Give Thanks – Psalm 136

Here in the US, we will once again celebrate Thanksgiving Day. It is a time to give thanks for the blessings we have received and to spend time with family and friends.

While it is good to set aside one day each year to give thanks to God for all His blessings, Scripture reminds us that this is the daily attitude of the Christian. Psalm 136 gives us a framework of why we give thanks to God: The Lord’s love endures forever.

Verses 1- 3 remind us to give thanks to the Lord for who He is, namely, He is the God of gods, which means that He is the true God above all the deities of false religions; and He is the Lord of Lords, which means He is the true God above all other authorities.

Verses 4-9 remind us to praise God for the goodness and love He expresses in His creation. All the good things we see are made by him.

Verses 10-16 remind us to praise the work of redemption in delivering His people from slavery in Egypt. V17-22 reminds us to give thanks to God for giving His people the Promised Land.

And the Psalm ends, reminding us that God remembers us in our low estate, He is the one who gives food to all flesh, and we give thanks to Him as the God of heaven for His love endures forever.

As you finalize preparations for your Thanksgiving Day get-together and family dinner, take a moment to give thanks for your life, your skills and abilities, and the things God has provided for you. In addition to all the blessings we enjoyed from Him, the God of Heaven has given us Jesus to rescue us from our lowly conditions – our sinful condition. In Jesus, we have a right relationship with God, and our sins have been forgiven!

Friends, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Be encouraged, my friends.