Psalm 118:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.”
This psalm starts off with an exhortation to give thanks to the LORD. Of course, we have so much for which we can give God thanks. But what are we to thank the LORD for in this verse? We are to thank Him for His mercy: “because his mercy endureth for ever.”
Mercy is not getting what we deserve. We should be giving thanks to God for what He has not given us! Most of the time, we are not even aware of the mercy that He is showing us every day. We are unaware because we compare ourselves to others around us and think that we are not so bad. But if we just take the time to see ourselves in the light of God’s perfection, we will realize a small part of the mercy the LORD extends to us every day.
Maybe you haven’t received something for which you’ve been praying for three weeks. Maybe you’ve been waiting even longer for something specific from God’s hand. You still have abundant reason to give God thanks-thank Him for not giving you what you deserve!
Notice the personal nature of this thanksgiving: Verse 2 exhorts Israel to give God thanks; verse 3 exhorts “the house of Aaron” to repeat this praise. Then verse 4 includes all of us: “Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.” This includes me! This whole psalm is full of the personal pronouns my, mine, and me. Verse 14 refers to God as “my strength,” and “my salvation.” Verse 21 says, “I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.” Though this song was sung as a group, it was meant to come from each heart personally.
Christian, don’t allow yourself to just be carried along with the mass of believers in your church or Christian ministry without possessing a growing personal relationship with your Lord. Can you see God’s mercy in your own life? You must see it before you can thank Him for it.
A friend of mine picked up a hitchhiker who needed a ride home-from prison, of all places. In the car, my friend shared with him the gospel. Amazingly, the hitchhiker thought he was good enough to reach heaven on his own. He was not even “good enough” to live freely in our county for a period of time, and yet he thought he would be allowed to live in God’s perfect heaven on his own! We shake our heads at his self-deception, but we are just as undeserving of heaven as he is!
So today, take some time to think of the many things you are not getting because God’s mercy endures forever. With such a merciful God, let us live each day with thanksgiving in our hearts! “O give thanks unto the LORD: for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.”
Prayer Requests:
1. Revival services tonight in Harned, KY, Hustontown, PA, and Florissant,MO
2. BRR Ladies’ Retreat this week (10/15-17)
3. Revival meetings at First Baptist Church of Santa Maria, CA this month