Psalm 138- Of David.
“I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. I called, on the day, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD. For though the LORD is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”
On this Thanksgiving week consider the text above for a moment. David begins by revealing for us what he does in prayer before our God, “I give you thanks… I bow down… I called” so that we can “see” an example of actions and the posture of heart we should take before the LORD of Glory.
First thing out of the gate for David is, “I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise…” Giving thanks is a characteristic that every one of us should display from the beginning of the day until the end of it. Also, as an expression of our wholeheartness we are to be expressing our thankfulness publically. “Before the gods…” is an expression of his public thanks before angels, and all men made in the image of God. He holds nothing back unashamed of what others might think of his expression of thanks and faith.
Next we see, David the king of Israel, submitting to his God by bowing before Him who resides in His heavenly temple again giving thanks to Him for His steadfast love and faithfulness… and the fact that God exalts His own Name and His own Word above all…giving us an example to do the same. And then as he is bowed before His LORD and King he calls to Him for strength and God grants it…yet another thing to thank God for throughout the day.
The DAY will come when all the kings of the earth will give thanks for they have heard the word of His mouth. That is, the Spirit will enabled them as believers to hear. “By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and tits gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.” *(Rev. 2:24-26)
Even when life gets hard and the day dark we have much to thank Him for: He preserves our life, He stretches out His arm against all our enemies within and without, by His right hand He delivers us and He will fulfill His purpose for us because, “…your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.”
And just to make sure we get the point David uses God’s precious covenantal name, Yahweh/LORD, 7 times in this text so we can know He is certainly on the job doing as He has promised from the beginning.
God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
