Devotions

Give Thanks To The Lord

November 27, 2020

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart.  I will recount all of our wonderful deeds.  I will be glad and exult in you.  I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1-2

In our family growing up, My day would have everyone around the table share what we were thankful for.   Let us remember to thank God each day.  One way to thank God is through our praise.

The Old Testament uses three words for praise:  for the Israelites to praise God

  1. Barak – bless
  2. halal – Hallelujah – praise the Lord
  3. yada – sometimes means give thanks

I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness
And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. Psalm 7:17

A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.
I will bless the LORD at all times;  His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  Psalm 31:1
The Israelites praised God and gave thanks to God after they crossed the Red Sea for rescuing them.  Thanked God for the Promised Land.  Deborah called the people to praise God for victory over their enemy.  When we live our lives in a way that brings honor to God, it brings praise to him.  If we would praise God acceptably, we must praise him in sincerity, with our hearts, and not only with our lips, and be lively and fervent in the duty, with our whole heart.

When we thank God with our whole heart, it just not for the good things, the good times; it is also in the trials and the hard times.  When we praise him in those times, we are showing we trust him and honor him.

God,

As we make our list of gratitude today, please bring to our minds all that we should be thankful for.  Thank you for your blessings.  You are so worthy of being praised.

Amen