Text: Psalm 118:1-29
n this 2-week reading plan, we are assuming a posture of thanksgiving before the Lord by meditating on ten Psalms of Gratitude. Rather than provide a written response to each Psalm, we have offered a simple yet meaningful activity designed to help us recall God’s mercies to us and through time. So grab a journal, and let’s create our own songs of thanksgiving to God.
Psalm 118
Thanksgiving for Victory
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
Let Israel say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
I called to the Lord in distress;
the Lord answered me
and put me in a spacious place.
The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is my helper,
Therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in nobles.
All the nations surrounded me;
in the name of Yahweh I destroyed them.
They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me;
in the name of Yahweh I destroyed them.
They surrounded me like bees;
they were extinguished like a fire among thorns;
in the name of Yahweh I destroyed them.
You pushed me hard to make me fall,
but the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation.
There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!
The Lord’s right hand is raised.
The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!”
I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done.
The Lord disciplined me severely
but did not give me over to death.
Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous will enter through it.
I will give thanks to You
because You have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This came from the Lord;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Lord, save us!
Lord, please grant us success!
He who comes in the name
of the Lord is blessed.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
The Lord is God and has given us light.
Bind the festival sacrifice with cords
to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will give You thanks.
You are my God; I will exalt You.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
Dig Deeper:
Our circumstances change, but God and His faithful love remain unchanged. Use the structure of verses 1-9 in David’s psalm to write a personal song of thanks to God. Contrast the unique details of your changing life with God’s unchanging truth.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
Let ____________ say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Let the house of ____________ say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His faithful love endures forever.”
I called to the Lord in________________;
the Lord answered me
and ______________________________.
The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is my helper,
Therefore, _________________________.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to_____________________________.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to ____________________________.
(adapted from verses 1-9)
The details change. God remains the same.
@Theresa- I pray you would know the grace of God even more fully. Thank you for sharing :). I have been there and I know God wants you to understand His love even more fully. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how WIDE and LONG and HIGH and DEEP is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be FILLED to the measure of all the FULLNESS of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19) yes, I pray this over you. Dwell in His presence. Seek Him and ask Him to give you a revelation of your belovedness. He calls you Beloved. Bride. You are One with Him. Cherished. Precious. Let this sink deep into your heart as You experience Him in greater ways. I pray this over all of us Shes, needing more grace for ourselves and others. May we dwell in His courts and may His word dwell RICHLY among us. <3 thank you Jesus.
This psalm is so beautiful. So much stuck out.
"There are shouts of joy and victory in the tents of the righteous: 'The Lord's right hand performs valiantly!'" (v.15) My basketball team (76ers, sorry Boston Shes) won last night and whenever they win a big game there are boisterous shouts of victory in unison in the arena and houses. My brothers and I are joyful- "YEAH!!!" Oh my soul, how much greater the shouts of victory at the salvation of God?? Heavens celebration with thousands and thousands of angels in heaven over one lost soul? One victory over the enemy ? God is faithful. May His victory be present in all of our lives. I feel like I have so much more to share that encouraged me but I'm not about to take y'all to church — lol. We got lives to live and our God to glorify!
Thank Heavens (pun intended) that our God is Steadfast!! In a world where we are constantly disappointed in our fellow humans, even the ones we love and care for the most, it is such a comfort to know God is the same…always. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow! The bible is steadfast and living, we can read it yesterday, today, and tomorrow and it will speak to our soul!! No matter what comes our way- and sometimes I do worry what is to come, it scares me that my faith will be tested to grow me even more, but I don’t want to hurt. I don’t want to be on my humble knees crying out for God to balm my pain..But God, I will trust in him to hold me close.
I so appreciated the prayers for prison ministry and your thoughts on their condition and what I bring to the table (through Jesus Christ!). They help me so much, I actually copied and pasted your words @Searching and @Heidi to my folder, and would appreciate anyone else that could give me courage and thoughts of impact to look at when I might get discouraged!!
I have a migraine today and for the last couple days, praying it goes away soon! I have been so blessed that they have all but gone away since fasting over a year ago and quit drinking wine!! God always knows what we need (and don’t need!)
I have seen God’s faithful love again and again in my life and yet, I still struggle to believe that he will do it again. Often when I read scripture with God’s promises, I disqualify myself from receiving them because I feel I haven’t earned them. It’s not that I think God can’t, it’s that I think He should do it for someone else and not for me. This year, God is really challenging me on this viewpoint. He revealed to me that I’ve forfeited far more “promised land” in my life than the devil could ever have taken from me. I’m working to relearn God’s promises in light of them being for me too. He is merciful and gracious and His promises stand on their own without anything I do. Ladies, I would appreciate any prayers as I try to get out of my own way and let God lead me through his promises.
His faithful love – here it is again! Yesterday’s scriptures were full of reminders as well. He really does love us and is faithful with that love, even when we are not.
All of His attributes are beyond my full comprehension and especially His love and faithfulness.
MICHELLE PATIRE – generation after generation as you pointed out yesterday- so amazing.
CEE GEE – looking forward to anything you feel led to share with us as you work through His omniscience.
SARAH D – praying for your health and interview
RHONDA J – praying for you as you share the Lord with those in jail today – that they would truly hunger for the Lord, that His truth would catch hold in their hearts and minds, that they could see a path out of their past lives and behaviors and they would no longer lie to themselves. They have likely been lied to time and again and they have lied to others – isn’t this all of us? Haven’t we all been in a place at some point where we didn’t know truth from lie? Lord, we pray that you will be with this ministry and that Your truth will be clear to them and to all of us.
PAM C – ❤️
HEIDI – praying for you as you work through your exams today and tomorrow, for amazing clarity of the questions, instant recall of knowledge needed, efficiency in all that you do as you complete your projects. Also praying for Kin ❤️
Thanking God for His faithfulness to every generation.
Gotta get into work early…will check back this evening.
Have a great day, Shes
Reminds me of Same God by Elevation Worship. Such a great song!
God is for me, he is not against me! What can man do to me?
Remember his unfailing love regardless of the changing circumstances or feelings. He alone is our rock of truth and shield of protection! ❤️