Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 100 (MT) / Psalm 99 (LXX) is the JUBILATE DEO — a short (5-verse) thanksgiving psalm that closes the enthronement-cluster (Pss 93, 95–100) and serves as one of Christian liturgy's most-recited texts. William Kethe's 1561 metrical paraphrase 'All People That on Earth Do Dwell' (to the tune OLD 100TH — 'Praise God from whom all blessings flow') has made this psalm one of Western-Christianity's most-sung texts. Its 'make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!' (v. 1) makes it a universal-praise summons.
Notable Variants
100:1 'make a joyful noise / Jubilate Deo' as Christian-liturgical Invitatory alternative to the Venite; 100:3 'we are his people, the sheep of his pasture' covenant-identity; 100:5 'his steadfast love endures forever' recurring-refrain → Ps 136 etc.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 100 = LXX Ps 99. 5 verses. The JUBILATE DEO of Christian liturgy.
A psalm for the thanksgiving offering. Shout to the LORD, all the earth!
Superscription 'a Psalm for giving thanks' tracks MT. 'MIZMOR LETODAH' — the thanks-psalm designation. The psalm became the Temple's thank-offering liturgy.
Serve the LORD with gladness! Come before him with joyful singing!
'Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!' tracks MT. JUBILATE DEO. Latin Vulgate: 'Jubilate Deo omnis terra.' The BCP's Morning-Prayer offers this psalm as an alternative to the Venite (Ps 95). Sung as canticle at Lauds in the Roman Breviary.
Know that the LORD — he is God! He made us, and we are his — his people and the flock of his pasture.
'Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!' tracks MT. SERVE-WITH-GLADNESS. Romans 12:11 ('be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord') extends.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
'Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture' tracks MT. 'WE ARE HIS / SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE' — covenant-identity. John 10:14 ('I am the good shepherd; I know my own') extends Christologically. The Kethe-paraphrase: 'We are his flock, he doth us feed, / And for his sheep he doth us take.'
For the LORD is good; his faithful love endures forever, and his faithfulness to every generation.
'Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!' tracks MT. ENTER-GATES-WITH-THANKSGIVING — the liturgical-procession imperative.
'For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations' tracks MT. CHESED-ENDURES-FOREVER formula — the signature-refrain that Ps 136 repeats 26 times as antiphon, and that 1 Chronicles 16:34, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3, Ezra 3:11, Jeremiah 33:11 invoke as liturgical-signature.