Psalm 100 A Psalm for Thanksgiving

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.  Psalm 100 A Psalm for Thanksgiving

Next week our nation pauses once again to give thanks. And one would assume that because of the example of our forefathers, and because we today have so much, that we would be an extremely thankful people.  But it is often just the opposite, isn't it? The more we get, the less thankful we become, the less mindful of God we become, and the more we want.  I think that the 100th Psalm was written to deal with that attitude, to remind us of our need to be thankful, and to maintain an attitude of gratitude. 

The Basis for Thanksgiving–The 100th Psalm was written for the people of Israel. God said to them, "When you come into the Promised Land and settle down in your warm homes, and you have plenty to eat, don't forget Me. I led you out of the wilderness and I brought you into a land flowing with milk and honey." But it doesn't take very long to realize that the people of Israel needed a reminder, and I am afraid that we need it, too.  Maybe God had us in mind, too, when this Psalm was written. Did you notice to whom it is addressed? The first verse says that it is addressed to "all the earth,"and the last verse says that it is includes "all generations."  This message of thanksgiving is so deep and wide that it applies to every person in every era in every stage of life.  There is something about giving thanks together to God that breaks down barriers between people and brings about a unity. 

There is a real danger in this season of determining our thanksgiving on the basis of how much we have.  "Do I have enough turkey to gorge myself sufficiently? Is my money in the bank secure? Am I healthy?"And we let these things determine whether we are or aren't thankful. 

The Psalmist says that all of these things may change at any time. They may drift away, or burn up, or someone may steal them. The only thing we have for sure is our relationship with the Lord.  And that is what the 100th Psalm emphasizes. Just scan the Psalm. In vs. 1 you'll find the name of the Lord. In vs. 2 you'll find the name of the Lord. In vs. 3 you'll find the name of the Lord. In vs. 4 it says, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving." And in vs. 5 you'll find the name of the Lord. The basis of our thanksgiving is the Lord. 

Take this time during this season to focus on your relationship with the Lord.  Focus on what you have and not what you don’t have, acknowledging how He provides for us and meets our needs.  Don’t let what is not important dictate the level of gratefulness you show in your relationship with Him.  This is the time to remember that we got here with the help of God, and that He is the provider of every blessing we have.

Scripture to Claim:
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!  Psalm 118:28-29