PSALM 136
GIVE THANKS
In his book Folk Psalms Of Faith, Ray Stedman tells of an experience H.A. Ironside had in a crowded restaurant. Just as Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited him to have a seat.
Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, “Do you have a headache?” Ironside replied, “No, I don’t.” The other man asked, Well, is there something wrong with your food?” Ironside replied, “No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat.”
The man said, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!”
Ironside said, “Yes, you’re just like my dog. That’s what he does too!” http://www.bible.org/illus/t/t-32.htm#TopOfPage
"In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, an average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster.
"In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children:
(It has since been made into a hymn.)
Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices;
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom his world rejoices.
Who, from our mother's arms,
Hath led us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today.
"Here was a man who knew thanksgiving comes from love of God, not outward circumstances." Illustrations For Preaching and Teaching, Craig Brian Larson, Ed. Baker Books, ©1993 by Christianity Today, Page 263
One of the Psalms that gives us some great reasons for giving thanks to God is Psalm 136. The Psalmist tells us to:
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CHARACTER - Vss. 1-4
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CREATION - Vss. 5-9
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CONQUESTS - Vss. 10-20
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S COMPASSION - Vss. 21-26
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CHARACTER - Vss. 1-4
Sometimes we are thankful for people because of their character. They might have qualities of friendliness, courtesy, honesty, dependability, compassion, or any other number of character traits.
The first four verses of Psalm 136 show us that we should be thankful to God because of His character.
Vs. 1 - The first reason we are to be thankful to God is because He is good!
I know many good people, including you folks.
In a sense of the word, I have by far met more good people in my lifetime than I have bad people.
What's the difference between God's goodness and yours?
God is always good and you are not!
For as good as a person might be, he or she is also bad.
You and I are sinners who need God's love and forgiveness through Christ.
God's goodness is perfect! God's goodness not only includes kind acts, but also acts of justice. While you and I may not always like what God does, He is still good!
The Sun came up this morning. God is good.
We are warm and fed and clothed. God is good.
We have friends and loved ones. God is good.
If we know Christ as our Savior we look forward to eternal life. God is good.
Those who know Christ have the promise that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us. God is good! Goodness is part of the character of God for which we are to be thankful.
Another character trait belonging to God is his mercy.
…for his mercy endureth for ever.
Actually these words, …for his mercy endureth for ever, make up a little refrain that ends each of the 26 verses in this psalm.
The word has been variously translated.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting. NAS
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever. NIV
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His kindness endures forever. H.C. Leupold
My favorite of these words is love. In all that God has done, even the execution of judgment, God is a God of love and his love endures forever!
One day C. H. Spurgeon was walking through the English countryside with a friend. As they strolled along, the evangelist noticed a barn with a weather vane on its roof. At the top of the vane were these words: GOD IS LOVE.
Spurgeon remarked to his companion that he thought this was a rather inappropriate place for such a message. “Weather vanes are changeable,” he said, “but God’s love is constant.”
“I don’t agree with you about those words, Charles,” replied his friend. “You misunderstood the meaning. That sign is indicating a truth: Regardless of which way the wind blows, God is love.”
If you are a born-again Christian, there is a wellspring of love bubbling up into your life! When we get worried and depressed, we must remember that God's mercy or love endures forever.
Romans 8:35-39 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Vs. 2 gives us another character trait of God. Not only is our God good and loving but He is the true God. He is God among Gods.
People have made many gods. They worship many of the things that God has created including the sun, moon, stars, animals, people, things people have made and even themselves.
Nothing that man chooses to worship other than the God of Heaven is truly God!
Exodus 15:11 - Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Psalm 113:5 - Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,
Vs. 3 gives us another encouraging word about the character of God. He is "Lord of lords".
I am especially thankful for this trait of God.
No
matter what happens in
There is such uncertainty in the world, and yet God is Lord of lords. He is above all kings, queens, princes, princesses, presidents, dictators, and anyone else that rules!
No matter who rules, God is still in control!
Romans 13:1 - Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Vs. 4 shows us another character trait of God. He alone does great wonders!
He is the one who produces a majestic thunderstorm.
He is the one who gives us the miracle of birth.
He is the one who answers prayer.
He is the one who performs miracles.
He is the one who sent His Son to die for our sins.
He is the one who gives forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
He alone does great wonders!
So let's give thanks!
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CHARACTER - Vss. 1-4
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CREATION - Vss. 5-9
READ THE TEXT
I do not feel like these verses need a lot of comment.
Many of us are hunters. But I prefer the term "sportsmen".
Most of the people I know, not only enjoy the excitement of the hunt, but the beauty of the animals that are hunted.
Most of the people I know just enjoy getting out in the woods and seeing the beauties of nature.
When you go hunting, or when you see the beauties of creation, please remember to give thanks. It is God who has created all of the beauty. It is God who has created us.
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CHARACTER - Vss. 1-4
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CREATION - Vss. 5-9
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CONQUESTS - Vss. 10-20
The author of this Psalm now looks at history.
He
takes us to
God,
through Moses, worked ten plagues in order to convince Pharaoh and the
Egyptians to let His people
The last plague was the death angel coming through and killing the first born of man and beast.
That was quite a conquest, but there was an even greater conquest that night.
Vs. 10
- The death angel came through and did not conquer
Because
The Passover is a picture of what Christ has done for us.
Think of the fact that we are condemned to hell because of our sin. The death angel will visit. But God sent his Son to die for your sins and mine. His blood was shed for us. When we place our faith in Christ as our Savior, the angel of death passes over, so to speak. We are given eternal life and forgiveness of sin.
What a conquest God has performed for us!
Vss. 11-15 - READ
Not
only did God conquer the death angel for
Pharaoh
and his army followed
And
then when Pharaoh and his army were in the middle of the sea, God released the
waters and Pharaoh and his army were drowned. God conquered the ones that
Now use
your imagination for a moment. Imagine that you are an Israeli who had been a
slave in
There are bodies everywhere and one that you see is your old slave master. The one who used to hold you in bondage! You think, WELL HE WON'T BOTHER ME ANY MORE, I'M FREE!
When you place your trust in Christ as Savior, you have been delivered from bondage. The habitual sins which had you under their control no longer have the power that they once did.
Romans 6:14 - For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
That old slave master of sin has been defeated!
All you have to do is believe that God has delivered you from it!
Romans 6:11-13 - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Yes, God has given us conquests. He has conquered sin, death and habitual sin for us! And there's more!
Vs.
16 - For 40
years God guided
I am reminded that God will guide me through this life, until I finally go home to Heaven.
Vss. 17-20 - READ
Even
after deliverance from
On our road to Heaven we will also encounter all sorts of problems that we can call enemies. Things will not go smoothly.
But just
as God gave victory to
Romans 8:37 - Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CHARACTER - Vss. 1-4
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CREATION - Vss. 5-9
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CONQUESTS - Vss. 10-20
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S COMPASSION - Vss. 21-26
Vss.
21-22 - God in
his compassion gave the land of her enemies to
God in his compassion, has given us land.
Yes, God has given us the land we call Heaven, and one day we will go there and live forevermore in peace.
But I believe that God has given us another land right now.
That land is the land of peace, which we have in Christ.
Romans 5:1 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Isaiah 26:3 - Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Vss. 23 - Here is a summary of the compassion of God.
He remembered us in our low estate.
He remembered us when we were down and out.
He remembered us when we were destined for hell.
He remembered us when we were in bondage to sin.
He remembered us when we had no hope.
Vs. 24 - And when God remembered us, He redeemed us.
Through the shed blood of Christ he paid the price for us to be set free.
Now we are no longer in low estate, we are children of God.
We are no longer now and out, we are citizens of Heaven.
We are no longer destined for hell, but for the literal presence of God.
We are no longer in bondage to sin, but have victory over sin.
We are no longer without hope, but have hope for today, tomorrow, and for all eternity!
Vs. 25 - One more thing here
God in his compassion gives food to every creature!
God in his compassion has promised to provide for all our needs.
Matthew 6:26-31 - Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Vs. 26 - This Psalm ends the way it began.
We are to give thanks to God.
His mercy, His love endures forever!
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CHARACTER - Vss. 1-4
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CREATION - Vss. 5-9
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S CONQUESTS - Vss. 10-20
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE OF GOD'S COMPASSION - Vss. 21-26