Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving

The Posture, The Perspective, and The Practice of Thanksgiving

In this series, we are walking through Psalm 100 to see how we can truly enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. This Psalm teaches us how to approach God:

We are to come before Him with:

1) Joy in our hearts – The Posture of Thanksgiving

2) Humility in our minds – The Perspective of Thanksgiving, and

3) Praise on our lips – The Practice of Thanksgiving

Last week in Part 2: The Perspective of Thanksgiving, we discovered that seeing God correctly changes how we see everything else. Psalm 100:3 reminded us of the lens through which thanksgiving must be viewed:

1) Humility begins with recognition — “Know that the Lord, He is God.” We recognize He alone reigns supreme.

2) Humility recognizes divine ownership — “It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves.” He made us and we belong to Him. We are His creation, He formed us. We didn’t make ourselves, so our gratitude is not self-centered; it’s Creator-centered.

3) Humility embraces relationship — “We are His people.” He has claimed us as His own.

4) Humility sees from the right view — “The sheep of His pasture.” We rest under His care, provision, and protection. 

Part 3: The Practice of Thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4-5)

The psalmist tells us exactly what this practice looks like:

·     Enter – that means you come with intention

·     Give thanks – that means you acknowledge His goodness

·     Offer praise – that means you express what you believe

·     Bless His name – that means you exalt who He is

Hebrews 13:15, Psalm 34:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Ephesians 5:20

The Psalmist moves us from the why to the how. How do we come before God? By entering with thanksgiving and praise, the activity of thanksgiving. Joy is how we come. Humility is how we think. Praise is what we do. 

5 Key Truths about Living a Life of Praise

1) Thanksgiving is the Entry Point – Praise is the Experience

2) Praise is the Overflow of a Thankful Heart

3) Praise is Rooted in God’s Unchanging Nature (v. 5)

4) Praise Transforms Perspective

5) Praise is a Daily Practice, Not a Holiday Tradition

1. Thanksgiving Is the Entry Point — Praise Is the Experience v.4a

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. 

This refers to the entrance of the temple, it starts at the door. The Hebrew word for “enter” (bo) means to come with purpose. The word for “thanksgiving” (todah) refers to extension of hands in gratitude.  In the temple layout, there were gates, courts, and finally, the holy place. The gate is the first place they arrive. Thanksgiving is what allows the believer to enter into God’s presence. Thanksgiving is the doorway.  The courts (chatsar) were the inner gathering spaces where worship happened. Thanksgiving gets you in, and praise carries you further.  

Biblical Example: Jesus & The Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19)

2. Praise Is the Overflow of a Thankful Heart v. 4b

The psalmist commands, “Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” The Hebrew word for “bless” (barak) means to kneel, to bow, or to speak well of. It’s both an attitude of reverence and an act of adoration. To bless God’s name is to proclaim His character - saying, “God, You are faithful, merciful, good, and true.”  

Biblical Example: David before the Ark (2 Samuel 6:12-15)

3. Praise Is Rooted in God’s Unchanging Nature (Psalm 100:5)

5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endures to all generations.

Here the psalmist grounds praise in God’s character, not in our circumstances. The psalmist ends by giving us three powerful reasons for our continual praise to God:

1.   The Lord is good. - His Character

God’s nature never changes.  Goodness doesn’t describe what God does, it describes who God is.

Nahum 1:7

2.   His mercy is everlasting. - His Covenant Love

God’s mercy, His steadfast love (chesed) never runs out. The Hebrew word chesed speaks of God’s covenant love, steadfast, loyal, unending. 

Lamentations 3:22–23

3.   His truth endures to all generations. - His Consistency

In a world that changes daily, God’s truth stands forever. His faithfulness doesn’t fade with time or culture. His faithfulness is for all generations. Generations change but God doesn’t.

Malachi 3:6, Psalm 145:4

Biblical Examples: Moses and the Song of Deliverance (Exodus 15:1-3, 11)

Paul & Silas in Prison (Acts 16:25-26)

4. Praise Transforms Our Perspective

Thanksgiving changes what you look at. Praise changes how you look at it. 

Isaiah 61:3 says God gives us: “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” 

Biblical Example: Jehosophat and the Choir (2 Chronicles 20:20-22)

Jonah in the Fish (Jonah 2:1, 9-10)

5. The Practice of Thanksgiving Is Daily, Not Seasonal

Psalm 100 says, “Enter…be thankful..bless His name.” These are present-tense, ongoing commands. 

Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Thanksgiving is a daily discipline, a lifestyle of praise. When you practice thanksgiving daily, you develop spiritual muscle memory and your heart learns to turn to God in gratitude no matter what happens.  

Biblical Examples: Daniel (Daniel 6:10) and The Early Church (Acts 2: 46-47)

In Part 1: The Posture of Thanksgiving (Psalm 100:1-2) We discovered that thanksgiving begins with how we stand before God.

·     Joyful noise – Your praise should be heard

·     Glad Service – your service should reflect your gratitude

·     Grateful Singing – Your expression should reveal your appreciation.

In Part 2: The Perspective of Thanksgiving (Psalm 100:3) We learned that thanksgiving deepens when our perspective changes. The psalmist says:

·     “Know that the Lord, He is God.”

·     “It is He that made us.”

·     “We are His people.”

·     “The sheep of His pasture.”

In Part 3: The Practice of Thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4-5) We learned that thanksgiving must become a daily practice.

·     Enter His gates with thanksgiving – that’s the entry point

·     Enter His courts with praise – that’s the experiences

·     Bless His name – that’s the expression

And why do we praise thanksgiving? Because (v. 5):

·     The Lord is good – His character

·     His mercy is everlasting – His covenant love

·     His truth endures to all generations – His consistency

When you put all three parts together, you discover the full journey of a thankful believer:

·     Posture – How we come before God – Joy

·     Perspective – How we see God and ourselves – Humility

·     Practice – How we live before God every day – Praise