Psalm 93-100

New Catholic Bible

Footnotes

1. Psalm 93:1 This is one of the nine psalms of the kingdom (Pss 47; 93–100), most of which feature the liturgical acclamation “The Lord is King,” in which is centered the whole faith of Israel. All these hymns exalt the kingdom of God that extends over the entire universe and dominates the course of time. God reveals his kingship when he brings forth the world; he does so even more when he chooses Israel. Nonetheless, creation and history are still only the beginning and promise; the kingdom of God will be manifested in all its glory at the end of time (see Rev 4:11; 11:15-17): a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem—such are the images that allow us to glimpse the joy of a new humanity gathered together in the glory of God (see Rev 21:1—22:5). The acclamation of the psalms of the kingdom already vibrates with this ineffable hope.
   Psalm 93 exalts the Lord who reigns, robed in majesty. He affirms his greatness by the forces of creation that he rules, by the law—or “decrees”—that he gives to his people, and by the temple of Jerusalem that he consecrates to his mysterious presence. From his earthly experience, the believer acclaims the splendor of a kingdom that can have no end.
   In all truth, we can regard this psalm as applicable to Christ’s kingship and sing: “Christ is King.” For he vanquishes in himself and in his followers all hostile powers (Satan, death, and sin), delivering believers from the reign of death and transferring them into his kingdom (see Eph 1:2). This is the extraordinary wonder that he continues across the centuries until the full deliverance of his Church and the definitive destruction of his enemies will occur (see Rev 20–22).
2. Psalm 93:1 The Lord is King: a liturgical acclamation that sums up the entire faith of Israel (see Pss 96:10; 97:1; 99:1; see also Zec 14:9).
3. Psalm 93:1 The Lord established his kingdom on earth when he created the world and everything in it (see Ps 24:1). Hence, the world will not be moved no matter what pressure is brought to bear on it by hostile forces (see Pss 10:6; 104:5), because the Lord has established his rule over it. Indeed, the Lord is eternal (see Ps 90:2), but his rule was established when his throne was set up at the beginning of history with the creation (“from the beginning”; see Isa 44:8; 45:21; 48:3-8).
4. Psalm 93:3 Waters: the waters of the primeval chaos that the Lord mastered through his creative word (see Pss 33:7; 104:7-9; Gen 1:6-10; Job 38:8-11; see also note on Ps 65:8). They can also stand for the enemies of God and his people (see Job 7:12; Isa 8:7; 17:12; Jer 46:8; Dan 7:2; Rev 17:15) as well as the ocean currents, whose powers were feared by the pagan nations as indicated in the mythical account of Baal’s victory over the sea god Yamm.
5. Psalm 93:4 The Lord is the Master of the thundering storms and surging waves by his simple word (see Christ’s calming of the storm by a single word in Mk 4:39).
6. Psalm 93:5 Decrees: these divine judgments constitute revelation in the wide sense insofar as they are the norm of human life (see Ps 119). As stable (see Ps 19:8) as the physical universe and as inviolable (see Ps 95:8-11) as the sanctuary of Jerusalem, this revelation will be the foundation of the Lord’s definitive kingdom, inaugurated from the creation and already effective in Israel (see Isa 51:9f, 13; 52:7). Holiness adorns your house . . . throughout the ages: the temple, home of the King of Israel, is consecrated forever (1 Ki 8:13; 9:3; Jud 9:1-8; Ezek 42:13f; Rev 21:27). Those who approach the most holy God (see Ps 99) are also consecrated (see Ex 19:6; Lev 10:3; 19:2).
7. Psalm 94:1 Distressed at God’s delays in dispensing justice, the psalmist utters this cry of impatience. Why does God not intervene immediately against the wickedness that crushes the lowly? The reflection of this sage tells him that, despite appearances, the lot of the righteous is in the final analysis the only one that matters. Certainly God’s hour will come when the Lord will avenge his “heritage,” the true Israel, that is, the poor. He cannot remain indifferent to wrongs and evils that the innocent endure nor suffer the scorn of haughty spirits and wicked hearts. As “an avenging God,” he authorizes no one to launch individual reprisals; it is he himself who reestablishes a justice that is troubled by the arrogance of men to the plight of the poor. These comparative tableaus of the arrogant and the innocent have the astonishing power to challenge us: is our life marked by this sense of justice?
   Placed in a condition similar to that of the psalmist, we can pray this psalm to implore the divine intervention against those who exploit our brothers and sisters. At the same time, we can use it to proclaim that trials, far from crushing us, instruct us and enable us to discover true joy and happiness in the love of God (see Jn 15:9-11).
8. Psalm 94:1 An avenging God: i.e., one who redresses wrongs (see Deut 32:35, 41). It is God’s prerogative to avenge, as Paul declares in Rom 12:19.
9. Psalm 94:2 Repay: the central theme of the psalm: God is righteous and repays both the good and the bad as they deserve (see Pss 7:7; 28:4; 62:13; Lam 3:64; Joel 3:4).
10. Psalm 94:3 How long . . . ?: see note on Ps 6:4.
11. Psalm 94:4 Not only do the wicked hurl arrogant words, but they also attack God’s people, especially those to whom the Lord has promised his protection: the widows, orphans, and aliens (see Ex 22:21; Deut 24:17; Isa 1:17; 10:2; Ezek 22:7). They no longer believe that God is concerned with their activities or demands an accounting from them (see Ps 10:2-11).
12. Psalm 94:7 The psalmist presents an indictment of the wicked. See Pss 10:11; 64:6; 73:11; Ezek 9:9. Jacob: i.e., Israel (see Gen 32:29).
13. Psalm 94:8 The wicked are senseless like animals (see Ps 92:7), fools (see Ps 49:11) without understanding. The Lord not only hears and sees and knows everything that takes place on earth but also metes out punishment for all wicked deeds.
14. Psalm 94:8 This verse recalls Deut 32:6; Prov 1:22; 8:5.
15. Psalm 94:9 See Ex 4:11; Prov 20:12; Lam 3:36.
16. Psalm 94:10 Guides the nations: through chastisement (see Lev 26:18; Jer 31:18). Instructs people: about the natural and the supernatural order (see Deut 20:1-17; Isa 28:26).
17. Psalm 94:11 This verse was probably added to comment on the preceding verse. It is cited by Paul in 1 Cor 3:20. See also Ps 44:2. The Lord is well aware of our thoughts: contrary to what the proud profess to believe.
18. Psalm 94:12 The psalmist insists that all wisdom comes from God, even the wisdom found among the nations. Yet the Lord has bestowed upon his people a clearer form of instruction. Blessed are those instructed by God, for they know that the Lord sees all and doles out rewards and punishments in his own good time. The righteous receive his protection against all disasters and enjoy the promise of the kingdom, which all the upright in heart seek (see Mt 5:6; 6:33).
19. Psalm 94:12 Blessed: see note on Ps 1:1. Law: in the wide sense, revelation and moral doctrine, as often used in the wisdom writings. This verse recalls Ps 119:71; Job 5:17.
20. Psalm 94:14 God guides his people, especially the powerless, through difficult times because they are his possession, and he never rescinds his promises. On the day of the Lord, divine retribution will be meted out and justice will triumph. This verse is cited by Paul in Rom 11:1f.
21. Psalm 94:15 The psalmist is certain that God will restore justice for the upright in heart. Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
22. Psalm 94:16 The faithful psalmist puts his trust only in God. When he was burdened with cares, temptations, difficulties, and trials, God was always there to help, console, and encourage him and bring joy to his soul.
23. Psalm 94:17 Kingdom of silence: i.e., the silence of the netherworld (see Pss 88:4-6; 115:17).
24. Psalm 94:18 The psalmist experienced the Lord’s presence (see Ps 24:1) through the support of God’s loving kindness (see note on Ps 6:5).
25. Psalm 94:19 The psalmist was overcome with anxiety and close to despair because of his situation, but the Lord came to his aid and infused him with consolation and joy (see 2 Cor 1:5). Soul: see note on Ps 6:4.
26. Psalm 94:20 The psalmist is confident that the Lord will save his people and call the wicked to account.
27. Psalm 94:20 The Lord will never allow evil to be victorious over himself and his faithful ones for long.
28. Psalm 94:21 Righteous: see note on Ps 1:5.
29. Psalm 94:22 The Lord is the stronghold and rock of those who take refuge in him (see Pss 18:2f; 31:3) and the judge and chastiser of those who do evil (see Ps 7:12-17).
30. Psalm 95:1 This psalm calls upon the Israelites assembled in the temple to worship the Lord: “Come, let us sing with jubilation to the Lord.” All are invited to give praise, and all acclaim the God of the Covenant. He is the Creator and sovereign Ruler of the world; he is the Shepherd who loves and saves Israel, his flock (see Ezek 34:11, 31; Jn 10).
    The Prophets address their oracle to the crowd: “If only you would listen to his voice today. . . .” It is an exhortation to faithfulness, placing them on guard against the sins of yesteryear. The spirit of rebellion has no place in God’s land (see Ex 17:1-7; Num 20:13; Deut 6:16; 33:8).
    The people tested God in the wilderness by doubting his power to save and deliver them at that moment despite everything he had done for them in the past. This is not the usual kind of doubt that may be experienced by any honest seeker after God in those times and circumstances when we may question the most fundamental truths of the faith. Rather, it is willful refusal to believe despite the evidence.
    We refuse to believe in spite of all that we have seen and known about God. We doubt God’s love and goodness despite overwhelming evidence of his care. This second kind of doubt comes from a hardened heart and cuts us off completely from growth in grace. And Scripture likens the sin of the people in the wilderness to this kind of doubt, terming it “refusing to believe” (Heb 4:11).
    The Letter to the Hebrews gives a long commentary on this exhortation (3:7—4:11), and this invitation to praise God opens the Church’s official prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours. Like Israel in the wilderness, the Church journeys on earth. Christians know God’s promises, but they are equally familiar with temptation. If we wish to enter into the new Promised Land, that is, share God’s life, we must persevere in the struggle for fidelity. Each day is the “today” in which we must heed the voice of God.
31. Psalm 95:1 The first duty of the faithful toward God is one of praise and adoration (see Isa 66:18-23; Zec 14:16-21). Thus, the community of God’s people is summoned to gather together to worship the Lord because of some act of deliverance that he has wrought. Rock: see note on Ps 18:3.
32. Psalm 95:3 The Lord is the great God, the King who deserves to be exalted for he alone rules over all creation. He also rules over the gods of the nations. His creative works are the foundation of his kingship.
33. Psalm 95:3 As the pagans had different gods for different peoples, regions of the earth and sky, and spheres of life (war, fertility), so, the psalmist indicates, do the Israelites. However, in their case, it is only the Lord who is God of every one of these spheres (who surpasses all other gods) (see Pss 47:3; 96:4; Job 36:22; Dan 2:47).
34. Psalm 95:5 Depths . . . peaks of the mountains . . . sea . . . dry land: depths, heights, waters, and dry land—all are God’s as well as everything in them.
35. Psalm 95:6 Worship is a concrete expression of the people’s devotion to their God. The reason for it is made clear by its placement between the Lord’s universal kingship (vv. 3-5) and his covenant love for his people (v. 7).
36. Psalm 95:7 As the “Maker” of his people (v. 6) because he has brought them into being as his covenant people (see Deut 32:6, 15, 18; Isa 44:2; 54:5), the Lord is also their shepherd, and they are the people he shepherds (see Pss 23:1; 79:13; 100:3; Jer 23:1; 25:36; Ezek 34:21; Jn 10:11-14). If only you would listen to his voice today: see Ps 81:8, 13; Ex 19:5; beginning with these words, verses 7-11 are cited in Heb 3:7-11.
37. Psalm 95:8 Meribah: this word means “quarreling” and is the name of the place during the journey in the wilderness where the Israelites “sought to tempt” (v. 9) the Lord; Massah: this word means “testing” and is the name of the place where they tested the Lord (see Ex 17:7; Num 20:13). Scholars assign the first episode to a place near and to the southwest of Sinai and the second to a place near Kadesh-barnea in southern Palestine.
38. Psalm 95:9 Had witnessed my works: God’s wonders in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness (see Ex 16; Num 14:11, 22).
39. Psalm 95:10 Forty years: Israel was condemned to wander forty years in the wilderness when the people refused to advance into Canaan and opted to return to Egypt instead (see Num 14:1-4, 34). That generation: the adults who were freed from Egypt and made a covenant with the Lord at Sinai (see Num 32:13). Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8. My ways: see note on Ps 25:4-7.
40. Psalm 95:11 My rest: where the Lord had his dwelling (see Ps 132:7, 14) in the land of Canaan (see Deut 12:9; Ezek 20:15). In Heb 3:7ff, this rest is interpreted in the spiritual sense of heavenly beatitude.
41. Psalm 96:1 Partially cited in 1 Chr 16:23-33, this hymn is comprised of Old Testament reminiscences, especially from the Psalter and Isaiah (e.g., Ps 42:10; Isa 55:12). The peoples and nations of which it speaks were originally the neighbors who attempted to prevent Israel from becoming established in Canaan; later, they were all the peoples of the world who failed to recognize the one true God. Israel, which had been saved at the time of the Judges and brought back from an exile through which she had suffered a kind of annihilation, had experienced the Lord’s deliverance more than once. She could well bear witness before the whole world of the power and superiority of the one sole God: the Lord had created the world and had given his people new life.
    All peoples are invited to acknowledge him as the sovereign Master; all are summoned to the liturgy, to adoration. Deep emotion will grip the entire universe when God comes as Judge; he who has brought into being an unshakable world will establish all human beings in justice and righteousness.
    This song of universal joy is always new with the newness of God himself; the New Testament (see Acts 17:31; Rev 19:11) refers to verse 13 in announcing the final coming of Christ on the day of judgment, when he will make all things new. Thus, by means of it, Christians call upon the whole universe to praise God the Father as well as the risen Jesus, whom the Father has made “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36), “leader and Savior” (Acts 5:31), and “ruler of the kings of the earth” (Rev 1:5).
    According to the superscription in the Septuagint and Vulgate, this psalm was sung at the dedication of the post-Exilic temple. Its Messianic content made it suitable for that occasion.
42. Psalm 96:1 New song: see note on Ps 33:3. All the earth: see note on Ps 9:2; see also Pss 97:1; 100:1.
43. Psalm 96:2 Salvation: the psalmist does not specify the precise nature of the “salvation” he mentions (see note on Ps 67:3-4). Most likely, it included all God’s acts in redemptive history: creation and redemption (vv. 2, 11-12; see Ps 136:4-25). The People of God must assume the lead by praising the Lord (bless his name—see note on Ps 5:12) every day.
44. Psalm 96:3 Glory: see note on Ps 85:10. Wondrous deeds: see note on Ps 9:2.
45. Psalm 96:4 The Lord is great and worthy to receive praise and reverence (to be feared) because he alone is God and there is no other (see Ps 115).
46. Psalm 96:5 Made the heavens: since the Lord made the heavens, which were supposedly the home of the gods, it follows that he is far greater than all the gods; but he is also greater because they are nothing more than idols.
47. Psalm 96:6 The Lord is surrounded by personifications of divine attributes (majesty and splendor . . . power and beauty) that extol his universal kingship.
48. Psalm 96:7 The psalmist makes use of Ps 29:1f, eliminating any allusion to the theme of “heavenly beings” (i.e., “sons of God”) and accentuating the universalist tone (see Ps 47:10; Zec 14:17). All peoples are specifically summoned to pledge their obedience to the Lord.
49. Psalm 96:8 Courts: i.e., of the temple where the Lord dwells (see Ps 84:3, 11; 2 Ki 21:5; 23:11f). The psalmist may have been thinking of the outermost court of the temple, which was the court of the Gentiles.
50. Psalm 96:9 The psalmist calls for the people to worship the Lord, i.e., give him their reverence, submission, and awe because of the splendor of his holiness (see Pss 29:2; 99; 110:3; 1 Chr 16:29).
51. Psalm 96:10 The Lord is King: see note on Ps 93:1a-b. The Lord is not only the Creator of all (as well as the Redeemer of all) but also the Judge of all. Greek and Latin manuscripts have a Christian addition: “from the wood” [of the cross]—a splendid expression of the theology of the cross found in the Gospel of John.
52. Psalm 96:12 Heavens . . . sea . . . fields . . . trees: i.e., the whole world. By being what it is, God’s creation gives him glory. However, it will rejoice even more when the fullness of redemption is attained, which it is presently awaiting together with all humanity (see Rom 8:21f).
53. Psalm 96:13 The psalmist may have been thinking of the Lord’s coming as the one in which he led the exiles back to Jerusalem. But the Lord comes in many ways. In Christ, the Lord came to fulfill the words of this psalm, bringing all peoples back to God, and he will come again at the end of time to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 17:31). His judgment is righteousness and truth.
54. Psalm 97:1 Here is another hymn to King Yahweh, the only Lord and Savior. His coming is described with the grandiose and traditional images of divine manifestations (see Ex 19:16-20). These produce terror among idolaters and joy in Israel. By the time this song was written, all fear of foreign deities had disappeared among the Israelites; the gods themselves, or at least their worshipers, are invited to come and prostrate themselves before the only God. The people’s faith in the only Lord is henceforth unshakable.
    This majestic Lord is also the God who comes, the one who loves every righteous heart. Furthermore, this God of the universe who is praised is the very same God who is close to us along the paths of life.
    The theme of the kingdom of God was dominant in the teaching of Jesus. According to John’s Gospel, Jesus was enthroned on the cross and in his Resurrection-Ascension. Hence, as Christians pray this psalm, we can rejoice in Christ’s rule.
    According to the superscription in the Septuagint and Vulgate, this psalm was sung when David’s land was established, hence after the return from the Exile.
55. Psalm 97:1 The Lord is King: see note on Ps 93:1a-b. The distant isles: distant countries accessible only by sea (see 1 Ki 9:26-28; 10:22; Isa 60:9; Jon 1:3).
56. Psalm 97:2 The psalmist portrays the Lord’s appearance by traditional signs of his manifestation at Sinai. These went on to become the signs used to describe the future day of the Lord, when he would come in glory to establish true justice on the earth (see notes on Pss 18:7; 18:8-16).
57. Psalm 97:2 Clouds and darkness: these served to veil God’s ineffable glory from human eyes (see Ex 19:9; 1 Ki 8:12). Righteousness and justice: divine attributes personified (see Pss 61:8; 85:12; Prov 16:12; 25:5).
58. Psalm 97:3 Fire: symbol of God’s wrath (see Pss 21:10; 50:3; 83:15; Deut 4:24; 1 Ki 19:12; Isa 10:17).
59. Psalm 97:6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness: the heavens show forth the glory of their Creator to all peoples (see Ps 19:2-5a).
60. Psalm 97:7 Those who trust in false gods are put to shame. For “our God is in heaven; he does whatever he pleases. Their idols are merely silver and gold, the work of human hands” (Ps 115:3f).
61. Psalm 97:8 Cities: literally, “daughters.” Judgments: see note on Ps 48:12.
62. Psalm 97:10 Those who are loyal to the covenant (the righteous) live in the light of God’s presence, where there is fullness of joy. They glorify his holy name; that is, they honor him by their lives.
63. Psalm 97:11 Light: see notes on Pss 27:1; 36:10. Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
64. Psalm 98:1 Israel has returned from the Exile; God has saved her, and the whole world is a witness of it. Hence, the Lord is pursuing his project of salvation. Let all peoples acclaim him as their sovereign and let joy burst out over the whole face of the earth, for God comes to inaugurate a kingdom of peace and justice for all humanity. The same worldwide perspective is glimpsed in the second part of the Book of Isaiah (Isa 40–55) with which the psalms of the kingdom have much in common.
    The previous psalm brought to mind the second coming of Christ. This psalm recalls the first coming of the Lord and the faith of all peoples. Hence, the Christian Liturgy uses it during the Christmas season, since the latter is so filled with joy at the coming of the Lord, the Savior of all human beings.
65. Psalm 98:1 God’s deliverance of Israel from the Exile, a type of the Messianic redemption, is such a wondrous deed that it deserves to be praised in song. New song: see note on Ps 33:3. Marvelous deeds: see note on Ps 9:2. His right hand and his holy arm: God is portrayed as a champion warrior.
66. Psalm 98:2 Reminiscent of his wonders during the Exodus, God has once again revealed his infinite power and greatness (see note on Ps 46:11; see also Isa 52:10).
67. Psalm 98:3 God has kept the promise he made to the house of Israel, and it is fully visible to all nations. The complete fulfillment of this promise was what God performed in the redemption worked by his Son Jesus Christ—which also was seen by all nations. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
68. Psalm 98:6 The whole of creation is summoned to acclaim the Lord as King, as Israel acclaimed her kings at their coronation, with trumpets and horns (see 1 Ki 1:34).
69. Psalm 98:7 All creation is exhorted to honor its King (see note on Ps 96:11-12).
70. Psalm 98:7 Sea . . . world: the two major areas that contain living things.
71. Psalm 98:9 The Lord will come to rule everyone impartially. Jesus announced that the long-awaited coming of the Lord to rule the earth had begun in his ministry (see Mk 1:15: “The kingdom of God is close at hand”). See also note on Ps 96:13.
72. Psalm 99:1 Each of the two parts of this eschatological hymn is followed by a refrain (vv. 5, 9) that stresses the holiness of the King of Israel (see Isa 6:3-5). In the temple at Jerusalem, the Ark of the Covenant had two winged creatures, the cherubim, which were considered to be the throne of God. It is a weak image of the greatness of the Almighty, for whom Mount Zion is a “footstool.” God is so holy that he infinitely transcends all the realities of the universe. However, his holiness is not a far-off greatness, indifferent to human life. In adoring him, we are brought face to face with the demands of justice, rectitude, and faith. The holiness of God is truly astounding. In the final analysis, it constitutes God’s intimate presence in our lives.
    We can pray this psalm in honor of Christ the King who is all-holy and always obedient to the will of his Father (see Jn 4:34; 14:31). His whole life Jesus carried out what the Father had given him to accomplish, one lengthy self-sacrifice for the salvation of the world (Heb 7:27; 9:28).
73. Psalm 99:1 The Lord is King: see note on Ps 93:1a-b. Cherubim: see note on Ps 18:11.
74. Psalm 99:3 Name: see note on Ps 5:12. Holy is he: God is so holy that he infinitely transcends all the realities of our universe; furthermore, because he is holy himself, God calls upon his people to be holy too (see Lev 11:44). They must consecrate themselves wholly to him (see also Mt 5:48; Rom 12:1).
75. Psalm 99:4 God is completely just by nature. He gave the law to his people so that they could live in his ways. Paul characterizes the Gospel as the revelation of the justice (“righteousness”) of God (see Rom 1:17). Jacob: i.e., Israel (see Gen 32:29).
76. Psalm 99:5 God is portrayed seated in heaven with his feet resting on the earth as on a footstool (see Isa 66:1), and more specifically on Mount Zion (see Ps 132:7; 1 Chr 28:2; Lam 2:1). The people are to praise and worship the Lord at his footstool.
77. Psalm 99:6 The psalmist wishes to show that the Lord is a gracious King who hears the prayers of all who come to him with the right disposition. To do so, he mentions three great figures who at various stages interceded with the Lord for the nation (see Ex 32:30; Num 17:12f; 1 Sam 7:2-11).
78. Psalm 99:7 Spoke to them from the pillar of cloud: the pillar of cloud was the symbol of God’s presence with his people during the Exodus (see Ex 13:21f), and God spoke to Moses (see Ex 33:9) and to Aaron (see Num 12:5) in the pillar of cloud. But though he spoke to Samuel, we have no record of it being in the pillar of cloud. Hence, the psalmist may here be alluding to the communication itself rather than how God communicated.
79. Psalm 99:8 Punished their wrongdoings: among those punished for wrongdoings were Moses and Aaron, neither of whom was allowed to enter the Promised Land (see Ps 106:22f; Num 27:14; Deut 3:26).
80. Psalm 99:9 Refrain similar to that in verse 5.
81. Psalm 100:1 Although it does not explicitly mention the theme of the Lord as King, this psalm is linked with the group of psalms of the kingdom by its style and ideas and serves as a kind of general conclusion for them. The Lord is King of the world and especially of Israel, his flock. This is the Good News that calls for praise and joy.
    The psalmist intimates that in a few brief moments, the sacrifice will be offered by which the people enter into communion with God (see Lev 7:11-15). He invites the throng to celebrate the one God and his providence for the people he has created and chosen for himself. Although this hymn is short, it must have filled the hearts of believers with great wonder since they knew themselves to be in the hand of God. The entire universe is invited to share this endless joy of Israel.
    By this hymn, the Church calls Christians to sing to the Lord Jesus with a similar enthusiastic joy, for he too is our Lord and God (see Jn 20:28). In cooperation with his Father he has created and then re-created us (see Jn 1:1-3, 12). Because of this, we belong entirely to him (see 1 Cor 3:22f).
82. Psalm 100:1 Thanksgiving: this word may indicate that the psalm was to be used in conjunction with a “thank offering” (see Lev 7:12).
83. Psalm 100:1 Acclaim the Lord: a similar opening phrase occurs in Pss 66; 81; 95. All the earth: the entire world is to worship God for all that he is and all that he has done for his people (see Pss 47:2f; 66:1, 4; 97:1; 117:1 for this theme of universalism).
84. Psalm 100:2 Serve the Lord: the psalmist reminds the people that their first duty is to worship the Lord with mind, heart, and voice in complete gladness.
85. Psalm 100:3 Proclaim . . . God: acknowledge that the Lord is God and be faithful to him; it is a statement of monotheism (see Deut 4:39; 32:39; Isa 43:10, 13). Made us . . . his people: through his choice and the wonders he did for them (see Ps 95:6). Flock he shepherds: see note on Ps 95:7. Christians know that God made us his people through Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for his sheep (see Jn 10:11).
86. Psalm 100:4 His gates: of the temple (see note on Ps 24:7, 9). Courts: of the temple (see Ps 84:3, 11; 2 Ki 21:5; 23:11f).
87. Psalm 100:5 The psalm concludes with the reasons why the Lord is to be praised: he is good (i.e., generous), kind (i.e., merciful), and faithful to his promises from generation to generation (see Pss 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 136:1; 138:8; 2 Chr 5:13; Ezr 3:11; 1 Mac 4:24; Jer 33:11; Mic 7:18-20; Mt 19:17; 1 Jn 4:7ff).