Dr. Dan Hayden •
Someone once analyzed my voice and told me I sing baritone. Every time I sing a “tone,” people have to “bear it!” Well, I may not be able to make good music, but I sure do appreciate good music.
Psalm 100 is a Psalm of thanksgiving. In fact, the superscription to the Psalm actually says, “A Psalm of Thanksgiving.” It is the only Psalm that bears this inscription. As you move down to verse 4, it says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” Now a Psalm of thanksgiving could actually be rendered “A Song of Thanksgiving,” for a Psalm is a song.
The word “Psalm” is a Hebrew word that literally means “instrumental music,” and hence—a poem set to notes. It actually comes from a word that means “to pluck or prune,” and refers to plucking or touching the strings or parts of a musical instrument. Eventually it took a broader meaning of celebrating in song and music.
So Psalm 100 is a poem of thanksgiving that was originally set to music. Can you imagine the ancient psalmist plucking the strings of his harp and singing with melodic tones the wonderful words of this 100th Psalm? There’s just something about being truly thankful to God that makes me want to sing. Psalm 100 – a Psalm or song of thanksgiving.
Say—this Thanksgiving season, let Psalm 100 put a song in your heart.