Introduction
This Rosary Reflection contains the words of Psalm 100, a processional hymn that invites God’s people to enter the Temple with thank offerings to God, the Creator of everything.
The Gospel Account
In Biblical times, the Temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish worship and the dwelling place of God’s presence. The people commemorated the most important feasts of the Jewish faith life in the Temple. Making a pilgrimage to the Temple was one of life’s richest blessings.
The full text of the Scripture may be found in Psalm 100: 1-5.
The Five Decades
When you pray the five decades of this Rosary Reflection, use these five moments from the Psalm. Read the verses for each decade and let the words sink in as you pray that decade.
First Decade: Shout in Joy to God (Psalm 100:1)
“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;
Second Decade: Singing in God’s Presence (Psalm 100:2)
“Worship the Lord with cries of gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”
Third Decade: Knowing We Belong to God (Psalm 100:3)
“Know that the Lord is God, our maker to whom we belong, whose people we are, God’s well-tended flock.”
Fourth Decade: Blessing God with Praise and Thanks (Psalm 100:4)
“Enter the temple gates with praise, in courts with thanksgiving. Give thanks to God, bless his name.”
Fifth Decade: Remembering God’s Enduring Love (Psalm 100:5)
“Good indeed is the Lord, whose love endures forever, whose faithfulness lasts through every age.”
What to Remember
This Psalm is about the community’s role to praise and thank God at the highest and closest place to God’s presence on earth. Visiting the Temple was a time of great joy, like visiting your best friend to celebrate life together.
As a follower of Jesus and a child of God, you can pray this psalm to thank God for Who God is: your maker to Whom you belong, a member of God’s family, One Whose faithfulness and love last forever. As you pray this rosary reflection, Mary’s and the entire Communion of Saints praise, thanks and prayers are with you, too.
What to Pray For
- For greater joy in praising and worshiping God.
- For a deeper awareness of God’s presence in you, your family, friends, and others as temples of the Holy Spirit.
- For those who unaware of God’s love and faithfulness that endures forever.
- For all worship leaders and musicians who bring the joy of song and praise to celebrate God’s presence.
Feel free to pray the rosary using this Psalm for a experience of joy over God’s enduring love.
When This Scripture Appears
Psalm 100 is found in the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament of the Bible. The psalm is used in morning and evening prayer, as well as a Responsorial Psalm at Mass during the liturgical year.
* Scripture passages are from the United Conference of Catholic Bishops website, https://usccb.org/bible“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;Blessing God with Praise and Thanks (Psalm 100:4)
