Thank the LORD

Read Psalm 107, 116, 118, 125
 
Psalms 107:1-3 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. 3 For he has gathered the exiles from many lands, from east and west, from north and south.
 
“Give thanks to the LORD” begins this series of psalms. One can easily see this as the topic sentence of all verses. The joyful encouragement is repeated twice in Psalm 118. And the psalmist urges us to Sing out your thanks to the LORD; sing praises to our God with a harp. (Psalm 147:7)
   Psalm 107 was likely written on the Jews’ return from Babylon. Four times the psalmist credits God for responding to his people’s desperate prayers: “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. (Psalms 107:6, 13, 19, 28)) And four times he encourages: Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. (Psalms 107:8, 15, 21, 31) Prayers of supplication have become praises for redemption.
   This is something we need to do much more often in the church. As I’ve conducted many Bible studies and classes, there is often a time to ask, “How can we pray for each other today? How would you like to praise God today?” What is rarely heard is, “I have prayed, ‘Help!’ to the LORD, and he has answered my distress.” Or “I thank God for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for me.”  
   It seems we might feel boastful if we declare thanksgiving for God’s saving grace on our lives. Or we might make others feel cheated if we declare the ways God has exhibited his great love.
   But can’t each one of us declare such wonders? The psalmist wrote of physical redemption. And as Christians, we have spiritual redemption into everlasting life! Thank God and declare his love. The Bible tells us God loves us to save us. The Bible declares his goodness to rescue his own from hell through the terrible cross and grave. How can any of us withhold our song of praise to the LORD? The psalms are plain and forthright. They declare how God has saved. This is the Bible’s message. Listen to the psalmist:  Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. Amen.