Thanks
Psalm 118:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” [1]
I. Supernatural
A. Populous
B. Priest
II. Sympathy
A. Distress
B. Disgust
III. Stay
A. Around
B. Always
Introduction: Last week we enjoyed Old Fashioned Day here and on Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving. I imagine that most of us spent time with family and probably ate too much and maybe now we are getting tired of leftovers.
We had a time of remembering which always happens during holidays. For the Christian and others who understand the word Holy, it was a holyday. Society looks at special days or holidays as simply a break in the monotony of routine. What a shame! Last Sunday we looked at the center of the Bible and found the centerpiece of faith. Praise God. Psalm 117 is the center and foundation of what we Christians are about.
God chose to bring Jesus into the world as an Israelite. He changed Jacob’s name to Israel when Jacob was in distress. Now we look to the Jews as an example of how God uses His chosen to be an example for those who would be His.
The Psalmist who recorded Psalm 117 found his purpose. Today we will carry on with the next Psalm to see how those who God used to give us the Psalms got to the place where they could give thanks.
Isn’t it strange how people can go through things and come out on the other side with a completely different mindset? Those in the secular business of counseling seem to guide people in need of clarity to a place of finding the target to blame.
Their way to make a person feel better is not to tell them there is a benevolent God who allows things so that we can make up our own minds to either reject our past or decide to learn to have stronger faith in the one who got us through the trial. For the one who will not go through and grow past that place of discomfort, it is never a good thing to receive the truth that perhaps we might even have something to confess. Some feel that asking for God’s mercy and grace as He uses in us that which He prepared us for is a sign of surrender and weakness of character. Some will never learn that the greatest strength that we will ever acquire is to thank Him.
Scripture: The scripture is Psalm 118:1. When you have found it please rise to your feet for the reading of God’s written word.
Prayer: Please be seated
Message: Have you ever heard someone say, it’s just natural that he/she turned out that way considering what they lived with. It’s just natural that people are rebelling against what is going on today. It’s just natural?
What in the world does that mean; natural? One thing for certain, the LORD that the Psalmist is giving thanks to is not natural. All four letters in capital LORD, He is the One who created natural. He did not come from nature. He is superior to nature. He is The Supernatural God.
We give Him thanks because there is nobody else who gives. All things come from and through God. For He is Holy! Being holy means that anything that is not good is not tolerable. So God is absolutely good. It is not possible for God to be anything except good. It is impossible for His creation to be good unless God is in control of that which He created in the first place.
But we decided that since He gave us the capacity to reason for ourselves, we don’t need anyone or anything to decide for us so the world as we know it is no longer holy or good as God is good. It is impossible for that which is not good to return to a relationship with The Holy God unless He allowed THE perfect to be sacrificed.
O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good! There is that colon, those two little dots one on top of the other. There is the explanation of why the Psalmist was so emphatic in saying that we should give The LORD thanks; it is because The LORD is good. The Psalmist and we today know His goodness only because of His mercy. Otherwise there would be no us.
Since God is timeless, everything about Him is timeless. His mercy is timeless. He is holy and He is merciful so His mercy is also timeless. It will never change and it will last forever. When we get to heaven where we will be with Him in eternity, He will always be the merciful LORD so that He and His mercy will last forever. There will be no need to remember that which was but is now past. Every day will be Thanksgiving Day.
Who says that? In verses 2-4 the populous and priest; the nation at large and the religious leaders will be in harmony knowing that God will be merciful forever. “2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. 4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.” [2] Won’t that be a wonderful change! All people groups, even all in leadership in secular peoples, even all the preachers, deacons, elders, bishops, we will all be together with no argument in how we give thanks to God.
Today it seems that more than ever before in my lifetime there is no sympathy for other groups of people who disagree with each other. We have no mercy for those who think different or act differently than we do. Yeah I’ll ignore our differences and help as long as you think like me and act like me if you’re going through a tough time. Otherwise, if you need some relief for your distress, you better go to that group who you fit into or there will be no mercy, no sympathy.
That disease that you contracted, if you had done what you should have been doing, that wouldn’t have happened to you. It is disgusting! There’s no way that I will touch that, not even if you confess that you are sorry and are willing to get help. I’m done!
The Psalmist wanted to be set apart because he felt like a leper. Back in that day leprosy was thought to be a disease that was very contagious. There was no place that those who had the disease were not looked down on. Now starting at verse 5, “5 I called upon the LORD in distressa: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. 6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” [3] This one called upon the LORD while in distress and God didn’t put him in a small cell to be confined away from those who were disgusted. NO! God put him in a large place.
God puts us in His safe place where peering eyes and loose lips can’t attack us anymore. What can man do to me? God is good. Because of His mercy He is able to love regardless.
In verses 7 – 18 the Psalmist is reflecting on what he has been through, and looking to the future when God will give grace to those who love with His love and vengeance to those who afflict those who are down.
“7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. 8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. 10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroyb them. 11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. 12 They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroyc them. 13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. 15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. 16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. 18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.” [4]
We Christians have gone through hard times and we are now going through these times as ones who are looked at as the minority against the popular ideas. This Psalmist saw that those like him were circled in. It seemed nobody could penetrate the hate. There were those whom God used even then to support but the ever present swarm of bees was there to sting when it seemed relief might be coming.
The Psalmist was just about to be overcome but just at the right time, the right hand of the LORD was exalted. Often it seems that we might be at the point of death and just then, God appears and is exalted and He will endure forever. When God comes, He stays.
The circling mob might be there for this moment but when God comes around He will be around always forever and forever amen.
Prayer:
Invitation: Let us read to the end of this Psalm, “19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: 20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23 This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. 27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. 28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. 29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” [5]
Can you feel this as the Psalmist? Do you know in your heart of hearts that He is LORD and that He will never ever not love you? You can know that today. Please don’t turn Him away.
Consider as we sing…
[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (1995). (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version., Ps 118:1). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[2] ibid., Ps 118:2–4
a in distress: Heb. out of distress
[3]ibid., Ps 118:5–6
b destroy...: Heb. cut them off
c destroy: Heb. cut down
[4] ibid., Ps 118:7–18
[5] ibid., Ps 118:19–29
