THANKSGIVING

 

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

 

1.      This is thanksgiving weekend and we have so much to be thankful.  Like David I am thankful to the Lord.  David starts this Psalm by saying he says, “Praise the Lord or Thank you Lord.”  It is an expression of happiness and thankfulness. 

2.      He is telling his soul which is the seat of his will, intellect, and emotions.  He tells every part of his being to Praise the Lord and be thankful.  God has been so good.  David knows it because he is now the King of Israel, but he started as a humble shepherd who lived in a small village in Judah. 

3.      David says praise His holy name.  Purity, truth, integrity, faithfulness, patience, grace, love mercy, and righteousness is the nature, essence and character of God and David is thankful. 

 

2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

 

1.      David is reflecting and meditating on the benefits of knowing the Lord which he will in a moment list.  A relationship with the Lord has so many wonderful blessing and benefits.  It comes through the love, mercy, and grace of God. 

2.      David had the Holy Spirit come upon Him and we have the Holy Spirit inside.  David had the prophecy and the promise.  We have the one who is the fulfillment of both the prophecy and the promise; David lived under the law, and we live under grace.  David was a man after God’s own heart, and we are God’s heart.  David had the benefits of the law, and we have the Benefits of grace.

 

3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.

 

1.      David now lists the first two of the six benefits revealed in these verses.  He forgives all our sins.  David had to go and offer an animal for his sins and then forgiveness would be given.  We have our sins forgiven through Jesus Christ.  David would have to put his hand on the animal as a sign he was now acknowledging his sins.  We confess our sins and then we are forgiven.  David had a physical lamb offered.  We have the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  David had the shadow and type we have the reality.  David’s process of forgiveness took time, effort, and resources.  Our forgiveness comes through confession, renunciation, and reception of forgiveness.  Something had to die for David’s sins.  Jesus already died for our sins.  In both cases the Lord will forgive all our sins.  David was stating that God’s forgiveness is complete, impartial, and total.  There is no degree of sin with God when asked He forgives.

2.      He heals all your diseases.  This is such a promise.  David was standing upon Exodus 15:26 that stated none of the diseases of the land would come upon Him.  David believes the Lord was the divine healer.  David was saying the Lord is Jehovah, Rapha or Rophi our healer.  We of course have Is 53:5, and 1 Pet 2:23, to stand on.  Jesus Christ is our healer in every area of our lives. 

 

4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.

 

1.      David viewed any person who did not know the Lord as in a pit.  God has pulled us out of our pit of despair, loneliness, hatred, bitterness, pain, sorrow and unforgiveness.  He reaches down and pull us out of a pit we could not get out of ourselves. 

2.      We are in pits either the devil, world, others, or ourselves have put us in.  God comes along and pulls us out.  He rescued us.  He redeems us means he bought us back.  He paid a debt he did not owe I owe a debt I could not pay.  Like Boaz of old, Jesus Christ is our kinsmen redeemer. 

3.      You are now crown with love and compassion.  This is who He is and what we are becoming.  Did you see yourself as an ambassador of love and compassion?  We are His hands, feet, mouth, and instruments.  We have been crowned to be Kings and priests unto God

 

5 who satisfies your desires with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 

1.      Now David reminds himself and his readers that God is good, and he blesses us with good things.  God is good all the time and all the time God is good.  David has already told us of four thigs God is good about.  God is constant, consistent, and faithful.  He will never leave you or forsake you.  He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.  You seek Him and all the things you are looking for life will be added to you.  Jesus promised an abundant life.  God satisfied your desires with good things.  David says what you are looking for you will find in the Lord.

2.      Lastly, He will renew your youth like the eagles.  The beauty of the Lord is that even when our body is getting old our mindset, soul and spirit are being renewed.  Isaiah tells us in Is 40:31, that as you wait on the Lord you will be strengthened, get God’s perspective, not grow weary or faint.  You will be able to soar above your problems, trial, tribulations, circumstances, and situations.  Let’s remember what David shows us today.  God has been good.