“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 136:1-3 KJV)
Sermons and reflections on this Psalm abound. There is a plethora of commentary on each verse that could effectively misguide the serious reader, simply because attention is focused on the psalmist’s illustrations rather than his simple point of thanking God for his enduring mercy and grace.
Yet, we may reconsider this Psalm one more time. Why give thanks to God? Because He is good! Because his mercy never fails! Because He is the only true God! Because He is the only one who deserves the title “Lord.”
Really now, is there a good reasons to give him thanks? The psalmist shouts a resounding, “YES!” He is the God of miraculous wonders. He is the only person wise enough to created the universe. It is by his merciful hand that we enjoy this earth, the sun, moon, and stars.
Our God delivered Abraham’s family from Egypt, divided the Red Sea, and destroyed Pharaoh’s pursuing army. Since He did that, we can depend on him to deliver us too! Our God guided his people through the wilderness and defeated all their enemies. We can depend on him to guide us and defeat our enemy too! Why is this true? Because our God’s mercy is enduring and not capricious!
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good! He reverses the condition of his people. He recognizes that his people cannot escape their “low estate” without his help, so He rescues them from their enemy and blesses them by giving them the enemy’s land. Why? Because his mercy endures without end!
Why be grateful to God? Because He is gracious to all people everywhere (all flesh) and allows every person access to food. Droughts, famines and such like result from sin’s curse, which makes access to food more difficult (“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” Gen 3:19 KJV). Yet, in his enduring mercy our God has made food accessible to all flesh. Despite, human weakness and sin, God’s mercy is inexhaustible!
I am confident that, with careful thought, we can think of more personal reasons to praise God. The final word is: “O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever” (v. 26 KJV).
Dear Father, we are truly grateful for all aspects of your enduring mercy. Even when we fail to see the connection between our circumstances and your mercy, enable us to be truly grateful. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today with your thanks for enduring mercy,