Shared ground
Psalm 100:4 describes worship as a purposeful approach to God, pictured as moving from “gates” into “courts.” The text explicitly pairs that approach with verbal, public-facing worship language: thanksgiving, praise, and “bless his name.” The repeated imperatives (enter, enter, give thanks, bless) make the point active and intentional rather than accidental or purely private.
The verse also makes its focus personal and directed: “give thanks to him.” Gratitude is not merely a general attitude; it is addressed to God. “Bless his name” likewise points to honoring God’s known identity and reputation, not simply feeling positive.
Where interpretation differs (only where needed)
Some read “gates” and “courts” mainly as literal references to the temple/sanctuary setting Israel would have known. Others take the same terms as poetic imagery that can describe approaching God in worship beyond a specific building.
A smaller difference concerns how to distinguish “thanksgiving” from “praise” here. Some see them as near-synonyms used for emphasis; others see “thanksgiving” as gratitude for God’s gifts and actions, and “praise” as honoring God’s character more broadly.
Why the disagreement exists
The language comes from real worship space (“gates…courts”), but the psalm itself is a short, universal call to worship, so readers differ on how tightly to tie the imagery to one location. Also, Hebrew worship vocabulary overlaps in meaning, and poetic parallel lines often repeat ideas with slight shifts.
What this passage clearly contributes
This verse contributes a clear picture of what “approach to God” looks like in Psalm 100: moving toward God with expressed gratitude and honor. Explicitly, it names the posture (thanksgiving/praise) and the target (God himself, and God’s “name” bless). The theological inference many draw—consistent with the verse’s wording—is that worship involves both access (“enter”) and response (spoken thanks and honor), not one without the other.
