Worship Through the PsalmsÖrnek

In Psalm 100:4, David said, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name!” Thanksgiving is the first place to start when we enter into the presence of God for a time of worship and fellowship with Him. Giving thanks causes us to remember who the Lord is and all of His good deeds. Psalm 9:1 says, “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” Thanksgiving is not only a response to who the Lord is, but to all He has done. Most of David’s Psalms that mention thanksgiving are coupled with recalling the goodness of the Lord and recounting His wonderful deeds. This is the natural progression. Psalm 138:1-6 provides us with a perfect example of this. “I give You thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;...I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness.” (Psalm 138:1-6) David began thanking the Lord with his whole heart because of the times he remembered the Lord being steadfast in love and faithful toward him. He goes on to say: “On the day I called, You answered me; my strength of soul You increased.” (Psalm 138:3) Thanksgiving produced from remembrance always strengthens our souls. Psalm 103:2 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits,” David goes on to list the benefits of the Lord. As we start with giving thanks and blessing the Lord, our soul remembers His benefits and is strengthened by Him. Put this progression of thanksgiving and remembrance into practice today. Take a moment to give thanks to the Lord and call to remembrance the Lord’s past steadfast love, and watch thanksgiving strengthen your soul. Allow yourself to recall His faithful nature and all that He has done in your life. As thanksgiving flows from your heart, let it lead you into a place of praise.