On this National Day of Thanksgiving, I’m going to share some reflections on Psalm 136.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
“God is good, all the time, he put a song of thanks in the heart of mine.” How true are the words of that song in your life? If you are grateful people, to whom is that gratitude directed? Family? Employment? Nation? This Psalm begins by reminding us that our gratitude should be directed toward God.
Give thanks to the God of gods. Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
We call Him “God of gods” because He is the only true God. People try to make other things into their gods. Power. Wealth. People. Things. But there is only one true God, the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And He is to be our Lord, our master, because He is the one who is really in control. The question is whether or not we always realize that He is the one in control.
to him who alone does great wonders,
Can any of the idols people put first in their lives compare to the author of creation? Can money create the beauty of a golden sky at sunset?
who by his understanding made the heavens,
The vast expanse of the universe, which men struggle to comprehend and understand, is the handiwork of our all-powerful God.
who spread out the earth upon the waters, who made the great lights— the sun to govern the day, the moon and stars to govern the night;
We enjoy the wonders of this earth with its seas, lakes, rivers and streams. The bounty of the earth is ours to enjoy. The created lights overcome the darkness. In the same way this closest and brightest of the stars overcomes darkness for us, our loving God sent His only Son into the world, to be close to us, to overcome the darkness of sin for us. And as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so we are to reflect the light of Jesus for this world of darkness to see.
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt and brought Israel out from among them with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
The powerful story of the Exodus, in which God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, culminated with the plague on the firstborn of those who did not have the blood of the lamb over their doorways. God delivered His people from their slavery in Egypt, and through Christ has delivered us from our bondage to sin. Moses was their earthly leader, but God brought the deliverance.
to him who divided the Red Sea asunder and brought Israel through the midst of it, but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
Moses raised his staff, but God parted the waters so His people could walk across on dry ground. They walked through those two walls of water, marveling at the sight, knowing that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was with them. Their pursuers tried to follow, but part of God’s deliverance was to overwhelm the enemies of His people. In the same way, He overwhelms our enemies still today.
to him who led his people through the desert, who struck down great kings, and killed mighty kings— Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan— and gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his servant Israel;
Even though their disobedience meant the children of Israel must wander 40 years in the desert, God was still with them, in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. His people encountered enemies that wanted to destroy them. What power did they have against the God of the universe? Do you know anything about Sihon or Og? You have probably never heard of them. You never remember who came in second or third place. You remember the winner. And that is God. He is the one who gave that land to His people, just as He had promised to Abraham.
In the same way, He gives us heaven, which is not rightfully ours due to our sin and corruption and disobedience. Through faith in Jesus, we, the new chosen people of God, know that it has been given to us as our inheritance. Not something we have earned, but a gift freely given by the one whose love endures forever.
to the One who remembered us in our low estate and freed us from our enemies,
God sees us with all of our problems. He knows your hurts, your fears, your needs. And He remembers you. He is with you. Just as He was able to overcome the enemies His people faced in the wilderness, fierce though they were, He is able to overcome your enemies. And He has already overcome your greatest enemy, which is death. By sending His Son to suffer and die and rise again, God has freed you from the everlasting death and torment you deserve.
and who gives food to every creature.
In addition to our spiritual need, God meets all our bodily needs as well. His ongoing care and providence for us here on earth is a sign of how great and good and loving He is. By using our wealth to help meet the needs of others, we are showing God the proper gratitude.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
That is what you should be doing today. And as disciples of Jesus, every day is to be one in which we give thanks to the God of heaven. “God is good, all the time, he put a song of thanks in the heart of mine.” Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. Amen.
