Tag: praise

Psalm 136: Give Thanks… 

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

img_3747Try reading this psalm aloud to really enjoy the flow. If you have Thanksgiving dinner guests, let them repeat the refrain. Later, write your own psalm following the same pattern or gather with family and friends to write a unique to psalm to God.  Most importantly enjoy your Thanksgiving Day, giving thanks to your God!

1. Give thanks because our God is above all others.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,      For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Who are you giving thanks to?  When we know who God is, really know Him, we are better able to give thanks to Him. The psalmist went back to Moses’ words in Deuteronomy, calling on those who heard or sang this psalm to remember to whom they were giving thanks. We to need to remember and give thanks for our Savior and our Lord (Jude 1:25) and the One who is coming as the “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”.

“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.” Deuteronomy 10:17-18

2. Give thanks because He is our great Creator

4 To Him who alone does great wonders,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

5 To Him who made the heavens with skill,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

6 To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

7 To Him who made the great lights,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

8 The sun to rule by day,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

9 The moon and stars to rule by night,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

What do you find most inspiring about our created world? I love the beauty of the sunsets. As much as I enjoy viewing them, I can’t create them on my own. When the psalmist writes “To Him who alone…”, he means that God in a class of His own. No one, absolutely no one can do the works that He can. Job describes God as the one…

Who does great things, unfathomable,

And wondrous works without number. Job 9:10

3. Give thanks because He keeps His covenant promises.

10 To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

11 And brought Israel out from their midst,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

13 To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

15 But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

17 To Him who smote great kings,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

18 And slew mighty kings,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

20 And Og, king of Bashan,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

21 And gave their land as a heritage,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

22 Even a heritage to Israel His servant,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

 Long before the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, God told Abraham that it would happen, and how they would be brought out of Egypt. The psalmist was reminding the people that the Lord had acted on their behalf just as He had promised Abraham He would do (Genesis 15:13-14). How does God care for us? Has He made promises to us? A few of the promises we have in the new covenant are…by faith in Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of our sins (Eph 1:7), the Holy Spirit living within us (Romans 5:5) and peace with God (Romans 5:1).

…joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 1:11b-12

4. Give thanks for His loving care.

23 Who remembered us in our low estate,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

24 And has rescued us from our adversaries,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

25 Who gives food to all flesh,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,     For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

God remembered His people when they were slaves in Egypt and rescued them just as He had promised. The same God remembers us when we are slaves to sin (John 8:34) and provides a means of rescuing (John 8:36) us. We too need to give thanks to Him alone, because He is the one and only God of heaven.

For His lovingkindness is everlasting!

Ps. 138: Give thanks with all your heart

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This is second in a series on Thankful Psalms. The first post:   Psalm 100: Joyful Thanksgiving.

How thankful are you really? Were you thankful yesterday when all went your way…but not so much today when everything seems to go against you? Too often we are thankful for things that are here today and gone tomorrow, instead of giving thanks for what is eternal.

David understood trouble, yet he was determined to remain thankful with his whole heart trusting God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness.

Psalm 138

1.  “I will give You thanks with all my heart;

I will sing praises to You before the gods.

2. I will bow down toward Your holy temple

And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;

For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.

3. On the day I called, You answered me;

You made me bold with strength in my soul.”

Verses 1 – 3:  With all my heart…

Note the repeated use of “I will…”. David showed whole hearted allegiance to God. He praised God before the gods. (This could refer to the false gods or earthly rulers.) And humbled himself by bowing down toward the place where God dwelt. He gave thanks, not just for what God had done, but to His name and for His lovingkindness and truth.

David called out to God…maybe in fear of his enemies or frustration of his circumstances. God’s answer gave David boldness, courage within to endure and stand strong whatever life’s difficulties.

Today, let your thankfulness be whole hearted, not half hearted…singing His praises before the false gods of our society and humbly bowing down while lifting up your voice in praise to our God’s great name! Call on God and let His answer give you strength within to stand strong in spite of the difficulties facing you today!

4. “All the kings of the earth will give thanks to You, O Lord,

When they have heard the words of Your mouth.

5. And they will sing of the ways of the Lord,

For great is the glory of the Lord.

6. For though the Lord is exalted,

Yet He regards the lowly,

But the haughty He knows from afar.

Verses 4 – 6:  All will give thanks…

David was confident when the kings of the earth heard God’s words, they too would offer thanks and sing of the ways of the Lord. David was not ashamed to speak of God’s testimonies before kings (Psalm 119:46), because he understood the greatness of the glory of God. Even though, God is exalted, He still has regard for the lowly (the poor, humble). God will keep His distance from the haughty (those who think highly of themselves). As the proverb says…”though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted” (Proverbs 3:34).

Let this be an encouragement to you when you humbly serve God – even though others may look down or criticize, God is aware and will give you grace (James 4:6).

7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;

You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

And Your right hand will save me.

8. The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;

Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting;

Do not forsake the works of Your hand

Verses 7 – 8:  Praise for what God will do…

Even as David offered up this psalm of thanksgiving and praise, he was in the midst of trouble or knew he soon would be. He was trusting that God would deal with the wrath of his enemies and save him. More than that, David believed the Lord would revive or restore his life and ultimately accomplish His purpose for his life. David based his trust in the Lord’s everlasting lovingkindness.

We will face many different troubles in this life. Like David, we too must trust that God will fulfill His good purpose for our lives, through His everlasting lovingkindness.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6