As 2022 ended and 2023 began, we had many reasons to give thanks to God. Philippians 4:6 encourages us to bring our requests to him in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.
When we give thanks, we often begin with what God has done for us. Psalm 136 directs our attention first to who he is. His character shapes the way we understand his blessings and goodness.
The object of our thanksgiving
The Psalms remind us that God is the object of our worship. Psalm 136 calls us to thank him for his goodness, his sovereignty, his justice, and his salvation.
He is good
God’s goodness belongs to who he is. Mark 10:18 and James 1:17 point us to the goodness of God and to him as the giver of every good and perfect gift.
He is sovereign
He is the God of gods and the Lord of lords. His dominion and kingdom endure, as Daniel 4:34–35 reminds us.
He is just
Psalm 136 recalls God’s judgment against those who oppressed his people. His justice is part of the goodness for which we give thanks.
He is our salvation
God rescues his people from sin and brings them into the kingdom of his Son. As we come to him in prayer, we remember both his holiness and the salvation that allows us to draw near.
May our thanksgiving begin with who the Lord is, and may we see his blessings through the lens of his steadfast love.
Adapted from “Give Thanks” by Olumide Olumide, published on LIT’s former website on January 31, 2023. This web edition condenses the devotional and omits the email-series closing.