Good morning,
I give you thanks, O Lord
King David was a man who knew what it meant to be genuinely thankful. He began life as the youngest of the boys in his ordinary farming family, was given the least important role of watching the sheep, and when the prophet showed up at his father’s house, he was the last one to be called and then anointed the second king over the Jewish people. As he grew up he was hated by his brothers, hated by the reigning king that he served willingly, and spent many years running from the king and others who were trying their best to destroy him. What was so special about David was that the difficulties that he faced taught him to trust the God who took care of him, instead of hating the people who hated him. He started Psalm 138 by writing, I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. He loved the only true God with all his heart, even though his personal enemies and the nations around him all hated him and his God. David’s thanks wasn’t based on getting what he wanted. His heart felt love was based on what he had learned about his Creator God, the God who was always with him no matter how difficult or how overwhelmed he felt in obeying his given assignments. He had learned that in these hard times, As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength.(v.3)
What David and all the rest of us who have ever lived and learned to know and trust the only true God is that, Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.(v.6) All the Old Testament saints and all the New Testament saints and all those who have come to know and trust Jesus as Savior and Lord since then, including the Pilgrims who came to America and all the millions of God fearing people who have lived until today can say like David,Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.(v.7) The most important things about our lives now is not how much we have or don’t have. What is of the most wonderful part of our lives is what David said. The LORD will work out his plans for my life– for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.(v.8) Will can be sure that our Enemy will try to attack us when things go wrong from our point of view? That’s why David ended this Psalm by saying, Don't abandon me, for you made me.(v.8) When the Apostle Paul was writing to the Colossians he first said, Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Then he encouraged them to, Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.(Col.3:16) Finally he finished by saying, And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.(v.17) Dear Lord, please help us to keep our focus on you and what you are doing in our lives, and keep on relying on your Holy Spirit to give us your words and works, instead of drowning in the flood of hate and fear flowing all around us. May we be your people who can honestly say, I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart.
Psalm 138:2 - - I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.
Roy Wisner
