Meeting God in the PsalmsUzorak

Thanksgiving

Are you a grateful person, heart overflowing with thanksgiving every day?

For most of us, thanksgiving is not our native tongue. This was true for the ancient Israelites, too. The first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch, tell the incredible story of the Israelites and their rescue from slavery to the Promised Land. On their path to the Promised Land, they walked in daily miracles: water from a rock, guidance through the desert, sandals that never wore out, bread that fell from heaven, deliverance from enemies—all gifts of love from God to his children. But those gifts from God’s heart were met with suspicion, disbelief, and complaint.

The Psalms retell these stories. But there’s a huge difference in the Psalms. The soundtrack is now filled with songs of thanksgiving to God, even about the same events. In fact, one third to one half of the Psalms are filled with shouts of thanksgiving to God. Many of them tell the same story as the Pentateuch, but God’s people are now singing a new song. How did their hearts change? It’s the Psalms themselves.

The thanksgiving psalms create a heart shift, a vision shift, from self-focused grumbling to God-focused gratitude.

We need that too, don’t we?

How can we, too, make that movement from self-focused grumbling to God-focused gratitude?

By remembering.

That was the ancient Israelites’ problem: They forgot.

When God first brought them into the land, he cautioned them, “Watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live!” (Deuteronomy 4:9, NLT).

Many of the Psalms were written to help God’s people remember who he is and all he has done for them!

Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story” (NIV).

So let’s do that!

Draw Near

Read Psalm 107, which recounts four dramatic rescue stories: rescue from wandering in the desert, from darkness and prison, from sickness and rebellion, and from a storm. At the end of each of those rescues, David writes,

"Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them" - Psalm 107:8 (NLT).

What’s your rescue story? One or more of the rescues in this psalm probably describe you and what you have been rescued from. Take a few minutes now to return to Psalm 107. To enter into this psalm and experience God now, read the psalm aloud. Then choose the rescue that most describes your story. If you have time, write it out by hand. Add specific details from your own story.

When you write this kind of thing down, it creates an amazing record of what God has done. Your stories of rescue and gratitude will become a treasure.

If you don’t have time to write, then speak your gratitude and thanks aloud, and know that you are heard—and loved.

We have received many gifts and rescues from the Lord. Let us slow down for a few moments, remember, and give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love.