LOOK BACK IN THANKFULNESS
Opening Prayer
On this Sunday, Lord Jesus, I come to you with my uncertainty and fears. Give me wisdom for the way ahead; give me courage to follow wherever you lead me and to know the joy of your salvation.
Read PSALM 111
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
1 Praise the Lord.[b]
I will extol the Lord with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established for ever and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
Footnotes
- Psalm 111:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the lines of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 111:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
‘I thank my God every time I remember you.’1 Who can you thank God for today?
Think Further
The focus of this psalm is on the great deeds of God and the importance of studying them. Commentators believe that the deeds the psalmist primarily had in mind were to do with the beginnings of Israel and events such as God’s deliverance of his people from Egypt.2
Why is it important to take time to thank God, not only for his deeds recorded in Scripture but also for all he has done for us on a personal level? First, it’s easy to move on too quickly from answered prayer to focus on the next problem that faces us. I know I sometimes forget I have prayed about something and fail to appreciate how God has been at work answering my prayers. Taking time to recognize and give thanks for answered prayer builds up our faith, for it reminds us of God’s goodness. This is also important to do because life isn’t one miraculous event after the other.
The Jews who experienced the exodus would wander forty years in the desert before entering the Promised Land. During this time, they grumbled against God and forgot his goodness to them. Even once they possessed Canaan, they would continue to face problems, most notably the Babylonian invasion and their exile in that foreign land. The Jews needed to keep remembering God’s past deeds to be able to trust him in the hard times.
Where are you with this? Have you just witnessed God do amazing things? Ensure that you take time to fully appreciate that. Give thanks and dwell on what this teaches you about God’s nature. Or are you in the wilderness, wondering if God has forgotten you? Build up your faith by remembering and giving thanks for the things God has done for you in the past, for he is faithful still.
Apply
Take two minutes to list as many answers to prayer as you can think of. Give thanks for them and reflect on what they teach you of God’s nature.
Closing prayer
As I read your Word, Father, I am so thankful that you speak to me through it, teaching me about who you are, showing me how to live for you, and giving me everything I need to lead others to Jesus.
1 Phil 1:3 2 John Goldingay, Psalms Vol 3, Baker Academic, 2008, p30
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