Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)
Psalm 136 is a powerful anthem of praise. It repeatedly declares the greatness of God in creation, His sovereignty over history, His deliverance of His people, and His constant goodness toward them.
We have certain times of the year set aside to remember and celebrate God’s blessings on holidays like Thanksgiving. We do enjoy these seasons, but far too often they become mere routine. Influenced by the world, we easily lose the right heart attitude and forget the true meaning behind them.
Many people celebrate Thanksgiving every year in October and November. They gather with family, eat turkey, enjoy good food, and then go back to living the rest of the year as if gratitude to God barely matters. But for the Christian, giving thanks should not be limited to one special day. It must be the daily attitude of our hearts. We should come before the Lord every day with gratitude for who He is and all He has done, all for His glory.
The Wrong Attitude
Throughout Scripture, God not only blesses His people but also clearly instructs them how to approach Him in worship, in celebrations, and in thanksgiving. Yet His people often fail to obey. Listen to the strong words of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah:
“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?… Bring no more futile sacrifices… Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates… When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you… Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings…” (Isaiah 1:11-16, selected)
Like Israel, many of us today gather for services, programs, and celebrations while our hearts remain far from God (Isaiah 29:13). The Lord hates empty ritual and lip service offered with unclean hands and unrepentant hearts.
In Psalm 50, God speaks personally to His people:
“Hear, O My people… I am God, your God!… Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.” (Psalm 50:7, 14)
God was not rebuking them for bringing sacrifices, but for the wrong attitude behind them. Mere religious routine is an abomination to Him (1 Samuel 15:22).
The Right Attitude
What truly pleases the Lord? A heart of love, genuine gratitude, and obedience.
As David declares in Psalm 51:
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17)
Only when we come to God empty-handed, repentant, and with a contrite heart can our worship, service, and thanksgiving be acceptable to Him. Then we can offer Him our songs, our prayers, and our daily lives in true gratitude.
When Do We Give Thanks?
We must give thanks to the Lord even when the earth shakes, when mountains seem to crumble, when material possessions are few, when health fails, when the future looks uncertain, or when loved ones are taken from us. Even then, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:11).
We ought to give thanks every single day. He gives food to all flesh and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:44-48), for His mercy endures forever.
The Puritan Thomas Watson once said: “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.”
Therefore, dear brethren, let all the earth rejoice and give thanks to the Lord not just once a year, but every day of our lives.
Soli Deo Gloria!
