Restoration & Praise Sunday School

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Devotional Reading: Ephesians 5:1–2, 15–20

Background Scripture: Psalm 100

Psalm 100

1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

2 Serve the LORD with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations.

Key Text

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.—Psalm 100:4

Lesson Aims

1. Identify the psalmist’s reasons for grateful praise.

2. Articulate why giving thanks is appropriate for all creation.

3. Make a plan to better recognize and seize opportunities for thanksgiving.

Introduction

An Invitation to Joy

The confession that God constantly cares for humans points us to the reality of mystery. Why should God care? Would it be appropriate for an eternal being to care about such short-lived creatures as human beings? Given the apparently unnecessary suffering in the world, and in Israel’s history specifically, how can we know that God cares? Most of the Bible concerns these questions. Its answers should provoke a profound sense of wonder in all of us.

Psalm 100 makes a simpler point, however. It confesses that God shows profound care for a whole people, the Israelites, preserving them during times of political and social turmoil, teaching them how to live better lives through the Torah, and listening to their prayers whether the people were praising or lamenting. That view of God’s work lies at the very heart of the faith of both the synagogue and the church. We are part of a great flock tended by the shepherd who drives away the wolves and leads us to good pastures, as Psalm 23 says (see lesson 10).

Lesson Context

Psalm 100 is familiar to many Christians through the hymn “All People That on Earth Do Dwell,” whose tune is called “Old Hundredth.” The superscription to Psalm 100 states the obvious. The psalm concerns praise, or better, thanksgiving. Anyone singing this psalm should come to God with deep gratitude.

The book of Psalms is actually a collection of five books or sections. Most Bibles note these book divisions (often with Roman numerals) at the beginnings of Psalms 1; 42; 73; 90; and 107. Altogether these five books feature 150 poems.

Psalm 100, today’s text, is found in the fourth of these five books. Many scholars consider this section of Psalms (that is, Psalms 90–106) to be the answer to the problem presented in the first three books: the Davidic dynasty established (Psalm 2); the flourishing of that dynasty (Psalm 72); and the failure of that dynasty (Psalm 89). The emphasis in Book IV of Psalms is simply that God reigns!

The verbs throughout the psalm that are plural invite all who hear the psalm to join in praising God. The original singers were to express their appreciation for God’s work among them in the central location, the temple in Jerusalem (compare 2 Chronicles 5:2, 12–13). The reason for the gratitude appears in Psalms 93–99, which should be read along with Psalm 100. Since it is so short, it seems unlikely that it should stand by itself. Rather, it concludes a sequence of psalms that concern Israel’s joyous celebration of God’s benevolent kingship. Much of the psalm has precise parallels in Psalms 95; 96; and 98.

LESSON 

1. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

The single Hebrew word here translated with the phrase make a joyful noise occurs 28 times in the book of Psalms. Four of those instances involve making such noise unto the Lord (see Psalms 95:1; 98:4, 6). The oldest English translation, that of the Wycliffe Bible of AD 1395, challenged the reader to “sing ye heartily to God.” The same verb is used for the shout at the siege of Jericho (Joshua 6:5, 10, 16, 20). The call to shout with joy in worship speaks to the high enthusiasm and excitement that should surround the praises of the faithful community (compare Ezra 3:11).

All ye lands translates a Hebrew phrase that appears 17 times in the Psalter. In 15 of those instances, the translation is “all the earth” or “the whole earth,” and that is the sense here (examples: Psalms 33:8; 96:9). Even so, some students think that the text calls the faithful of Israel, wherever they may be, to prayer and praise. This interpretation is supported by many texts that call Israel to faithful worship of the Lord (example: 95:6–10). And the focus might be on Israelites who were forced to migrate to many lands, and about whom the prophets were concerned (example: Hosea 11:10–11). This cannot be proven, however, as no date or author is given for the psalm.

Another interpretation is that the challenge to prayer and praise is for Jew and Gentile alike, anywhere in the world. Like Psalms 148–150, this understanding of the text expects that not just Israelites will join in praising God, but all human beings (compare Psalms 22:27; 96:7). How will this occur? The psalm does not spell out how Gentiles should know about God’s mercy and kindness (although the gospel message will clarify this later).

The idea that Gentiles will come to know about Israel’s God is a repeated theme of the Old Testament. For example, Abraham’s family was to be a blessing to “all families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3; compare Galatians 3:8). The prophet Isaiah drew on this idea (Isaiah 2:1–4; 49:6; 60:3), as did other prophets (examples: Micah 4:1–4; Zechariah 9:10). A third possibility is that the writer might have embraced intentionally the ambiguity of whether he was speaking to Israel as dispersed in the world or to both Israelites and Gentiles everywhere. Certainly, the psalm eventually came to have the bigger vision. All human beings may join in the worship of God in the full knowledge that God welcomes all into a deep relationship (Acts 3:24–26).

 What Do You Think?

   When do you find yourself desiring to make a joyful noise to the Lord?

 Digging Deeper

   Do you ever stifle this urge? Might your answer change if you sensed “all the lands” joining in that celebration?

Praise the Lord

Every Sunday morning, believers from diverse backgrounds and walks of life gather as a congregation to worship and praise God. Despite their differences, they come together in love and devotion to God. They start their worship by singing hymns and offering prayers of thanksgiving, expressing their joy and gratitude for all the blessings in their lives. Their collective voices create a beautiful harmony that fills the sanctuary, and the spirit of unity and peace permeates throughout the congregation.

As they worship and praise, this congregation embodies the message of Psalm 100:1. They enter God’s presence with joy and thanksgiving, recognizing and celebrating the goodness and faithfulness of God. Their worship is not merely ritualistic but is a genuine expression of their heartfelt devotion and gratitude toward Him. Their faith and hope in God’s love and provision shines through their worship, and it serves as a powerful reminder that no matter how difficult the circumstances might be, the Maker’s presence and goodness remain constant. Can the same be said of your own prayer, praise, and worship practices?

—O. P.

2a. Serve the LORD with gladness.

The invitation comes with certain expectations. The first is that serving the Lord can’t be separated from worshipping Him (Matthew 4:10). The deity served is the deity worshipped, and vice versa (1 Kings 9:6, 9; 16:31). Another expectation concerns the attitude or motivation that people bring to that privilege. We do not serve God primarily out of fear of violating His rules, nor do we serve as those who merely tick off boxes as a matter of ritual or for personal gain. Either approach assumes that our good works will justify us in God’s eyes. Rather, we serve with gladness, a word translated “joy” elsewhere. This approach dispels worry and allows for simple trust in God’s mercy. The word translated “gladness” occurs 14 times in the book of Psalms, where it is also translated “joy” (Psalms 16:11; 43:4; 137:6). This sense of joy occurs in individuals and in the community.

The life of worship and service should be filled with joy whenever possible and deeply honest when it is not (compare 2 Corinthians 1:3–11; Philippians 1:12–18). While not under consideration in this psalm, it is important to recognize that Israel used laments to help them express the disorientation and pain they experienced (see the book of Lamentations). Asserting that we are to serve and worship the Lord with gladness is not an exclusive call to speak only happily to God. He has made room for all our experiences, as we see most clearly in the incarnation of Jesus.

2b. Come before his presence with singing.

The invitation to come, here and in Psalm 100:4 (below), is similar to Psalm 95:2, 6. Singing is mentioned more than 130 times in the Psalter, and joy takes concrete form as the community assembles in doing so. The psalm invites those hearing it to take delight in both God’s merciful work and their fellow human beings’ celebration of that work.

Ancient singing normally was accompanied by musical instruments, including stringed lyres or harps, wind instruments such as pipes, flutes, or ocarinas, and percussion instruments such as drums or shakers (compare last week’s lesson on Psalm 150). The talents of the people come together to express their pleasure in God’s goodness. We see a similar embrace of creativity in service to God in His calling of Bezaleel and Aholiab “to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass” (Exodus 31:4). We do well to consider how we, too, are allowing our skilled artisans to lead us into the worship of our creative God.

 What Do You Think?

   What role does music in general play in your life?

 Digging Deeper

   What are some “glad” songs that incline your heart to serve the Lord?

3a. Know ye that the LORD he is God.

We now come to the beating heart of Psalm 100. Here is the first key idea of the verse: the Lord—the God of Israel who rescued the people from Egyptian bondage, gave them the promised land, and sustained them repeatedly in times of crisis—is the one and only true God. Other “gods” do not merit the name.

Since the psalm probably addresses the whole world, and not just Israel alone, the confession that “the Lord he is God” is to be offered by all human beings. Or in other words, the evidence of God’s deity, as revealed in the exodus and other miraculous events of Israel’s history, also extends to non-Israelites (Gentiles). This idea also appears in, for example, Psalms 46:10 and 83:18.

The main idea of the psalm is the call to know God. Human knowledge of God is always limited and entirely dependent on God’s self-revelation. We can know only what God has equipped us to know. And the main thing we know is God’s mercy to human beings. By calling Abraham and his descendants to be a people, God was forming a people who could be an example of the possibilities of righteousness and mercy for all human beings. The psalm invites its Jewish singers and all who overhear them to experience confidence in God’s willingness to be with the reader in a deep relationship. Peoplehood is worth celebrating.

Knowing God is an important way the New Testament talks about the experience of being a Christian. The Gospel of John, in particular, speaks of evidence as it relates to coming to the knowledge of the deity of Christ (John 4:39–42; 6:69; 8:28; 20:30–31). What we can know, we know through the revelation of the Son (1:18; compare 1 John 1:1; 2:13–14; 4:2). This idea does not appear in this form in the Old Testament, of course. Yet its core ingredients do.

3b. It is he that hath made us.

The second idea, or rather confession, is that the Lord’s status as the unique God means that He is the Creator. Ancient religions sometimes thought of the creator as a retired deity, the ancestor of the current leader of the gods of their pantheons. For the Bible, there is only one God, and so God must be the Creator.

 What Do You Think?

   What reassurance can you take from God’s forming His people, not our forming ourselves into His people?

 Digging Deeper

   How do you experience freedom in light of God’s work forming us?

3c. And not we ourselves. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

We did not make ourselves, having no godly power to do so. Saying so implies God’s continued power over us and our relative powerlessness in the face of the Lord who formed us. The phrase we are his people implies a shared history and hope for the future, a deep relationship marked by prayer and service.

The last part of the verse restates and deepens that idea (compare Psalm 95:6–7). “Shepherd” was a royal title (example: 2 Samuel 24:17), with God being the heavenly king who cares for human beings (compare Psalm 23; John 10:11–18). While the image of Israel as a flock can have negative connotations—the sheep for the slaughter, etc. (Psalms 44:11, 22; 49:14)—it more ordinarily has a positive meaning. The image may be one of mutual love and desire for relationship (examples: 77:20; 78:52; 79:13; 107:41). Even the negative uses are such because they hope for a positive relationship that does not seem available at the moment (examples: 74:1; 80:1–7).

Why the Servant Smiled

At the funeral of Kevin, a dear friend who dedicated his life to serving others, the officiant fittingly referred to him as a “smiling servant.” Kevin recognized that God’s people are in His safekeeping, just like sheep in a meadow under the care of a good shepherd. By embracing God’s authority, Kevin knew he would be protected and find joy. He believed in God’s protection and care, so he gave back to others with a warm, comforting smile that brought joy to those around him.

The faith and trust behind his smiles were not just a knowledge of facts but also an understanding of the relationship between the Creator and the created. Until his last breath, Kevin completely understood this, so he smiled.

Kevin’s life exemplified the peace and joy found, even in life’s troubles, when we recognize God’s love and care. Who reminds you to trust in God’s care? And who are you reminding, by word and deed, to do the same?

—O. P.

4a. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise.

This psalm was to be sung in the temple as part of congregational worship (see Psalm 100:2b, above). Gates and courts together form the part of the temple precinct to which the congregation had access. The temple centered on the holy of holies, which only the high priest could enter once a year in order to offer a sacrifice for atonement (Hebrews 9:7). A court outside of this was open to priests, another outside that to men of Israel, and the courts on the outside perimeter were available to women and Gentiles.

Because a large group was being called to praise, this psalm probably was sung at a major holiday when Israelites made a pilgrimage from the countryside and gathered at the temple in Jerusalem. Some scholars have connected this song to the feast of tabernacles (see Leviticus 23:33–43) but without great certainty. In the third century AD, the collection of Jewish law called the Mishnah reported the tradition that the priests in the temple sang Psalm 94 on Wednesdays and Psalm 93 on Fridays. So it is possible that Psalm 100 also figured in daily rituals, but this is also very uncertain. There are not enough specific clues in Psalms 93–100 to answer the question confidently.

What is more certain is that the psalm envisions a congregation singing it inside the temple courtyards, as do Psalms 24:7–10; 120–134; 149–150. These speak of processions, dancing, and crowds preparing themselves for worship together. Psalm 100 also excludes usage during a day of fasting or remorse (like Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement; see Leviticus 16; 23:26–32). Such an observance would require a different sort of psalm.

 What Do You Think?

   What physical places remind you of entering God’s temple?

 Digging Deeper

   How does praise shift if you are doing it all the time, no matter where you are, since you are part of the temple of the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:16)?

4b. Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

To bless God means to praise Him and give thanks to Him, or to give Him all proper due (compare Psalm 96:2). The congregation should praise God and elevate His name above all others. The congregation should revere God and treasure the opportunity to be in His presence. Worship, then, is not primarily a moment for inspiring people, but a time for connecting people to God as it brings to memory our deep dependence on God’s love.

5. For the LORD is good. His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations.

The psalm ends with closely connected reasons for human praise. The statement that the Lord is good is no mere cliché, for many ancient deities were far from good. The notice of God’s goodness appears frequently in the book of Psalms, often as a reason for praise and confidence in the possibilities of a good life (examples: Psalms 25:8; 34:8; 86:5; 119:68; 145:9).

But how can God’s goodness be proven? His mercy is seen in example after example of repeated acts of healing, forgiving, and rescuing Israel from oppressors. That merciful goodness has appeared again and again in Israel’s history, as psalms reciting God’s deeds show (examples: Psalms 105–106). God’s goodness appears in the permanent nature of His trustworthiness (compare 98:3).

The word translated truth means “faithfulness,” and it is translated that way in numerous passages (examples: Psalms 36:5; 89:8; 119:90). Thus, the idea is more than “factual accuracy.” God’s promises and actions are reliable, providing an unfailing guide to human happiness.

Because God’s faithfulness endures to all generations, Psalm 100 points to the future. The countless experiences of the people with God illustrate divine faithfulness. The people’s worship should recall those experiences. It should also express their confidence that such faithfulness awaits their descendants. Hope is “baked into” the worshiping congregations, understanding of reality and its behaviors.

 What Do You Think?

   How can you see God’s faithfulness in your family’s history?

 Digging Deeper

   What stories should you pass on to younger generations so that God’s faithfulness to your family will be known?

CONCLUSION

Looking to the Future

The center of Psalm 100 invites those singing it to know God’s goodness. That goodness shows up in God’s unfailing loyalty to Israel and repeated acts to help and heal them and other human beings.

Psalm 100 concludes a group of psalms by inviting all human beings, and especially the people of Israel, to worship God in the joyful knowledge that He loves them and will care for them. By ending a group of psalms this way, Psalm 100 creates a sort of infinite loop. It invites us to begin with Psalm 93 and sing the rest of the hymns of praise, and when we reach Psalm 100, we can start over again.

Throughout these hymns, God the king brings salvation and joy to a needy and expectant people. They acknowledge that blessing with the only resource they can: their collective singing.

Psalm 100 ends with a look toward the future. Far from regarding the fate of the succeeding generations as bleak or hopeless, this psalm assumes that an eternal God will always care for those who come after. The invitation to praise extends to all people. It is not a distraction from the nitty-gritty details of life but a way of helping us understand what those details can mean when we submit them to our Creator.

This perspective is worth recovering today because it frees us to find ways to bless our descendants rather than leaving them with problems and burdens. The hopefulness and joy of the psalm invites us to live in ways that future generations will remember us with approval. In reading or singing this psalm today, we can be confident that the God whom Israel trusted is still trustworthy. The hope to which they aspired, we also can embrace.