By Andrew Williams – November 3, 2021
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
Psalms 100:4 HCSB
Good morning fellow disciples. For these five days, we will be looking at Psalms 100, and I will be saying what the Holy Spirit has laid upon my heart. Today we examine Psalms 100:4.
Enter is defined as 1. to come or go into; or
2. to cause to be received or admitted.
When we look at this verse many of us resort to the definition of enter as, “to come out or go into” the gates with thanksgiving. The primary thought here is that WE GO into God’s presence while giving thanksgiving and praise. This brings across the imagery of persons singing and praising as they enter through the gates that bring them to God.
I prefer the second definition which states that to enter means, “to cause to be received or admitted”. The primary thought here is that we are RECEIVED or ADMITTED INTO God’s presence because of our thanksgiving and praise. In this case, the acts of thanksgiving and praise are keys to being permitted to enter God’s presence.
Do you see the difference? In the first instance, the emphasis is on us just walking into God’s presence religiously giving thanks and praise. Some of us know how to sing and know how to praise from a religious point of view, but that is not pleased with this. Many times persons give thanks and praise but they never reach into God’s presence. Are you like this?
With the second definition, the emphasis is on the praise and thanksgiving causing us to be received and admitted into God’s presence. This type of praise and thanksgiving is genuine and accepted by God. When praise and thanksgiving are like this it then grants us access into God’s presence. Is your praise and thanksgiving like this, causing you to be received and accepted by God?
Prayer: Father God, I give thanks to You and I give praise to Your name! I love You and I genuinely praise You. Accept my worship I pray God, and receive and admit me into Your presence. I worship You, I glorify You, and a bow down before You Lord Of My Life. Amen