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Introduction

(Add orientation to this page and to any essential notes on this psalm from a section by section/verse by verse perspective. Very minimal)

Commentary

Section 1: Celebrate the Shepherd! (vv. 1-4)

As outlined in the poetic structure (see Overview | Poetic Structure above), the main division in Ps 100 is between vv. 1-4 and v. 5. The main section (vv. 1-4) is arranged according to a chiastic ABCB'A' structure. One simple way to display the structure of this section (vv. 1-4), within the context of the whole psalm, is as follows:

Structure: The beginning and ending A sections (vv. 1b-2a + 4b) include corresponding calls to worship ("shout joyfully" (1b), "serve" (2a), "give thanks" (4), "bless" (4)). The corresponding B sections (vv. 2b + 4b) include the almost identical repeated invitations to "enter." This arrangement places v. 3 at the heart of the chiastic structure, and ultimately at the heart of the psalm, including Israel's celebration of YHWH, the supreme God, as their maker and of their belonging to him as his people and flock.

Theme: The central theme of the main section of vv. 1-4 can be expressed in the words "Celebrate the Shepherd," as Israel joyfully celebrates their covenant relationship with YHWH and expresses that joy through acts of worship and entrance into YHWH's presence.

Emotions: The primary emotion of this section is no doubt joy, along with thankfulness, exultation, expectancy, confidence and enthusiasm.

v. 1

1a	מִזְמ֥וֹר לְתוֹדָ֑ה	A psalm for a thank offering.
1b	הָרִ֥יעוּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃	Shout joyfully to YHWH, all the earth!

Expanded Paraphrase

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After the common pattern of facing danger, crying out to YHWH, and being helped by YHWH, the people of Israel went up to Jerusalem, to the temple, for a thanksgiving ceremony, including joyful songs of thanksgiving and praise and the presentation of a thank offering on the altar. The crowd, including the people, priests, and perhaps a leader or king, gathered outside the gates and began the ceremony with A psalm for a thank offering. A leader, perhaps a priest, begins by calling out to the great crowd, "Shout joyfully to YHWH in order to celebrate his kingship, all the earth! For his help and rescue demonstrates his good character, which is reason for not only Israel, but all the earth to praise him.

Grammatical Diagram

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Notes

Summary of v. 1: The opening verse of Ps 100 includes both the superscription and the opening line of the psalm. The superscription establishes the setting of the psalm (see below) and the opening line ("Shout joyfully...") begins the chain of 7 imperatives leading the audience into worship of YHWH. Although the psalm is probably addressed to Israel, this opening line evokes a universal dimension to the psalm with its call to "all the earth" (see Overview | Participants above).

• The opening superscription A psalm for thank offering (מִזְמ֥וֹר לְתוֹדָ֑ה) provides important information for understanding Ps 100 in its original setting. The word לְתוֹדָה most probably refers to the presentation of a thank offering, known as a toda sacrifice (תּוֹדָה), as part of an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony. General thanksgiving and thanksgiving songs would also have been present. For more details on the superscription and its implications, see The Meaning of לְתוֹדָה in Ps 100:1.
• The word Shout joyfully (הָרִיעוּ) has a rich range of meaning.
  • The core meaning of the root רוע in the hiphil is connected to the act of shouting or crying out loud (HALOT), just as Israel 'shouts' "long live the king" when Saul becomes king (1 Sm. 10:24) or or an army 'shouts' before fleeing (Jdg. 7:21). Depending on the context, however, this verb can be used to describe two specific kinds of shouting.
    • The first is shouting of a battle-cry in war contexts (e.g. Josh. 6:10, 16, 20 - the fall of Jericho, and 1 Sam. 17:52 - Israel's battle-cry after David kills Goliath).
    • The second kind of shouting is that of joyful praise or "cheering" in worship contexts. This usually occurs with the preposition ל and is very common throughout the psalms (e.g. Ps. 47:2; 66:1; 81:2; 95:1; 98:4). The joyful and worshipful nature of this shouting is clarified further with רוע being paralleled or joined with רִנָּה (joyful shouting/singing Ps. 47:2), זמרו (singing Ps. 66:1), זְמִירוֹת (songs Ps. 95), and other words associated with singing, joy, gladness, praise, and thanksgiving. The gloss "shout joyfully" thus captures both the shouting and the joyful elements.
• It is important also to emphasize that the word Shout joyfully (הָרִיעוּ) is common in the celebration/coronation of a king (1 Sam 10:24; Zech 9:9. Cf. 2 Kgs 11:12). For other cases where this verb is used to celebrate/crown specifically YHWH as king, see Ps 47:2-3 and 98:6.
• The phrase all the earth (כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ) refers here to "all who dwell on earth," i.e. "all nations." For detailed analysis of this phrase see The Addressee of Ps 100.
• Addressee: Israel or All Nations? The opening verse of Ps 100 creates an ambiguous tension between Israel or all nations as possible addressees. It is plausible that Israel is the primary addressee, and that "all the earth" is addressed directly as a rhetorical technique to declare that YHWH is "worthy of all the earth shouting joyfully to him." However, it is possible that the psalm intentionally leaves open the possibility of reading all nations as the implied addressee all throughout.
  • For detailed argumentation regarding the addressee see this exegetical issue page: The Addressee of Ps 100.
  • For an exploration of the poetic tension between these two addressees, see Overview | Participants in the Overview section at the top of this page.

Technical Notes

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• Although the words Shout joyfully to YHWH, all the earth! (הָרִ֥יעוּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃) appear as the second part of v. 1, they actually form the first line of a tricolon including the next two lines of v. 2. In our poetic line division visual this is presented as follows:

• The ל in לַ֝יהוָ֗ה indicates the one being praised/receiving the joyful shouts.
• In terms of speech act analysis, the words Shout joyfully to YHWH, all the earth! are best understood as an indirect speech act with an imperative sentence type but an assertive illocution type. In other words, on the surface level, this sentence literally takes "all the earth" (i.e. all nations) as the subject of the imperative "Shout joyfully," but as these words are actually addressed to a real audience of Israelites gathered around the temple, the implication is more volitional (a wish), "All the earth should shout joyfully to YHWH." This leads ultimately to an assertion, to Israel, that YHWH is worthy of receiving the joyful shouts of all the earth. In v. 1b, therefore, all nations functions as the rhetorical addressee and Israel is the real addressee. From the next imperative verb עִבְדוּ "serve" in v. 2 Israel then becomes the exclusive addressee, and so on throughout vv. 2-5.
• The clause-final position of the vocative all the earth (כָּל־הָאָרֶץ) is noteworthy and open to multiple interpretations. When a vocative is simply identifying the addressee, it will more commonly be clause-initial.
  • It may be, therefore, that the clause-final position of "all the earth" here has a subtle poetic effect. The supposed primary audience of Ps 100 would be the people of Israel, gathered for a thanksgiving ceremony. When Israel would have heard the words הריעו לה׳ "Shout joyfully to YHWH" they would have assumed it applies to them, as this was a common liturgical term in their worship (cf. e.g. Ps 95:1 נריעו לצור ישענו "Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation"). One of the possible features of Ps 100 as a whole is an intentional layering wherein the psalm reads primarily as a thanksgiving liturgy for Israel in a thanksgiving ceremony, but with a possible secondary layering inviting the whole psalm to be re-read as addressing not Israel but all nations of the earth, with this key vocative address to כל הארץ "all the earth" (v. 1b) being the anchor for that layering.
  • Could it be that this vocative was intentionally left to the clause-final position to allow for this double layering? Granted that is somewhat speculative, but it may be supported by the fact that the whole psalm seems so precisely balanced with every single word using stock Israelite language that can also be used and had been used to address the nations (for further details see the Poetic Feature in Overview | Participants section at the top of this page).
• These issues are explored and laid out in detail in the Poetic Feature included in the Participants section in the overview at the top of this page.
  • An alternative, simpler explanation for the clause-final position of this vocative is other word-order factors wherein both cola begin with a clause-initial imperative, an arrangement that is programmatic throughout the psalm (with 7 clause-initial imperatives in vv. 1-4).

Translation Notes

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• The phrase for a thank offering (לְתוֹדָה) probably refers to the presentation of a thank offering (known as a toda sacrifice) that was part of an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony. Thanksgiving and thanksgiving songs would also have been present for such moments.
  • Modern versions render the Hebrew preposition ְל lǝ either as:
    • a) “for understood as the purpose of the psalm. This is our preferred rendering. See

ESV, NIV, NASB, BFC, PDV .

• • • b) Or “of” perceived as the content of the psalm. See NLT, HCSB, ASV, LSG).
    • The term ‘thank offering’ may require the recipient to be made explicit in some languages. The context suggests that YHWH is the recipient: offering/giving/saying thanks to God.
    • For more details on the superscription and its implications, see The Meaning of לְתוֹדָה in Ps 100:1.

Legends

Grammatical diagram

The grammar layer visually represents the grammar and syntax of each clause. It also displays alternative interpretations of the grammar. (For more information, click "Grammar Legend" below.)

Grammar Legend

Visualization	Description
	The clause is represented by a horizontal line with a vertical line crossing through it, separating the subject and the verb.
	The object is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause. Infinitives and participles may also have objects. If the direct object marker (d.o.m.) is present in the text, it appears in the diagram immediately before the object. If the grammar includes a secondary object, the secondary object will appear after the object, separated by another vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the clause.
	The subject complement follows the verb (often omitted in Hebrew) separated with a line leaning toward the right. It can be a noun, a whole prepositional phrase or an adjective. The later two appear modifying the complement slot.
	When a noun further describes or renames the object, it is an object complement. The object complement follows the object separated by a line leaning toward the right.
	In a construct chain, the noun in the absolute form modifies the noun in the construct form.
	Participles are indicated in whatever position in the clause they are in with a curved line before the participle. Participles can occur as nominal, where they take the place of a noun, predicate, where they take the place of a verb, or attributive, where they modify a noun or a verb similar to adjectives or adverbs.
	Infinitives are indicated by two parallel lines before the infinitive that cross the horizontal line. Infinitive constructs can appear as the verb in an embedded clause. Infinitive absolutes typically appear as an adverbial.
	The subject of the infinitive often appears in construct to it. In this situation, the infinitive and subject are diagrammed as a construct chain.
	The object of the infinitive is indicated by a vertical line that does not cross the horizontal line of the infinitival clause.
	Modifiers are represented by a solid diagonal line from the word they modify. They can attach to verbs, adjectives, or nouns. If modifying a verb or adjective, it is an adverb, but if modifying a noun, it is an adjective, a quantifier, or a definite article. If an adverb is modifying a modifier, it is connected to the modifier by a small dashed horizontal line.
	Adverbials are indicated by a dashed diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. These are nouns or infinitives that function adverbially (modifying either a verb or a participle), but are not connected by a preposition.
	Prepositional phrases are indicated by a solid diagonal line extending to a horizontal line. The preposition is to the left of the diagonal line and the dependent of the preposition is on the horizontal line. They can modify verbs (adverbial) or nouns (adjectival).
	Embedded clauses are indicated by a "stand" that looks like an upside-down Y. The stand rests in the grammatical position that the clause fulfills. Extending from the top of the stand is a horizontal line for the clause. If introduced by a complementizer, for example כִּי, the complementizer appears before the stand. Embedded clauses can stand in the place of any noun.
	When clauses are joined by a conjunction, they are compound clauses. These clauses are connected by a vertical dotted line. The conjunction is placed next to the dotted line.
	Within a clause, if two or more parts of speech are compound, these are represented by angled lines reaching to the two compound elements connected by a solid vertical line. If a conjunction is used, the conjunction appears to the left of the vertical line. Almost all parts of speech can be compound.
	Subordinate clauses are indicated by a dashed line coming from the line dividing the subject from the predicate in the independent clause and leading to the horizontal line of the subordinate clause. The subordinating conjunction appears next to the dashed line.
	Relative clauses also have a dashed line, but the line connects the antecedent to the horizontal line of the relative clause. The relative particle appears next to the dashed line.
	Sentence fragments are represented by a horizontal line with no vertical lines. They are most frequently used in superscriptions to psalms. They are visually similar to discourse particles and vocatives, but most often consist of a noun phrase (that does not refer to a person or people group) or a prepositional phrase.
	In the body of the psalm, a horizontal line by itself (with no modifiers or vertical lines) can indicate either a discourse particle or a vocative (if the word is a noun referring to a person or people group). A discourse particle is a conjunction or particle that functions at the discourse level, not at the grammatical level. Vocatives can appear either before or after the clause addressed to them, depending on the word order of the Hebrew.
	Apposition is indicated by an equal sign equating the two noun phrases. This can occur with a noun in any function in a sentence.

Hebrew text colors
Default preferred text	The default preferred reading is represented by a black line. The text of the MT is represented in bold black text.
Dispreferred reading	The dispreferred reading is an alternative interpretation of the grammar, represented by a pink line. The text of the MT is represented in bold pink text, while emendations and revocalizations retain their corresponding colors (see below).
Emended text	Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold blue text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
Revocalized text	Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is represented by bold purple text, whether that reading is preferred or dispreferred.
(Supplied elided element)	Any element that is elided in the Hebrew text is represented by bold gray text in parentheses.
( )	The position of a non-supplied elided element is represented by empty black parentheses. For example, this would be used in the place of the noun when an adjective functions substantivally or in the place of the antecedent when a relative clause has an implied antecedent.

Gloss text colors
Gloss used in the CBC	The gloss used in the Close-but-Clear translation is represented by bold blue text.
Literal gloss >> derived meaning	A gloss that shows the more literal meaning as well as the derived figurative meaning is represented in blue text with arrows pointing towards the more figurative meaning. The gloss used in the CBC will be bolded.
Supplied elided element	The gloss for a supplied elided element is represented in bold gray text.

Shapes and colors on grammatical diagram

(For more information, click "Phrase-level Legend" below.)

Phrase-level Legend

Visualization	Description
	The prepositional phrase is indicated by a solid green oval.
	The construct chain is indicated by a solid yellow oval.
	When the conjunction ו appears at the phrase-level (not clause-level), it is indicated by a solid light purple oval.
	The article is indicated by a solid blue oval.

Expanded paraphrase

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Expanded Paraphrase Legend

Expanded paraphrase legend
Close but Clear (CBC) translation	The CBC, our close but clear translation of the Hebrew, is represented in bold text.
Assumptions	Assumptions which provide background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences are represented in italics.

Bibliography

Holmstedt, Robert D., and Andrew R. Jones. 2014. “The Pronoun in Tripartite Verbless Clauses in Biblical Hebrew: Resumption for Left-Dislocation or Pronominal Copula?*.” Journal of Semitic Studies 59 (1): 53–89.

Howard, David, Jr. 1997. The Structure of Psalms 93–100. Biblical and Judaic Studies 5. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns.

Jenni, Ernst. 1992. Die Hebräischen Präpositionen Band 1: Die Präposition Beth. Stuttgart: W. Kohlhammer.

———. 2000. Die Hebräischen Präpositionen Band 3: Die Präposition Lamed. Stuttgart: Verlag W. Kohlhammer.

Keel, Othmar. 1997. The Symbolism of the Biblical World: Ancient Near Eastern Iconography and the Book of Psalms. Winona Lake, Ind: Eisenbrauns.

Labuschagne, Casper J. 2008. “Psalm 100 - Logotechnical Analysis.” Numerical Features of the Psalms and Other Selected Texts. August 5, 2008. https://www.labuschagne.nl/ps100.pdf.

Lohfink, Norbert, and Erich Zenger. 2000. The God of Israel and the Nations: Studies in Isaiah and the Psalms. Translated by Everett Kalin. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press.

Lugt, Pieter van der Lugt. 2013. Cantos and Strophes in Biblical Hebrew Poetry III: Psalms 90–150 and Psalm 1. Vol. 3. 3 vols. Oudtestamentische Studiën 63. Leiden: Brill.

Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid, eds. 1998. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.

Sakenfield, Katharine Doob. 1978. The Meaning of Hesed in the Hebrew Bible. Michigan: Scholars Press.

Tate, Marvin E. 1998. Psalms 51-100. WBC 20. Dallas, Tex: Word Books.

Zenger, Erich (and Frank-Lothar Hossfeld). 2005. Psalms 2: A Commentary on Psalms 51-100. Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress.

Footnotes

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