Psalm 100:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

NIV: Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

NASB: Serve the Lord with jubilation; Come before Him with rejoicing.

CSB: Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

NLT: Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.

KJV: Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

NKJV: Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.

This calls upon those who read or hear the song to serve God with a sense of joy. The imagery of someone singing suggests intense happiness, an appropriate feeling when we truly understand what God has done for us. The emphasis on serving the Lord with gladness reminds us that honoring God is not meant to be a form of drudgery, but a delight (John 10:10; Matthew 11:30). It is a privilege to serve the Lord of heaven and earth. Well-meaning people sometimes resist the idea of faith as joyful, celebratory, exciting, and energized. For that reason, it's become easier for critics to claim Christianity is drab and dull. However, as intended by God, faith is characterized by joy. Romans 14:17 says the kingdom of God is "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

Even strong opposition to our service should not dampen our joy. Shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven, persecutors beat the apostles and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Those believers rejoiced that they were thought of as worthy to suffer for Jesus, and they continued to serve the Lord (Acts 5:40–42).

This verse makes a point of mentioning singing. This is an integral part of worship. It expresses the thoughts and feelings we have about God. Colossians 3:16 instructs us to sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. In some contexts, "hymns" are songs we address to God, whereas spiritual songs are those we address to one another. Together, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs offered from hearts full of Scripture glorify the Lord.

Psalm 100:1–2 invites the whole earth to sing God's praises, with joy and happiness. This resembles Psalm 150, which concludes the book of Psalms by calling upon everyone and everything to praise the Lord. Ephesians 5:19 attributes joyful singing to God as an evidence of being filled with the Spirit, while Colossians 3:16 attributes such worship as an evidence of letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly.

The 100th Psalm opens with an invitation to the whole earth to joyfully praise the Lord, serve Him, and worship Him in song. The Lord is described as the Creator of the people as well as their Shepherd. The psalmist summons everyone to enter the temple with thanksgiving and praise. He describes the Lord as good, having love that is steadfast forever and faithfulness that stretches from generation to generation.

This is the closing psalm in a section called "royal psalms." These are Psalms 93 and 95—100. These songs proclaim God's sovereignty, His universal goodness, the duty of the nations to submit to Him, and the obligation of believers to praise Him. Psalm 150 parallels this psalm by inviting everyone and everything to praise the Lord.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.