“I will thank you with all my heart.
By day I called, and you answered me.
You have made my soul strong.
Yes, you made your word even greater than your name.
All the kings of the earth will thank you, Lord,
when they have heard the message from your mouth.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.
Lord, your mercy endures forever.
Do not let go of the works of your hands.”
This psalm is one of the strongest psalms of thanksgiving in Scripture, and it’s not hard to see why. King David speaks of personal thanks to the LORD, and he invites other kings to do so. He expects that they would once they had heard God’s Word for them.
If you’ve ever been a leader in some respect, you know that leading a group isn’t easy, even when it’s in an area you’re experienced in. Being the head of your department isn’t easy. Being a principal or a school administrator isn’t easy. Being in government isn’t as easy as it may seem. Even being a pastor isn’t easy! There are times where you have to make hard choices, even times where you will face strong adversity.
David was no different. He had been anointed to succeed Saul, and yet he had to deal with his predecessor’s attempts to kill him. When he finally became king, things didn’t get any easier. There were rebellions, enemies, attempts on his life. He wanted to build a temple for the LORD (2 Samuel 7), but the LORD said it was not his job to do. David got frustrated, and David sinned too.
But the LORD did not leave David to lead by himself. Many times, David consulted God for advice. When David sinned, God sent Nathan to confront him…but through Nathan, God also forgave him. Even when David failed as a leader, whether as a king or father, God forgave him. It wasn’t without discipline and encouragement to repentance, but God’s mercy was greater than David’s sin - and it’s greater than our sins too.
We, like David, give thanks for that fact. We know that we can call on him, and he will answer us. Even if it is not the answer we expect, He will work what He intends for us. His purpose is always good and always will be because His mercy endures forever! And we know that because we’ve heard God’s message from His mouth, the sweet, life-giving message of the gospel.
There’s plenty for David to give thanks for, and there’s plenty for us to give thanks for too! If you’re ever struggling to find something for which you can be thankful, take some time in Psalms. You will find no lack of things for which you can be thankful to God. Or rather, you will find no lack of things that God will do for you.
Prayer: Lord, we bow down to you in thankful praise. You have made your ways known to both lowly and great on the earth. You have not abandoned the work of your hands, but instead you have redeemed us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.