Psalm 100:5
“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Psalm 100 closes with the grounds for all its calls to worship. Verse 5 declares God's goodness, everlasting mercy, and generation-spanning faithfulness.
What Does Psalm 100:5 Mean?
This verse caps the psalm of thanksgiving by giving the ultimate reasons for praise, and it does so with three unshakable statements about God. "The LORD is good" comes first -- goodness is the bedrock of His character, the quality that makes Him trustworthy and worthy of worship. Everything the psalm has called for rests on this simple, vast truth.
Then come two affirmations about the duration of God's faithfulness. "His mercy is everlasting" -- His steadfast love has no expiration; it does not run out or wear thin with time. And "his truth endureth to all generations" -- His faithfulness reaches from one generation to the next, so that those who worship today rely on the same reliable God their ancestors knew and their descendants will know. The word "for" at the start of the verse ties it to all the calls to praise that came before: we make a joyful noise, enter His gates with thanksgiving, and bless His name because of who He is. This verse anchors worship in God's character rather than in changing feelings or circumstances. God is good, His mercy never ends, and His faithfulness never fails across the generations -- and that is reason enough for praise that never stops.
In the Original Language
"Good" renders the Hebrew tov; "mercy" is chesed, steadfast covenant love; and "truth" is emunah, faithfulness or reliability, here said to endure dor vador, from generation to generation.
Cross References
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
- Psalm 107:1
“It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”
- Lamentations 3:22
“For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.”
- Psalm 117:2
Application
Anchor your worship in God's unchanging character: because He is good, His mercy never ends, and His faithfulness spans every generation, you always have reason to praise.