Psalms 100:1-5 A Psalm of Thanksgiving. Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has 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 to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.
Many families across the U.S. are gathering today to celebrate “Thanksgiving.” But let’s take a moment to turn our hearts to the ultimate source of thanksgiving: God Himself. Psalm 100 is often called the “Psalm of Thanksgiving,” and it’s a perfect guide for how we should approach God—not just during Thanksgiving but every day.
Most people overlook the “Psalm of Thanksgiving” as just an introductory comment, but it holds deep significance as part of the inspired Hebrew text. The Hebrew word for “thanksgiving” in this passage, “todah” refers to offering a thanksgiving sacrifice — so the Psalm is about a heartfelt act of gratitude through worship!
The psalm begins with a call to action: “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!” (Psalm 100:1). It’s not just a gentle nudge; it’s a call for everyone to lift their voices in joyful praise. Why? Because God deserves it! He is our Creator, our Sustainer, and our Good Shepherd.
Verses 2 and 3 invite us to serve the LORD with gladness and know that He is God. This isn’t just about singing songs or saying prayers—it’s about serving with a heart full of joy and truly knowing Him. When we know God deeply, we recognize that we belong to Him. We are His people, His sheep. The illustration of us being sheep reminds us that we are defenseless without Him—dependent on His care, His guidance, and His protection.
The psalm continues with an invitation to “enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4). Picture yourself coming into God’s presence, not empty-handed, but carrying a heart full of gratitude. Why? Because, as verse 5 reminds us, the LORD is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.
Consider this passage — the Psalmist declares that God’s goodness doesn’t fade, His mercy never runs out, and His truth stands firm forever. I don’t know about you, but that’s worth shouting about!
So ask yourself, “Are you thankful to be alive? Are you grateful for God’s protection, provision, and presence?”
Then don’t keep it to yourself—shout it out! Serve Him with gladness, know Him intimately, and worship Him with all your heart. When we approach God with thanksgiving and praise, we align our hearts with the truth of who He is—a good, merciful, and faithful God who loves us beyond measure. Truly, this message is not just a Thanksgiving message … but instead, it’s an invitation to make every day a day of Thanksgiving!
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
How to display the above article within the Worthy Suite WordPress Plugin.
[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Last week, I did a series of devotionals on the Dead Sea scrolls. As I’ve been pointing out the archaeological discoveries as well as their prophetic significance, I’ve saved the best for last! Recently discovered fragments of the Bible in the Dead Sea region containing two passages of Scripture are incredibly relevant. I spoke of the passage in Zechariah last week.
When we study a translation of a Scripture passage we often miss out on the nuances hidden in the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament). Often, it’s not that a word is mistranslated, but that rendering the meaning in one English word is difficult if not impossible.
When Moses sent out the 12 spies to report on the condition of the land of “milk and honey”, ten of the spies brought back a bad report. They focused on the giants, and the great obstacles in their way. They walked with eyes set on the physical realm and said within themselves, “We are but grasshoppers in the sight of these giants!
Living in Israel all these years, I often encounter amazing stories of God’s deliverance and grow increasingly fond of listening to the fascinating ways He shows His power. During our tour in England recently, we met a man whose family experienced a great miracle during WW1. He tells this incredible story…
In this world we will face all kinds of obstacles, trials and tribulations and we should be wary of any doctrines or teachings that say we shouldn’t have to face these things. Why? Because the Lord said we will have tribulations. So the encouragement He is giving is simply this: You’re going to face trials, but GOD is greater than any problem you will face in this world!
When the prophet Jonah entered Nineveh, he gave a message of hopelessness — in 40 days your city will be destroyed! He did not say, Nineveh will be destroyed “unless”, but emphatically prophesied destruction to the people of the city — seeming to say their situation was hopeless. Yet hearing this message …
If you were to visit Paris, you could see the statues of two men, both named Louis.
The first is of Louis XIV, France’s absolute monarch. He represents one of the supreme achievements of greatness through power. His philosophy of life was that the whole nation and the world, should serve him.