The Addressee of Ps 100

Back to Psalm 100.

Exegetical Issues from Psalm 100:

• The Addressee of Ps 100
• The Meaning of לְתוֹדָה in Ps 100:1
• The Text and Meaning of Ps. 100:3

Introduction

One of the most difficult aspects of Psalm 100 is that it can plausibly be read as addressed either to Israel or to all nations of the earth. The choice one makes between these two possible addressees leads to completely different interpretations of the psalm. Consider the following two interpretations:

1. Addressing Israel: Psalm 100 is "a summons to all the citizens of Israel... a liturgy of entrance for the procession of pilgrims into the sanctuary bringing their thank offerings to the Lord."

2. Addressing All Nations: "Psalm 100 offers one of the most spectacular theological statements in the Hebrew Bible... it is the covenant people Israel who invite the nations to participate in the covenant relationship... the nations are invited, like the Israelites, indeed like the priests of Israel, to walk through the gates in the walls of the Temple compound and in the courts of the Temple compound to join in singing the traditional songs of praise to YHWH and the prayers of thanksgiving".

The first interpretation reads Ps 100 as an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony, and the second as a prophetic call to all nations of the earth to join Israel worshipping YHWH in the temple.

The arguments centre around two main issues: (1) the vocative address to כָּל־הָאָרֶץ (lit. "all the earth") in v. 1b, which naturally points to all nations as the addressee, and (2) the elements that point to an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony (e.g. לְתוֹדָה 'for a thank-offering' in the superscription and the common Israelite worship language throughout), which naturally point to Israel as the addressee.

The first argument map below will present the arguments for and against reading Israel as the addressee, and the second reading all nations as the addressee. The third argument map will present a way of resolving these two interpretations, reading Israel as the real addressee and all nations as the rhetorical addressee of v. 1b.

כָּל־הָאָרֶץ (lit. "all the earth")

A lot of argumentation regarding Ps 100 revolves around the key phrase כָּל־הָאָרֶץ (lit. "all the earth") which occurs in v. 1b. It is helpful, then, to begin with a basic overview of how this phrase, which occurs 123 times, is used throughout the Hebrew Bible, surveying the three most common meanings and some re-occurring ambiguities between them:

1. Referring to all the land, focusing on a specific land/domain (e.g. all the land of Israel).
2. Referring to all the earth, focusing on a universal/global spatial domain.
3. Referring to all who dwell on the earth, focusing on the inhabitants of all the earth.

There is sometimes ambiguity between (1) and (2), when it is not clear whether a specified domain is a specific land or all the earth. It can also be difficult to discern between uses (2) and (3), when there is ambiguity or overlap between all the earth as a global spatial domain and all the inhabitants included within it. However, when כָּל־הָאָרֶץ is addressed in the vocative, it seems to always focus on (3) all who dwell on earth as its referent. Finally, it is important to note that the third usage (all who dwell on the earth) can be explicitly used to refer to all nations in contrast to Israel. However, in other cases it can be ambiguous whether it refers to all humanity (i.e. Israel and all nations) or specifically to all nations in contrast to Israel.

Argument Maps

1. Only Israel

This argument map presents the arguments for and against reading Israel as the addressee for all of Ps 100. This argument is built primarily on the elements of Ps 100 pointing to an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony. It resolves the question of כָּל־הָאָרֶץ in v. 1b by reading it as "all the land [of Israel]".

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[Addressee = Only Israel]: The addressee throughout all of Ps 100 is exclusively the people of Israel (Gunkel 1926, 432 :C:; Leslie 1949 :C:; Howard 1997, 91 :M:) #dispreferred
 + <כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ = "All the land (of Israel)">: The vocative address to כָּל־הָאָרֶץ "all the earth" in v. 1 refers "prosaically to all the citizens of the land of YHWH who have gathered at the sanctuary for the thanksgiving festival" (Gunkel 1926, 432 :C: cf. Leslie 1949, 191 :C:). #dispreferred
  - <No Clear Precedent>: Although the phrase כָּל־הָאָרֶץ does often refer to all the land of Israel (e.g. Gen 13:9, 15; Josh 9:24; 10:40; 11:16, 23; 21:43; Jer 1:18; 4:20, 27; 8:16; 12:11; 15:10; 15:10; 23:15; 25:11; 40:4), it never refers explicitly to the people of Israel. 
  - <Vocative>: When כָּל־הָאָרֶץ is addressed in the vocative, it always refers to "all who dwell on earth" (cf. Pss 66:1; 96:1, 9; 98:4; 100:1; 2 Chron 16:23, 30). 
  - <All Nations, Not Israel>: When referring to "all who dwell on earth", this phrase commonly refers explicitly to all nations and not Israel. 
   + [E.g. Ezek 35:14]: YHWH tells Israel that "while all the earth (כָּל־הָאָרֶץ) rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation". 
   + [E.g. Ps 96:7-9 // מִשְׁפְּחוֹת עַמִּים "families of the peoples"]: In Ps 96:7-9 there a call to praise addressing both כָּל־הָאָרֶץ "all the earth" and מִשְׁפְּחוֹת עַמִּים "families of the peoples". 
   + [Ps 96:7-9]: Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples (מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים),
		ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8 	Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
		bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 	Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
		tremble before him, all the earth (כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ)! 
  <_ <Literary Context of Ps 100>: Ps 100 is part of a literary unit (Pss 93-100) in which "all nations" (sometimes referred to as כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ "all the earth") play a central role. 
   + <Pss 93-100 as a Literary Unit>: Consensus exists that Pss 93-100 should be read as a unified literary collection (Jeremias 1987 :M: Howard 1986 :M:). 
   + <All Nations in Pss 93-100>: The whole literary collection of Pss 93-100, and especially 96 and 98, focus all nations of the earth accepting "the universal reign of YHWH" (Zenger 2000, 169 :A:). 
   + <כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ "all the earth" in Pss 93-100>: In Pss 93-100 כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ "all the earth" appears three times with the meaning of "all nations". 
    + ["all the earth" in Pss 93-100]: See Pss 96:1; 96:9; 98:4. 
 + <Thanksgiving Ceremony>: The implied setting of an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony points to Israel as the addressee. #dispreferred
  + <Ps 100 = Thanksgiving Ceremony>: Multiple elements of Ps 100 imply that its original setting was an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony. #dispreferred
   + <Superscription>: The phrase לְתוֹדָה in the superscription of Ps 100 refers to the presentation of a physical thank-offering to YHWH (Targum קורבן תודתא; NIDOTTE 1997, 406 :D: Leslie 1949, 191 :C:; Delitzsch 1877 :C:; Zenger 2005, 495 :C:; Gunkel 1926, 432 :C:) #dispreferred
    + <Hebrew Usage of תּוֹדָה>: Throughout the Hebrew Bible the word תּוֹדָה often refers to a physical thank-offering presented in the sanctuary, one of the common sacrificial offerings offered regularly in Israelite worship. #dispreferred
     + [תּוֹדָה = Thank-Offering]: Lev 7:13; 22:29; Jer 17:6; 33:11; 2 Chron 29:31; 33:11; Amos 4:5; Pss 50:14, 23; 107:22; 116:17. #dispreferred
   + <Thanksgiving Refrain (v. 4-5)>: The words הֽוֹדוּ־ל֝֗וֹ... כִּי־ט֣וֹב יְ֭הֹוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּ֑וֹ ("Give thanks to him...for YHWH is good, his loyalty is forever") in v. 4-5 imply, by association, the physical presentation of a thank-offering (NIDOTTE 1997, 406 :D:). #dispreferred
    + <Thanksgiving Refrain and Thank-Offering>: The common words of the thanksgiving refrain were originally sung as the thank-offering was being offered (Jer 33:10-11, Sakenfield 1978, 165-168 :M:). #dispreferred
     + [Jer 33:10-11]: Once again people will bring their thank offerings (מְבִאִ֥ים תּוֹדָ֖ה) to the temple of the LORD and will say, “Give thanks (הוֹדוּ֩) to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. For the LORD is good (כִּֽי־ט֤וֹב) and his unfailing love lasts forever (לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּ֔וֹ).” #dispreferred
   + <Temple Context>: The temple setting of Ps 100 is the natural setting for a thank-offering. #dispreferred
    + <Temple Context of Ps 100>: Ps 100 is set in or around the Israelite temple. #dispreferred
     + [Temple Context of Ps 100]: See especially vv. 2b and 4a-b, as well as common temple-worship vocabulary throughout Ps 100. #dispreferred
    + <Temple Setting of Offerings>: Israelite offerings would be offered in the Israelite temple. #dispreferred
     + [Temple Setting of Offerings]: See for example 1 Kgs 8:62-64. #dispreferred
 + <Israelite Worship Language>: Ps 100 is full of words commonly associated with Israelite worship of YHWH. #dispreferred
  + <7 Imperatives>: The psalm contains 7 imperatives calling on the addressees to come and worship YHWH (הָרִ֥יעוּ "shout joyfully", עִבְד֣וּ "worship", בֹּ֥אוּ "enter", דְּע֗וּ "know", בֹּ֤אוּ "enter", הֽוֹדוּ "give thanks", and בָּרֲכ֥וּ "bless"). All of these words are used elsewhere, frequently, to describe Israel's worship. #dispreferred
   + [E.g. עִבְד֣וּ "serve/worship" (v. 2)]: וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֗ם אֵ֚ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם "And you will serve/worship (עבד) YHWH your God..." (Ex 3:12. See also 4:23; 7:16; 8:1, 20; 10:26, among many other examples). #dispreferred
   + [E.g. ידה "give thanks/praise" (v. 4)]: 1 Kgs 8:33; Isa 12:4; Jer. 33:11; Ps 33:2; 105:1; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29, among many other examples. #dispreferred
   <_ <Also Used With Nations>: Although primarily used in reference to Israel's worship, these words can also appear with reference to the nations. 
    + [E.g. עִבְד֣וּ "serve/worship"]: Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD (עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה) with fear... (Ps 2:10-11) ...when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD (לַעֲבֹ֥ד אֶת־יְהוָֽה). (Ps 102:23).
    + [E.g. ידה "give thanks/praise"]: Let the peoples thank you (יוֹד֖וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים), O God, let all the peoples thank you (יוֹד֖וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים)! (Ps 67:3, 5) (among many other examples). 
 + <Temple Setting of Ps 100>: Ps 100 is set in and around the Israelite temple, pointing to Israel, not all nations, as the implied addressee. #dispreferred
  + [Entrance to temple]: The psalm calls on the addressees to "enter before the Him" (בֹּ֥אוּ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו) (v. 2) and "enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise" (בֹּ֤אוּ שְׁעָרָ֨יו ׀ בְּתוֹדָ֗ה חֲצֵרֹתָ֥יו בִּתְהִלָּ֑ה) (v. 4).    #dispreferred
  <_ <Nations Invited In>: The nations are elsewhere invited into the temple to worship the God of Israel. 
   + [E.g. Ps 96:7-8]: Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples (מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים), ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts (שְׂאֽוּ־מִ֝נְחָ֗ה וּבֹ֥אוּ לְחַצְרוֹתָֽיו)! 
   + [E.g. Isa 56:6-7]: “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
		to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
		and to be his servants (עֲבָדִ֑ים)....
7 	these I will bring to my holy mountain,
		and make them joyful in my house of prayer (בְּבֵ֣ית תְּפִלָּתִ֔י);
	 their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
		will be accepted on my altar;
	 for my house shall be called a house of prayer
		for all peoples (כִּ֣י בֵיתִ֔י בֵּית־תְּפִלָּ֥ה יִקָּרֵ֖א לְכָל־הָעַמִּֽים).” 
   + [Nations Invited In]: Isa 2:2-3; 19:21-25; 66:18-23; Jer 3:17-18; Mic 4:1-2; Zech 14:9-21; Ps 68:30-33. 

2. Only All Nations

This argument map presents the arguments for and against reading all nations as the addressee for all of Ps 100. This argument is built primarily on the vocative address to כָּל־הָאָרֶץ (lit. "all the earth") in v. 1b. It argues that all the elements pointing to an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony can be plausibly reconstrued as addressing all nations.

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[Addressee = Only All Nations]: The addressee throughout all of Ps 100 is 'all nations' of the earth (כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ lit. "all the earth") (Tate 1998, 535 :C:; VanGemeren 2008, 742 :C:; Jacobson 2014, 736 :C:; Bratcher and Reyburn 1991, 852 :C:; Delitzsch 1877, 104-106 :C:; Lohfink 1990, 172-183 :A:; Zenger 2000, 161-190 :A:). #dispreferred
 + <(v. 1) כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ = All Nations>: The psalm's opening vocative address to כָּל־הָאָרֶץ "all the earth" refers specifically to "all who dwell on earth" or "all nations". #dispreferred
  + <Hebrew Usage>: It is common for the phrase כָּל־הָאָרֶץ "all the earth" to refer specifically to "all who dwell on earth" (e.g. Gen 11:1; 41:57; 1 Sam 13:3; 14: 25; 17:46; 2 Sam 15:23; 1 Kgs 10:24; Hab 2:20; Ps 33:8; 66:1; 96:1, 9; 98:4; 1 Chron 16:23, 30). #dispreferred
  + <Vocative>: When כָּל־הָאָרֶץ is addressed in the vocative, it always refers to "all who dwell on earth" (cf. Pss 66:1; 96:1, 9; 98:4; 100:1; 2 Chron 16:23, 30). #dispreferred
  + <All Nations, Not Israel>: When referring to "all who dwell on earth", this phrase commonly refers explicitly to all nations and not Israel. #dispreferred
   + [E.g. Ezek 35:14]: YHWH tells Israel that "while all the earth (כָּל־הָאָרֶץ) rejoices, I will turn you into a desolation". #dispreferred
   + [E.g. Ps 96:7-9 // מִשְׁפְּחוֹת עַמִּים "families of the peoples"]: In Ps 96:7-9 there a call to praise addressing both כָּל־הָאָרֶץ "all the earth" and מִשְׁפְּחוֹת עַמִּים "families of the peoples". #dispreferred
   + [Ps 96:7-9]: Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples (מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים),
		ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8 	Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
		bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 	Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
		tremble before him, all the earth (כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ)! #dispreferred 
  + <Literary Context of Ps 100>: Ps 100 is part of a literary unit (Pss 93-100) in which "all nations" (sometimes referred to as כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ "all the earth") play a central role. #dispreferred
   + <Pss 93-100 as a Literary Unit>: Consensus exists that Pss 93-100 should be read as a unified literary collection (Jeremias 1987 :M: Howard 1986 :M:). #dispreferred
   + <All Nations in Pss 93-100>: The whole literary collection of Pss 93-100, and especially 96 and 98, focus all nations of the earth accepting "the universal reign of YHWH" (Zenger 2000, 169 :A:). #dispreferred
   + <כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ "all the earth" in Pss 93-100>: In Pss 93-100 כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ "all the earth" appears three times with the meaning of "all nations". #dispreferred
    + ["all the earth" in Pss 93-100]: See Pss 96:1; 96:9; 98:4. #dispreferred
  + <Verbs for Humans>: The phrase כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ "all the earth" is the subject of the verb הָרִ֥יעוּ "shout joyfully", which is an action performed by humans, not inanimate objects. #dispreferred
   <_ <Personification of Nature>: Throughout the Psalms especially, nature is often personified to perform human actions (e.g. Ps 98:7-9). 
    <_ <הָרִיעוּ>: The verb הָרִיעוּ (Hiphil רוע "shout joyfully") is never used for nature personified. #dispreferred
    <_ <Remaining Verbs>: The remaining verbs (עִבְד֣וּ "worship", בֹּ֥אוּ "enter", דְּע֗וּ "know", בֹּ֤אוּ "enter", הֽוֹדוּ "give thanks", and בָּרֲכ֥וּ "bless"), of which "all the earth" is likely the subject (see below), are also unnatural to ascribe to nature personified. #dispreferred
 + <(vv. 2-5) Default Addressee>: In v. 1 an explicit addressee is introduced with a vocative. No other addressee is explicitly referenced in the psalm. In the absence of any explicit reference data in vv. 2-5 it is best to assume the explicit reference data of v. 1 for the whole psalm. "Where all nations are explicitly the subject for v. 1, they are implicitly the subject for all remaining imperatives (עבדו, באו, דעו, באו, הודו, ברכו)" (Bratcher and Reyburn 1991, 852 :C:). #dispreferred
 - <Israelite Worship Vocabulary>: Ps 100 is full of words commonly associated with the worship of Israel, not of all nations. 
  + <7 Imperatives>: The psalm contains 7 imperatives calling on the addressees to come and worship YHWH (הָרִ֥יעוּ "shout joyfully", עִבְד֣וּ "worship", בֹּ֥אוּ "enter", דְּע֗וּ "know", בֹּ֤אוּ "enter", הֽוֹדוּ "give thanks", and בָּרֲכ֥וּ "bless"). All of these words are used elsewhere, frequently, to describe Israel's worship. 
   + [E.g. עִבְד֣וּ "serve/worship" (v. 2)]: וַעֲבַדְתֶּ֗ם אֵ֚ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם "And you will serve/worship (עבד) YHWH your God..." (Ex 3:12. See also 4:23; 7:16; 8:1, 20; 10:26, among many other examples). 
   + [E.g. ידה "give thanks/praise" (v. 4)]: 1 Kgs 8:33; Isa 12:4; Jer. 33:11; Ps 33:2; 105:1; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29, among many other examples. 
   <_ <Also Used With Nations>: Although primarily used in reference to Israel's worship, these words can also appear with reference to the nations. #dispreferred
    + [E.g. עִבְד֣וּ "serve/worship"]: Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD (עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה) with fear... (Ps 2:10-11) ...when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD (לַעֲבֹ֥ד אֶת־יְהוָֽה). (Ps 102:23). #dispreferred
    + [E.g. ידה "give thanks/praise"]: Let the peoples thank you (יוֹד֖וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים), O God, let all the peoples thank you (יוֹד֖וּךָ עַמִּ֥ים)! (Ps 67:3, 5) (among many other examples). #dispreferred
 - <Temple Setting of Ps 100>: Ps 100 is set in and around the Israelite temple, pointing to Israel, not all nations, as the implied addressee.
  + [Entrance to temple]: The psalm calls on the addressees to "enter before the Him" (בֹּ֥אוּ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו) (v. 2) and "enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise" (בֹּ֤אוּ שְׁעָרָ֨יו ׀ בְּתוֹדָ֗ה חֲצֵרֹתָ֥יו בִּתְהִלָּ֑ה) (v. 4).    
  <_ <Nations Invited In>: The nations are elsewhere invited into the temple to worship the God of Israel. #dispreferred
   + [E.g. Ps 96:7-8]: Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples (מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים), ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts (שְׂאֽוּ־מִ֝נְחָ֗ה וּבֹ֥אוּ לְחַצְרוֹתָֽיו)! #dispreferred
   + [E.g. Isa 56:6-7]: “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
		to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
		and to be his servants (עֲבָדִ֑ים)....
7 	these I will bring to my holy mountain,
		and make them joyful in my house of prayer (בְּבֵ֣ית תְּפִלָּתִ֔י);
	 their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
		will be accepted on my altar;
	 for my house shall be called a house of prayer
		for all peoples (כִּ֣י בֵיתִ֔י בֵּית־תְּפִלָּ֥ה יִקָּרֵ֖א לְכָל־הָעַמִּֽים).” #dispreferred
   + [Nations Invited In]: Isa 2:2-3; 19:21-25; 66:18-23; Jer 3:17-18; Mic 4:1-2; Zech 14:9-21; Ps 68:30-33. #dispreferred
 - <Thanksgiving Ceremony>: The implied setting of an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony points to Israel as the addressee, not all nations. 
  + [Thanksgiving Ceremony]: See Argument Map 1.

3. Israel with All Nations as Rhetorical Addressee of v. 1b (Preferred)

This argument map will present a way to integrate the two interpretations presented above. This involves adapting the first interpretation, still reading Israel as the addressee of the whole psalm, but understanding all nations to be the rhetorical addressee of v. 1b. The arguments for this interpretation are as follows:

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[Addressee = Israel with All Nations as Rhetorical Addressee of v. 1b]: The addressee throughout all of Ps 100 is exclusively the people of Israel. In v. 1b, all nations are only the rhetorical addressee, and Israel remains the real addressee (Kraus 1993, 274 :C:). 
 + <Israel = Addressee>: At least three elements of Ps 100 point to Israel as the addressee of the whole psalm: the implied setting of the thanksgiving ceremony, the common Israelite worship language, and the implied temple setting.
  + <Thanksgiving Ceremony>: The implied setting of an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony points to Israel as the addressee.
   + [Thanksgiving Ceremony]: See Argument Map 1.
  + <Israelite Worship Language>: Ps 100 is full of words commonly associated with Israelite worship of YHWH, pointing to Israel as the addressee. 
   + [Israelite Worship Language]: See Argument Map 1.  
  + <Temple Setting of Ps 100>: Ps 100 is set in and around the Israelite temple, pointing to Israel as the implied addressee. 
   + [Temple Setting of Ps 100]: See Argument Map 1. 
 + <All Nations as Rhetorical Addressee of v. 1b>: The words "Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth" take all nations as their rhetorical addressee to assert to the real addressee Israel that YHWH is worthy of receiving the joyful shouts of all the earth. 
  + <כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ = All Nations>: The phrase כָּל־הָאָרֶץ "all the earth" refers specifically to all nations of the earth.
   + [כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ = All Nations]: See Argument Map 2.
  + <Rhetorical Addressee in Hebrew Literature>: It is common in ancient Hebrew literature to compose words addressed to a 'rhetorical addressee' who is not physically present, in order to make an assertion to a different 'real' audience. 
   + <Oracles Against the Nations>: Oracles against the nations in the prophetic literature are a common example of rhetorical addressees. The prophets do not physically address the foreign nations, but perform a dramatic address to them to convey a message to their real audience, the people of Israel (Hayes 1968 :A:; Nysse 1995 :A:).
    + [E.g. Ezek 27:1-3]: "The word of the LORD came to me: Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre, and say to Tyre... 'O Tyre...'". Oracles against the nations occur for example in Isa 13-23; Jer 46-51; Ezek 25-31; Amos 1. 
   + <All Nations in the Psalms>: All nations are often taken as a rhetorical addressee, especially throughout the psalms. 
    + [All Nations in the Psalms]: For example, Psalms 47, 49, 66, 96, 98, and 117, among more, seem to be addressed entirely to the rhetorical addressee of all nations. Other psalms take all nations as their rhetorical addressee for only a portion of the psalm (e.g. Ps 68:33). 
  + <Complex Speech Act>: When there is both a rhetorical addressee and a real addressee, it is possible to discern a logical progression in the speech act. In the case of Ps 100:1 this begins with a second person imperative addressed calling all nations to "shout joyfully to YHWH". However, as all nations are not physically present, this can be reconstrued as volitional wish that all nations should shout joyfully. The message, then, to Israel, is that YHWH is worthy of receiving the joyfully shouts of all the earth (Kraus 1993, 274 :C:).
+ <Coherence>: Reading Ps 100 as addressed to to Israel with all nations as the rhetorical addressee offers a coherent explanation to both the elements of the psalm that point to Israel as the audience (thanksgiving ceremony, common Israelite worship language etc...) and the vocative address to 'all nations' in v. 1b. 

Conclusion

The first two interpretations presented above each have their strengths and weaknesses. Reading the psalm as (1) addressed only to Israel correlates well with the elements pointing to a thanksgiving ceremony, but doesn't plausibly interpret the vocative address to כָּל־הָאָרֶץ in v. 1b. Meanwhile, reading the psalm as (2) addressed only to all nations correlates well with the vocative address to כָּל־הָאָרֶץ in v. 1b, but doesn't do justice to the elements pointing to an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony.

A plausible way to resolve the two interpretations above is to adapt the first interpretation, still reading Israel as the addressee of the whole psalm, but understanding all nations to be the rhetorical addressee of v. 1b, involving a complex speech act rhetorically calling all nations of the earth to "shout joyfully to YHWH", in proclaiming the worthiness of YHWH to Israel, the real addressee. This then correlates both to the elements of the psalm pointing to an Israelite thanksgiving ceremony (e.g. the superscription, the common Israelite worship language, and the temple setting), and to the the natural reading of כָּל־הָאָרֶץ in v. 1b as referring to all nations. This reading corresponds to the common usage of rhetorical addressees throughout Hebrew literature, and especially to similar addresses to all nations in the psalms.

Ultimately, this interpretation then embeds this psalm within ancient Israelite worship, calling Israel to "enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise" (v. 4). However, it may be possible that the author intentionally composed this psalm to be ambiguous in its addressee. Other than the words כָּל־הָאָרֶץ "all the earth", every word in the psalm points most naturally to Israel, but can also plausibly be read as pointing to all nations, who are also called "bring an offering and enter his courts" (Ps 96:8). For further exploration of the possibility of intentional poetic ambiguity between Israel and all nations here.

Research

Translations

As this issue focuses on the participants being referred to throughout this psalm, translations have not been provided here. For a list of translations of Ps 100, both ancient and modern, see Psalm 100 Translations.

Secondary Literature

Bratcher, Robert G., and William D. Reyburn. 1991. 'A Handbook on Psalms. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

DeClaisse-Walford, Nancy L., Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner. 2014. The Book of Psalms. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Delitzsch, Franz. 1877. Biblical Commentary on the Psalms: Vol. 3. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

Filimonova, Elena, ed. 2005. Clusivity: Typology and Case Studies of the Inclusive-Exclusive Distinction. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Gunkel, Hermann. 1926. Die Psalmen. 4th ed. Göttinger Handkommentar Zum Alten Testament 2. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

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

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

Jeremias, Jörg. 1987. Das Königtum Gottes in den Psalmen : Israels Begegnung mit dem kanaanäischen Mythos in den Jahwe-König-Psalmen. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Kraus, Hans-Joachim. 1993. Psalms 60-150: A Continental Commentary. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress.

Leslie, Elmer. 2012. The Psalms: Translated and Interpreted in the Light of Hebrew Life and Worship. Nashville; New York: Abingdom Press.

Lohfink, Norbert. 1990. “Die Universalisierung der ‘Bundesformel’ in Ps 100,3.” ThPh 65: 172–83.

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.

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

VanGemeren, Willem A. 2008. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms. Edited by Tremper Longman and David E. Garland. Rev. ed. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

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References

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