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 we discovered:

1) Joy is the believer’s attitude toward God, not life’s circumstances

2) Joy is a spiritual posture of expectancy, praising God before the breakthrough comes.

3) Joy grows when we remember God’s faithfulness

4) Joy is our strength to keep thanking God when life feels heavy.

5) and Joy is contagious, spreading thanksgiving to those around us.

Part 2: The Perspective of Thanksgiving (Psalm 100:3)

Psalm 100:3 reminds us that humility is the lens that gives us that perspective. When we humble ourselves before God, we see three things clearly: who He is, who we are, and whose we are.

The Progression of Humility

1. Humility Begins with Recognition – “Know that the Lord, He is God”

2. Humility Recognizes Divine Ownership – “It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves”

3. Humility Embraces Relationship – “We are His people”

4. Humility Sees from the Right View – “the sheep of His pasture.”

1. Humility Begins with Recognition — “Know that the Lord, He is God”

Before we can thank God properly, we must first think about God correctly. True thanksgiving begins not with what we have, but with knowing who God is. The word “know” here in Hebrew is yada, and means to know, to perceive, to understand, to acknowledge. It implies a deep, intimate, and personal acquaintance with God. It is more than intellectual understanding. It means to acknowledge with reverence and submission through relationship and revelation.

Deuteronomy 4:39, Psalm 46:10

Thanksgiving grows when we remember:

God is the Creator; we are the creation.

God is the Shepherd; we are the sheep.

God is the Source; we are the recipients.

Recognition births reverence when we:

A) Recognize God's Greatness: Psalm 8:3-4, James 4:10

B) Recognize Our Dependence: John 15:5, 1 Corinthians 4:7, Micah 6:8

Biblical Example: Isaiah 6:1-5 - (Isaiah)

2. Humility Recognizes Divine Ownership — “It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves”

The foundation of thanksgiving is recognizing who made us.

Genesis 2:7, Ephesians 2:10, Psalm 139:14, Isaiah 64:8, Acts 17:28

Humility flourishes when we see that ownership belongs to God, but stewardship belongs to us.

A. God Owns it All - Deuteronomy 8:17-18, Haggai 2:8

B. We are Stewards, Not Owners - 1 Corinthians 4:2, Romans 11:36

Biblical Example: 1 Chronicles 29:10-14 (King David)

3. Humility Embraces Relationship — “We are His people”

Here the psalmist shifts from creation to covenant. This is where thanksgiving becomes personal. We are loved, chosen, and cared for by the Good Shepherd.

John 1:12, Romans 8:15-16

Humility draws us closer to God and strengthens our relationships with others.

A. Humility Draws Us Closer to God - James 4:6-8

B. Humility Strengthens Our Relationships with Others - Ephesians 4:2-3

Biblical Example: Luke 15:11-24 - (The Prodigal Son)

4. Humility Sees from the Right View – “And the sheep of His pasture”

The final image in the verse shows perspective, it shifts from people to sheep, followers fully dependent on their Shepherd. Sheep rely fully on their shepherd for direction, provision, and protection. To enter with humility is to remember that our security is not in our strength, but in the Shepherd's care.

Psalm 23:1, John 10:14, Isaiah 53:6

Biblical Example: Psalm 23 (David the Shepherd)

Psalm 100:3 gives us a full picture of a humble, thankful heart. We see the Focus, Phrase and what our Response should be:

Focus | Phrase | Our Response

Recognition | "Know that the Lord, He is God" | Worship

Ownership | "It is He that hath made us" | Dependence

Relationship | "We are His people" | Fellowship

Right View | "The sheep of His pasture" | Trust

Humility tunes the heart to sing the song of gratitude.