Our God is thanksworthy...

Our God is thanksworthy. (I made that word up!) You ought to thank him multiple times every day. I ought to do the same. His praise should be, as David put it in Psalm 34, continually on our lips. We are commanded in the Bible to “Be joyful always; [to] pray continually; [and to] give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)

Can you do those things? Can you be filled with joy at what God has done? Can you pray as often as your God comes to mind? Can you give thanks to him even in the difficult times? I challenge you – and me – to at least try? As I said, our God is thanksworthy!

The writers of the psalms knew that. Over and over David and Asaph and others give thanks to God. They acknowledge his goodness and love toward them. They honor him for who he is and what he has done.

Psalm 7:17, “I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” (NIV)

If David praised God for his righteousness, we ought to praise him even more. He has made that righteousness available to us through faith in Jesus. We are made right in God’s sight when we believe. We are saved not by our own goodness, but by Christ’s.

Psalm 28:7, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” (NIV)

God protects you and me. He watches over us. When we see it and when we don’t. We trust in him. We must thank him for his help.

Psalm 30:11-12, “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.” (NIV)

When things are darkest, God gives us hope. He rescues us from depression. He restores joy. His goodness ought to be spoken. Thank him for the many ways he has rescued you.

All of Psalm 100 shouts out thanks.

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (NIV)

God made us. We belong to him. We are his people because of his grace. That’s worth a little thanksgiving.

Psalm 106:47, “Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.” (NIV)

Our God, in love, sent his Son to die for us. He did it so that all who believe will not perish but have everlasting life. We who will live with God forever because of our Savior’s death have every reason to give thanks. He has gathered us from this nation. He is gathering others from every nation, tribe and language group. Praise his name!

Psalm 107:1, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (NIV)

Has God been good to you? What has he done in your life? What has he seen you through? Whatever it is that he has done, it deserves a loud and heartfelt “Thank you!”

Psalm 118:21, “I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.” (NIV)

God has answered your prayers, hasn’t he? Maybe even this week, you’ve heard a “Yes” from him. Thank him for every answer. Thank him for your salvation.

Psalm 119:62, “At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws.” (NIV)

Giving thanks to God is not always what I think of when I’m awake at midnight, but maybe it should be. What better time to praise him than in the darkest times of our lives! When we are saved from heartache through obedience to his word, we give thanks to him. His righteous laws protect us every day in ways we don’t even comprehend.

There are more words of thanks in the psalms, a dozen or more additional passages, but these will suffice. These few set our hearts in the right direction – toward Heaven, the eternal home of God and of all who believe. They set our eyes on the right one – our great King who will for all eternity be praised by angels and saints alike.

Will you praise him now? Will you thank him? He is good!

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