Psalm 107:1
Today, we just thank God. For us, thanksgiving is not a day or season, but thanksgiving is a lifestyle. We choose to be thankful. We refuse to be ungrateful. We are resolved never to allow the troubles or temptations of this life to rob us of the joy of our salvation and of a heart full of gratitude toward our gracious heavenly Father.
Constantly, we are reminded in Scripture that it is a sin to be ungrateful. In his insightful writings to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul enlightened the recipients of his letter concerning the Spirit-filled life and declares, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). He also restates a similar message to the saints at Thessalonica by saying, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess.5:18). In fact, not to be grateful in all our circumstances is to flagrantly disregard the command of Scriptures. As His redeemed fellowship of believers, we profusely thank Him for every single, minute blessing. This is a message worthy of repeating and restating!
In Psalm 107, the theme of thanksgiving is made abundantly clear. From the outset, the author cries out as he reviews Israel’ s miraculous redemption from Babylonian captivity, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (v.1 NKJV). As he documents their return from captivity, the reader catches a glimpse of the magnitude of the miracle described in the chapter and begins to comprehend his insistence on giving thanks throughout the chapter (vv. 1, 8, 15, 21, 31). The truth is, no one can fully appreciate what God has done in their lives, without truly giving God exuberant praise and being intensely grateful. Consequently, this verse serves as a proper refrain found after each well-defined section of the chapter – “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!”
Throughout the chapter, the Psalmist describes Israel’s desolate years. In verse 4 to 9, he describes Israel as a person lost in the Desert. In verse 10 to 16, he depicts Israel as a person locked in a Dungeon. In the third section, he portrays Israel as a person lying on a Deathbed (17-22). Finally, Israel is illustrated as a person lashed on the Deep (23-32). However, he contends, every time Israel cried unto the Lord and repented of their sins and backslidings, God in His mercy saved them and brought them out of all their distresses. They cried and He delivered.
Almost like clockwork, this verse is also repeated throughout the Psalm, “Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses” (vv. 6,13,19, 28). It is more than inferred that for every dilemma, there is a deliverance; for every storm, there is calm; for every displacement, there is a replacement; for every ordeal, there is release and after every night of weeping, joy returns in the morning. He transformed their barrenness into beauty and their sobs into songs. It is the psalm of a soul set free.
No wonder the Psalmist refused to stop calling on all of humankind to praise Him and to perpetually thank Him for all His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men. This Church is no exception. We sincerely thank the Lord for this another reminder to thank and praise His name for His goodness toward every single one of us. We especially thank Him for His grace and for graciously forgiving us of all our iniquities. We thank Him for our families. We thank Him for real friends. We thank Him for all our loved ones and near ones. We thank Him for the community of the beloved. We thank Him for health and healing. We thank Him that things could have been worse. Thank Him for His divine protection and love, that every time we went down, we came back up. For making a way for us and for every blessing, we declare, Father, we thank you. “Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever!”
Leroy V. Greenaway
Presiding Bishop – Northeast Region
