Thanksgiving & Worship

(Ps. 100:4)

Mike Johnson

Psalm 100 is thought to have been written by David and is about worship.  Speculation is that the Jews used it as a call to worship and as a hymn in their public praise.  Verse 4 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”  In this verse, we learn that thanksgiving is to be a part of our worship.  Consider, this concept as we take a closer look at the verse.

Verse 4 specifies, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving” and “be thankful to Him.” The use of the terms “gates” and “courts” in this verse probably refers to parts of the temple, so this describes what God expected under the former dispensation.  Although we do not have a building like the temple today, Christians are still to assemble with other Christians and worship. The church today is the temple of God (Eph. 2:21, I Pet. 2:5).  Christians today should worship God with thanksgiving!

In the Old Testament, there is an association of thanksgiving with worship. There is even a category of psalms called “Psalms of Thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30 says, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 95:2 says, “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” (Note also Ps. 50:14.)

In the New Testament, God’s people are also encouraged to be thankful.  We are to be grateful for everything, as Ephesians 5:20 says, “…giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Christians should be especially thankful for salvation. 1 Corinthians 15:57 reveals, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

From Psalm 104:4, we learn we are to enter into public worship today with thanksgiving.  When we worship, we should do so with gratitude to God for what He has done for us.  Thanksgiving should permeate our homage!