​30 Days of Thanks & Praise! - Day #11

​30 Days of Thanks & Praise! - Day #11 - It’s Good to Give Thanks to the Lord (Psalm 92:1-2)

Psalm 92:1-2, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High. To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.”

The Bible speaks of these three elements of true worship.

1. The ways of worship (Psalm 92:1-3)
We may worship God in words, in songs, and in music.

2. The object of worship (Psalm 92:2)
One of the objects of worship is to proclaim God’s lovingkindness and His faithfulness.

3. The time of worship (Psalm 92:2)
Although we may worship at any time, morning and evening are the special times of worship.

We are to be consistent in gratefulness. Considering all the goodness of the Lord, it is only fitting to return to thanks to Him, especially on the Lord’s day. This involves singing praise to the name of Him who is higher than any other. There is a level of praying and praising which cannot be expressed in words. It is an activity of worship within the realm of the spirit. We are called upon to not only thank Him, but to sing praise to Him. Psalm 92:2, “To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.” Praise is due God not only on Sunday, but in fact, we should praise Him every morning as well as every night. Implied is beginning and ending the day with the Lord. Specifically, David notes praising His lovingkindness and His faithfulness. How often we take these stellar attributes of God for granted. Giving thanks is not just something that is good to do—it is our duty and privilege. It is clear that a sacrifice must consist of praise and thanks, or must at least not be without praise and thanks if it is to please God. And if it is without praise and thanks, He neither wants nor likes it, as indeed He says in Isaiah 1:11, “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.” We cannot give God anything, for everything is already His and all we have comes from Him. We can only give Him praise, thanks, and honor.

The demoniac was grateful for deliverance and told others what the Lord had done (Mark 5:19-20). David was grateful for his dear friend Jonathan and to his shepherd, the Lord, when he said that his cup was running over (Psalm 23:5). He expressed his love by caring for Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth (II Samuel 9:6). A woman washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and wiped His feet with her hair because she was grateful for His pardon and forgiveness (Luke 7:37-38). Truly grateful people show their gratefulness to others! Hebrews 13:15, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Why is "praise" a sacrifice? Have you ever praised the Lord in the presence of unsaved people? Unsaved people can intimidate you into silence by their looks, comments, and rejection of your praise. Praise Him anyway in the good times and even in the dark times. God is good to us all the time, and our thanks should be equal to His blessings and benefits. When our words and our songs are filled with gratitude, our hearts will be fixed on God as they should be. If it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, then quite obviously it is a bad thing to withhold such gratitude. It is foolish to think that failing to be thankful will not impact our lives in many negative ways.

John Wesley was about 21 years of age when he went to Oxford University. He came from a Christian home, and he was gifted with a keen mind and good looks. Yet, in those days, he was a bit snobbish and sarcastic. One night, however, something happened that set in motion a change in Wesley's heart. While speaking with a porter, he discovered that the poor fellow had only one coat and lived in such impoverished conditions that he didn't even have a bed. Yet, he was an unusually happy person, filled with gratitude to God. Wesley, being immature, thoughtlessly joked about the man's misfortunes. "And what else do you thank God for?", he said with a touch of sarcasm. The porter smiled, and in the spirit of meekness replied with joy, "I thank Him that He has given me my life and being, a heart to love Him, and above all, a constant desire to serve Him!" Deeply moved, Wesley recognized that this man knew the meaning of true thankfulness. Many years later, in 1791, John Wesley lay on his deathbed at the age of 88. Those who gathered around him realized how well he had learned the lesson of praising God in every circumstance. Despite Wesley's extreme weakness, he began singing the hymn, "I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath." The Lord was his song of praise. Praise for God graced his lips in death because he lived and served Him throughout his life. He could say the same thing as the psalmist in Psalm 119:56," This I had, because I kept thy precepts". How are you spending your life?

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