“Give Thanks to the Lord” (Ps 136)

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

    For His mercy endures forever.
² Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
    For His mercy endures forever.
³ Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
    For His mercy endures forever: (vs1-3)

Thank God for His mercy by how you live. He says, “Give thanks to the Lord”.  We are not to take grace and live in sin, but like a child thanks a parent, like we give thanks for our food and shelter, even so, we say, “Thank you, God”, by how we live.  With our mouths, we show love and appreciation, asking God for grace to honor the mercies that we’ve received (Eph 4:1-3).

The sin of the Gentiles world was unthankfulness (Rom 1:18-27). They didn’t glorify God for what He gave them, so He gave them up to reprobate minds.  He left them filled with sin, doing all manner of evil, and purposed to meet them at the Judgment in irrevocable wrath.  But, we know that every good thing is from Him, and so we, like the Leper in Luke 17, return and glorify God, confessing to His name, and acknowledging what He has done in saving us.

If you’re thankful, then happiness is yours, for you’re recounting mercies and privileges.  Thankfulness is also how we conquer sin: we believe that God is undeservedly for us, and we shall win.

God’s mercy has given us privileges, even destroying our enemies and the exceedingly precious promises of salvation (vs4-22). He says, “To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever… To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, for His mercy endures forever; and brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy endures forever…And slew famous kings, for His mercy endures forever… And gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy endures forever; a heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy endures forever”.  Not only is He the Creator, but He is the Savior of sinners whom He’s predetermined!  He made you Israel, He gave you salvation, and He, by His power, defeated sin for you.  Just as Israel escaped Egyptian bondage by the blood of the firstborn, you and I have escaped spiritual bondage by the Only Begotten Son being slain for us. Now, He gives us the Promised Land by force, and you are saved, so PRAISE the Lord and thank Him heartily for all that He does. Without Him, you could do nothing.

People want to sin so they can be happy, but real pleasure is recounting and enjoying God’s mercies; it is receiving the truth of your riches in Christ, and then being appreciative by your own behavior.  Thankfulness is LOOKING to the gospel continually and trusting Him to make you live up to your calling to honor His Love.

Finally, thankfulness is mandatory (vs23-26)! He says, “Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever; and rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever; who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever”. Don’t ungratefully receive from His hand.  If you eat or have being, the Lord is praised for it, thanked, and loved (1 Tim 4:4-5). We are commanded, but the command is everlasting life, “for this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).  Give thanks.  Hold back nothing of His due, and glorify Him for who He is as God and what He’s done in your salvation and constant provision.  Enjoy the joy of thanksgiving, rather than pride and indifference.  Be gospel centered, moved by the love of Christ in gratitude, and you’ll have the power and presence of Christ.