Xanthe Hancox

Shout for joy to theLord, all the earth. Worship theLordwith gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that theLord is God.  Psalm 100:1-3a

"All People That on Earth Do Dwell" is probably the oldest hymn in common use today. The words were written by William Kethe around 1562. His name appears on the lists of Marian Exiles, Protestants from England who fled to Europe during the reign of the Roman Catholic Queen Mary I. His exile took him first to Frankfurt, Germany and then to Geneva where he helped with the translation of the Geneva Bible in 1560.

The tune is also hundreds of years old. It’s called "Old 100th" or "Old Hundredth" and is one of the best known melodies in all Christian musical traditions. The tune is usually attributed to the French composer Loys Bourgeois (c.1510 – c.1560).

Kethe’s words are based on Psalm 100. You can see that the first verse follows the opening lines quite closely:

All people that on earth do dwell,

Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.

Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell;

Come ye before Him and rejoice.

Many psalms are full of praise and thanksgiving but only Psalm 100 has the precise inscription "A psalm. For giving grateful praise" attached to it. Notice that this psalm is addressed to the whole earth, not just the people of Israel. This reminds us that the Lord is God over all the earth, and all the earth’s inhabitants owe him their praise, their shouts of joy and cheerful songs.

Did you shout for joy when your rugby team scored a brilliant try? Or do you sing with a cheerful voice when it’s a loved one’s birthday? Now ask yourself – do you respond to God’s mercy with the same expressions of joy?

Let this ancient hymn be a reminder to us this morning to give thanks. The Lord is God, we are his people and each of us owes him our praise, worship, and adoration.

Prayer: Forgive me, Father, for being light on thanksgiving. I am truly sorry.  Thank you for all your good gifts; for daily bread, for life, for the love of family and friends, and for the opportunities to reflect your love into the lives of others. Amen

Listen to ‘All people that on earth do dwell’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0hvizFZf5Q