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!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]When David was anointed king over Israel, he didn’t take his place at the throne immediately. He had to wait, and bide his time, until Saul was removed from power, before arriving at his destined place as King. Like His father David, Yeshua (Jesus) was received as Israel’s king/messiah at the triumphal entry, (often called “Palm Sunday”), and then, “anointed” King of the Jews, ironically receiving His true title from the Romans, while hanging on a cross. But He is still waiting to reveal His identity as King on earth, during the Millennial reign when His kingdom will replace the kingdoms of this world at His second advent. [Rev. 11:15].
In today’s world of Smart Phones, tablets and instant Internet access, there are many things that we can “know.” “How long is the Golden Gate Bridge?” Pop out your iPhone, ask “Siri”, the golden-voiced digital encyclopedic genius, and you’ll have the factual answer in seconds.
The Jewish leaders of His time rejected Yeshua (Jesus) when He first came. He didn’t meet their expectations. They were expecting a Messiah who would bring relief from the Romans, restore the Kingdom of David, and usher in an era of tranquility throughout the world. It is probable that their intense jealousy of Yeshua blinded them to the numerous passages in the Tenach (OT) which describe Messiah as a suffering servant, since they were certainly aware of those passages.
As thousands of believers around the world will celebrate Palm Sunday, I thought I’d offer some additional historical insight into the day Yeshua (Jesus) entered Jerusalem. Most people associate Palm Sunday with the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass”. But there is another significant detail associated with this beautiful fulfillment…
I could tell you about countless difficult and drawn out circumstances over which we have tried to stand firmly in faith until they finally came to pass. Sometimes we made it and sometimes we were weak and began to doubt. But God mercifully came through for us on most of these things, despite our lack of strength to stay faith-ful.
New Testament genealogies of Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus the Christ) all identify Him as the son of king David. It was universally understood from the Tenach (OT) that the messiah would be descended from David and that he would restore the Davidic monarchy to its ultimate and most universal expression, even that this king would reign and sit on the throne forever.
This weekend, the Jewish people will celebrate the festival of Purim. This holiday commemorates Israel’s amazing reversal in Persia during the reign of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) when Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai gained victory for the Jews and protected them from annihilation at the hands of the evil Haman.