3 Know that Jehovah He `is' God, He made us, and we are His, His people -- and the flock of His pasture.
`Yod.' Thy hands made me and establish me, Cause me to understand, and I learn Thy commands.
Come in, we bow ourselves, and we bend, We kneel before Jehovah our Maker. For He `is' our God, and we the people of His pasture, And the flock of His hand, To-day, if to His voice ye hearken,
And they have known that I, Jehovah, their God, `am' with them, And they -- the house of Israel -- My people, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah. And ye, My flock, the flock of My pasture, Men ye `are' -- I `am' your God, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah!'
so that also those suffering according to the will of god, as to a stedfast Creator, let them commit their own souls in good doing.
Israel doth rejoice in his Maker, Sons of Zion do joy in their king.
and we have known that the Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ; this one is the true God and the life age-during!
Have ye not known that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own, for ye were bought with a price; glorify, then, God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.
Thou, thou hast been shewn `it', to know that Jehovah He `is' God; there is none else besides Him.
Thy hands have taken pains about me, And they make me together round about, And Thou swallowest me up! Remember, I pray Thee, That as clay Thou hast made me, And unto dust Thou dost bring me back. Dost Thou not as milk pour me out? And as cheese curdle me? Skin and flesh Thou dost put on me, And with bones and sinews dost fence me. Life and kindness Thou hast done with me. And Thy inspection hath preserved my spirit. And these Thou hast laid up in Thy heart, I have known that this `is' with Thee.
An Instruction of Asaph. Why, O God, hast Thou cast off for ever? Thine anger smoketh against the flock of Thy pasture. Remember Thy company. Thou didst purchase of old, Thou didst redeem the rod of Thy inheritance, This mount Zion -- Thou didst dwell in it.
For Thou -- Thou hast possessed my reins, Thou dost cover me in my mother's belly. I confess Thee, because that `with' wonders I have been distinguished. Wonderful `are' Thy works, And my soul is knowing `it' well. My substance was not hid from Thee, When I was made in secret, Curiously wrought in the lower part of earth. Mine unformed substance Thine eyes saw, And on Thy book all of them are written, The days they were formed -- And not one among them. And to me how precious have been Thy thoughts, O God, how great hath been their sum! I recount them! than the sand they are more, I have waked, and I am still with Thee. Dost Thou slay, O God, the wicked? Then, men of blood, turn aside from me! Who exchange Thee for wickedness, Lifted up to vanity `are' Thine enemies. Do not I hate, Jehovah, those hating Thee? And with Thy withstanders grieve myself? `With' perfect hatred I have hated them, Enemies they have become to me. Search me, O God, and know my heart, Try me, and know my thoughts, And see if a grievous way be in me, And lead me in a way age-during!
We have been from of old, Thou hast not ruled over them, Not called is Thy name upon them!
feed the flock of God that `is' among you, overseeing not constrainedly, but willingly, neither for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, neither as exercising lordship over the heritages, but patterns becoming of the flock, and at the manifestation of the chief Shepherd, ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory.
`Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit made you overseers, to feed the assembly of God that He acquired through His own blood, for I have known this, that there shall enter in, after my departing, grievous wolves unto you, not sparing the flock,
but ye do not believe, for ye are not of my sheep, according as I said to you: My sheep my voice do hear, and I know them, and they follow me, and life age-during I give to them, and they shall not perish -- to the age, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand;
For thus said the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I -- even I, have required My flock, And I have sought it out.
On a high mountain get thee up, O Zion, Proclaiming tidings, Lift up with power thy voice, O Jerusalem, proclaiming tidings, Lift up, fear not, say to cities of Judah, `Lo, your God.' Lo, the Lord Jehovah with strength cometh, And His arm is ruling for Him, Lo, His hire `is' with Him, and His wage before Him. As a shepherd His flock He feedeth, With His arm He gathereth lambs, And in His bosom He carrieth `them': Suckling ones He leadeth.
And we, Thy people, and the flock of Thy pasture, We give thanks to Thee to the age, To all generations we recount Thy praise!
And now, O Jehovah our God, save us, we pray Thee, out of his hand, and know do all kingdoms of the earth that Thou `art' Jehovah God -- Thyself alone.'
This day doth Jehovah shut thee up into my hand -- and I have smitten thee, and turned aside thy head from off thee, and given the carcase of the camp of the Philistines this day to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and all the earth do know that God is for Israel. and all this assembly do know that not by sword and by spear doth Jehovah save, that the battle `is' Jehovah's, and He hath given you into our hand.'
And it cometh to pass, at the going up of the `evening-'present, that Elijah the prophet cometh nigh and saith, `Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to-day let it be known that Thou `art' God in Israel, and I Thy servant, that by Thy word I have done the whole of these things; answer me, O Jehovah, answer me, and this people doth know that Thou `art' Jehovah God; and Thou hast turned their heart backward.' And there falleth a fire of Jehovah, and consumeth the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and the water that `is' in the trench it hath licked up. And all the people see, and fall on their faces, and say, `Jehovah, He `is' the God, Jehovah, He `is' the God.'
`And thou hast known to-day, and hast turned `it' back unto thy heart, that Jehovah He `is' God, in the heavens above, and on the earth beneath -- there is none else;
Who said, `By our tongue we do mightily: Our lips `are' our own; who `is' lord over us?'
For a great God `is' Jehovah, And a great king over all gods.
And Jehovah `is' a God of truth, He `is' a living God, and a king age-during, From His wrath shake doth the earth, And nations endure not His indignation.
`I am the good shepherd, and I know my `sheep', and am known by mine, according as the Father doth know me, and I know the Father, and my life I lay down for the sheep, and other sheep I have that are not of this fold, these also it behoveth me to bring, and my voice they will hear, and there shall become one flock -- one shepherd.
for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I found also an erection on which had been inscribed: To God -- unknown; whom, therefore -- not knowing -- ye do worship, this One I announce to you. `God, who did make the world, and all things in it, this One, of heaven and of earth being Lord, in temples made with hands doth not dwell,
because `it is' God who said, Out of darkness light `is' to shine, who did shine in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods, and now, having known God -- and rather being known by God -- how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Psalms 100
Commentary on Psalms 100 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 100
A Psalm of Praise. The Arabic version ascribes this psalm to David, and very likely it is one of his: the Targum calls it
"a hymn for the sacrifice of thanksgiving;'
and so Jarchi. It is supposed to have been used when peace offerings for thanksgivings were offered up, Leviticus 7:11. The Syriac inscription is very odd;
"concerning Joshua the son of Nun, when he made the war of the Ammonites to cease;'
though it more rightly adds,
"but in the New Testament, when the Gentiles are converted to the faith:'
and indeed the scope of the psalm is to exhort the Gentiles to praise the Messiah, to serve and worship him, from the consideration of his goodness and mercy, truth and faithfulness.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Or, "all the earth"F3כל הארץ "omnis terra", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, &c. ; that is, as the Targum, all the inhabitants of the earth, who are called upon to shout unto him as their King; as the angels did at his birth, the disciples when he made his public entrance into Jerusalem, the apostles at his ascension to heaven, the saints when the marriage of him, the Lamb, will be come, and both men and angels when he shall descend from heaven to judge the world; and such a joyful noise or shout should be made unto him as to a triumphant conqueror, who has got the victory over sin, Satan, death, and the grave, and every enemy of his and his people, and made them more than conquerors through himself; see Psalm 95:1.
Serve the Lord with gladness,.... Not with a slavish fear, under a spirit of bondage, as the Jews under the legal dispensation; not in the oldness of the letter, but in the newness of the Spirit: with spiritual joy and freedom of soul, as under the spirit of adoption; readily, willingly, cheerfully; without sinister and selfish ends and views; as their Lord and Master; taking delight in his person, and pleasure in his service; rejoicing in him, without having any confidence in the flesh:
come before his presence with singing; to the throne of his grace with thankfulness for mercies received, as well as to implore others; and into his house, and at his ordinances, beginning public worship with singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; see Psalm 95:2.
Know ye that the Lord he is God,.... Own and acknowledge him to be God, as well as man; and though a man, yet not a mere man, but the great God and our Saviour, the true God and eternal life; so a man, as that he is Jehovah's fellow; or our God, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; Immanuel, God with us, God in our nature, God manifest in the flesh:
it is he that hath made us; as men, without whom nothing is made that was made; in him we live, move, and have our being; and, as new creatures, we are his workmanship, created in him, and by him; regenerated by his Spirit and grace, and formed for himself, his service and glory; and made great and honourable by him, raised from a low to an high estate; from being beggars on the dunghill, to sit among princes; yea, made kings and priests unto God by him; so, Kimchi,
"he hath brought us up, and exalted us:'
and not we ourselves; that is, did not make ourselves, neither as creatures, nor as new creatures; as we have no hand in making either our souls or bodies, so neither in our regeneration, or in the work of God upon our hearts; that is solely the Lord's work: there is a double reading of this clause; the marginal reading is,
and we are his; which is followed by the Targum and Aben Ezra: both are approved of by Kimchi, and the sense of both is included; for if the Lord has made us, and not we ourselves, then we are not our own, but his, and ought to serve and glorify him: we are his by creation; "we are also his offspring", as said AratusF4 του γαρ και γενους εσμεν. Arati Phaenomena, v. 5. , an Heathen poet, cited by the Apostle Paul, Acts 17:28,
we are his people; by choice and covenant; by his Father's gift, and his own purchase; and by the power of his grace, bringing to a voluntary surrender and subjection to him; even the Gentiles particularly, who were not his people, but now his people, 1 Peter 2:9,
and the sheep of his pasture; his sheep also by gift and purchase, called by him, made to know his voice, and follow him; for whom he provides pasture, leads to it, and feeds them with it himself; see Psalm 74:1.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,.... The same with the gates of Zion, loved by the Lord more than all the dwellings of Jacob; the gates of Jerusalem, within which the feet of the saints stand with pleasure; the gates of Wisdom, or Christ, where his followers watch and wait; the gates into his house, the church, and the public ordinances of it, to be entered into with thankfulness for all mercies, temporal and spiritual; for the Gospel, and Gospel opportunities and ordinances:
and into his courts with praise; with the sacrifice of praise, as in Psalm 96:8, of these courts, see Psalm 65:4,
be thankful unto him; for all blessings of grace in him and by him; for all things, and at all times:
and bless his name; by ascribing honour, blessing, and glory to him, saying, "blessed be his glorious name for ever", Psalm 72:19.
For the Lord is good,.... Both in a providential way, and in a way of grace, and does good; he is the good Shepherd, that has laid down his life for the sheep; and the good Samaritan, that pours in the wine and oil of his love and grace, and his precious blood, to the healing of the wounds made by sin: while he was on earth, he went about doing good to the bodies and souls of men; and he continues to do good unto them, and therefore should be praised, served, and worshipped:
his mercy is everlasting; or "his grace"F5חסדו "gratia ejus", Cocceius, Gejerus; "gratia et misericordia ejus", Michaelis. ; there is always a sufficiency of it for his people; and his lovingkindness, which may be also here meant, is always the same; having loved his own which were in the world, he loves them to the end, John 13:1.
and his truth endureth to all generations; or his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises, and performing his engagements; he was faithful to his Father that appointed him, and to the covenant he made with him; and he is faithful to his people, to keep what they commit to his care and charge now, and to give them the crown of righteousness at the last day, which is laid up for them; and upon all these considerations, and for these reasons, ought to be praised and adored.