Give Thanks to the LORD

In Romans 1, Paul lays out the righteousness of God as it is displayed in His wrath toward sin (Rom 1:17-18). There are two categories here that bring God's wrath: ungodliness and unrighteousness. Ungodliness would, in essence, be a violation of the Great Commandment – "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deut 6:5; Matt 22:36-38) – and unrighteousness would be a violation of the Second Great Commandment – "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev 19:18; Matt 22:39). "On these two commandments," Jesus said, "depend the whole Law and the Prophets" (Matt 22:40). The problem, Paul said, is that people unrighteously suppress the truth about God (Rom 1:18). The outcome of this sin was immediately, "they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Rom 1:21). Notice the contrast. Either honor God and give thanks or become futile and foolish. And here you see the importance of giving thanks.

This is Thanksgiving week. On the face of it, that's a good thing, seeing how failing to give thanks has serious consequences. But one day a year seems hardly sufficient and, unfortunately, so few actually give thanks, even on Thanksgiving. We've morphed it into "Turkey day" when we gather for a meal and football. Perhaps we need to think this through better.

I'm leaving you today with a single psalm. Just one. But the theme is "Give thanks to the Lord," so it should be good ground for meditation on giving thanks. (Too long? Perhaps we're not accustomed to placing a priority on thanking God.)

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the heavens with skill,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the great lights,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting:
The sun to rule by day,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And brought Israel out from their midst,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who smote great kings,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And slew mighty kings,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting:
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And Og, king of Bashan,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And gave their land as a heritage,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
Even a heritage to Israel His servant,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Who remembered us in our low estate,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And has rescued us from our adversaries,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
Who gives food to all flesh,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psa 136)