Psalm 100:1-5 “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Text “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

I believe God is grieved by the callus spirit of ingratitude and God’s people have much to be grateful for. In reference to thankfulness, there are two principles to be noticed in verse 4. The first is the movement of thankfulness, “his gates . . . his courts.” Thanksgiving is not about a physical place, but the pursuit of a person. When one is truly thankful, that spirit of thankfulness draws us to the source of blessings. James said, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). When we realize that everything that we have has been provided for us by our loving Heavenly Father, we will naturally seek Him out so that we may express our gratitude. Like David, we can say, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Psalm 42:1).

Secondly, there is the melody of thankfulness, “Enter . . . with thanksgiving, and . . . with praise.” Both “thanksgiving” and “praise” carry the idea of singing or making melody. The first has the idea of a choir of worshippers and the second is praise by means of a hymn. Thankfulness generates a melody in the heart of the believer. Paul said in Eph. 5:19-20, “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things. The melody of thanksgiving is made manifest when the Holy Spirit draws our grateful heart into the presence of God where it sings melodious songs of adoration and praise unto Him. It is the melody of redemption; “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God” (Psalm 40:3).