people.

Like the psalms before it, the singer invites us through the gates of the Temple in Jerusalem and into the sacred courts within. This is the last of seven psalms that invite the worshiper as he (or she?) approaches the Temple on a religious holiday.