Praise the Lord. I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.6 He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. 7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
There is no one who has more songs of praise and thanksgiving in the Bible than King David. He really should be a D since I am going by first names, but there are no D’s in THANKS and it wouldn’t fit the acrostic and I didn’t want to leave him out. One gives thanks through music and words. One of the songs we read is David’s expression of publicly giving thanks to the Lord.
As is the case with all true thanksgiving the King centers and begins his praise focused on the giver more than the gift. His heart is full of love and is lifting up the Lord with all his heart. He reminds us of the works of God and how great He is in providing them. His deeds are glorious and majestic. His righteousness endures forever.
Kings get a lot of praise and honor, but King David reminds us of how gracious God is. He recognizes the Lord’s love and compassion. That is who He is. Isn’t that a good way to start your prayer praising God for His character and personhood? All God’s works are to be praised. He does supply.
Food is always a focus of our daily thanksgiving and prayer. Most say grace before meals. That means we realize the grace of God in providing daily provisions.
This Tuesday our churches came together for a Thanksgiving service. Songs, music, and worship are important elements to honor God corporately. To read His Word and reflect on His truths are part of services for thousands of years. In worship and in church He is the focus of our fellowship. Typically, Thanksgiving services come after the harvest. People see the bounty of His goodness in the fruit of the labors.
This song of King David is an acrostic poem. The lines begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Can you think of reasons to thank and praise the Lord as you go through the alphabet. Think of His character as well as ways He is taking care of you.
To God be the glory.
Dale
