Psalms 100:3

100:1-5 An exhortation to praise God, and rejoice in him. - This song of praise should be considered as a prophecy, and even used as a prayer, for the coming of that time when all people shall know that the Lord he is God, and shall become his worshippers, and the sheep of his pasture. Great encouragement is given us, in worshipping God, to do it cheerfully. If, when we strayed like wandering sheep, he has brought us again to his fold, we have indeed abundant cause to bless his name. The matter of praise, and the motives to it, are very important. Know ye what God is in himself, and what he is to you. Know it; consider and apply it, then you will be more close and constant, more inward and serious, in his worship. The covenant of grace set down in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, with so many rich promises, to strengthen the faith of every weak believer, makes the matter of God's praise and of his people's joys so sure, that how sad soever our spirits may be when we look to ourselves, yet we shall have reason to praise the Lord when we look to his goodness and mercy, and to what he has said in his word for our comfort.

Psalm 100:3-5 . Know that the Lord — Hebrews Jehovah, he is God — The only living and true God; a being infinitely perfect, self-existent, and self- sufficient; and the fountain of all being; the first cause and last end of all things. It is he that hath made us — Not only by creation, but by regeneration, which is also called a creation, because by it we are made his people. Hence we owe him homage and service, and him only. and not other gods, who did neither make nor new-make us. He, and he only, hath an incontestable right to, and in us, and all things. His we are, to be influenced by his power, disposed of by his will, and devoted to his honour and glory. We are his people — Or subjects, and he is our prince or governor that gives law to us, as moral agents, and will call us to an account for what we do; the sheep of his pasture — Or, as the Hebrew may be rendered, the flock of his feeding, whom he takes care of and provides for. He that made us, maintains us, and gives us all things richly to enjoy. For the Lord is good — Infinite in goodness, and therefore doeth good. His mercy is everlasting — Is a fountain that can never be drawn dry. His truth endureth to all generations — And no word of his shall fall to the ground as antiquated or revoked: his promises are sure to all the faithful, from age to age.

Verse 3. - Know ye that the Lord he is God; or, be sure - "recognize the fact as a certainty" (see the Prayer book Version). It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; or, according to another reading, and his are we. This latter reading is preferred by De Wette, Kay, Cheyne, and the Revised Version. But the other, which was the reading of the LXX., and is supported by the Vulgate and the old commentators generally, should, however, be retained, as yielding a better sense (see the arguments of Hengstenberg, 'Commentary on the Psalms,' vol. 3. p. 201, Engl. trans.). We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (comp. Psalm 74:1 ; Psalm 79:13 ; Psalm 95:7 ). Psalm 100:3

It is he that hath made us; both by creation, and by adoption and regeneration, whereby he made us his people, which also is called a creation or making, as Deu 32:6 Isaiah 29:23 43:7 Ephesians 2:10 . And not we ourselves; therefore we owe him homage and service, and him only, and not other gods, who made us not.

3 . Know that Jehovah is God: He it is that made us, and we are his, His people and the sheep of his pasture. Learn from the works that He has wrought for Israel that Jehovah is the only true God. Cp. Psalm 46:10 ; Deuteronomy 7:9 . He made Israel of old to be a people for Himself ( Deuteronomy 32:6 ; Deuteronomy 32:15 ; Psalm 95:6 ), and now He has once more made them a nation ( Isaiah 60:21 ). In spite of their sins He has not disowned them; they can still with confidence claim His care and guidance. The A.V. and not we ourselves follows the K’thîbh , which is supported by the LXX, Syr., and Symm. The A.V. marg. and R.V. we are his ., follow the Q’rç , which is supported by the Targ., Jer., and Aq.[55] Though the antithesis he and not we ourselves gives a good sense, the reading we are his is far more significant, as adding a fresh thought. Moreover it agrees best with the construction of the verse in the Heb., and it is supported by the parallels in Psalm 95:7 ; Isaiah 43:1 , cp. Isaiah 43:21 , Isaiah 44:2 . [55] The Heb. words for not and to him (= his) are pronounced identically ( lô ) though differently spelt ( לֹא , לוֹ ): hence the confusion between the readings not we and to him we = his ( are ) we was easy.

Know ye that the Lord, he is God - That is, Let all the nations know that Yahweh is the true God. The idols are vanity. They have no claim to worship; but God is the Creator of all, and is entitled to universal adoration. It is he that hath made us - The Hebrew is, "He made us," and this expresses the exact idea. The fact that he is the Creator proves that he is God, since no one but God can perform the work of creation. The highest idea that we can form of power is that which is evinced in an act of creation; that is, in causing anything to exist where there was nothing before. Every created thing, therefore, is a proof of the existence of God; the immensity of the universe is an illustration of the greatness of his power. And not we ourselves - Margin, "And his we are." The difference between the text and the margin is owing to a different reading in the Hebrew, varying only in a single letter. The reading in the text is, "And not (לא lo') we;" in the margin, "And to him (לו lô) we." These words would be pronounced in the same manner, and either of them would convey good sense. The weight of authority is in favor of the common reading, "And not we;" that is, We are not self-created; we derive our being from him. All that we have and are, we owe to him. We are his people - By virtue of creation. The highest "property" which can exist is that derived from an act of creation. He that has brought anything into existence has a right to it, and may dispose of it as he pleases.