Thanksgiving Meditation from Psalm 103
Thursday, November 26th, 2009“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits….” Psalm 103:2 (Read Psalm 103)
It’s so easy to neglect to thank and praise the LORD God and to forget that it is He who has so richly blessed us with all that we have and need. And, when we do speak words of thanks, it is so often only an outward expression and not the true response of our heart and soul. For this reason, David, the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Samuel 23:1-2), calls upon his own soul to bless the LORD and not forget all His benefits.
What are the benefits with which the LORD God has so richly blessed us? He gave us His only-begotten Son to suffer and die in our stead and bear the just punishment for our sins, and He forgives all our sins and iniquities for Jesus’ sake. He heals all our diseases. He redeems our life from destruction. He crowns us with His loving kindness and tender mercy. He fills our mouths with good things and renews our youth. He executes righteous judgments for the oppressed. And through His Word, He makes known to us His ways and His mighty acts.
What a reason for us to join with the psalmist and bless and praise the LORD God from our very soul! He forgives our sins, removing them as far as the east is from the west! He accepts us as His own dear children for Jesus’ sake! Instead of judging and condemning us, He deals with us in mercy, provides us with all that we need, and assures us that His mercy is “from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him”!
Stop and consider all the blessings which the LORD God has provided for you, beginning with His great mercy and forgiveness for Jesus’ sake. Then, with the psalmist and believers around the world, bless and praise and thank the LORD with all your heart and soul!
O LORD God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I bless and thank and praise You for Your great goodness and mercy to me, a sinner. Amen.
Psalm 103
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. 19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
Responsive Prayer of Thanksgiving
(Based on Luther’s Explanation of the Apostles’ Creed)
P: O God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth….
C: I thank You that You have made me and all creatures; that You have given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and that You still preserve them; also clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, spouse and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods; that You richly and daily provide me with all that I need to support this body and life; that You defend me against all danger, and guard and protect me from all evil; and all this purely out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all which it is my duty to thank and praise, to serve and obey You.
P: O Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord….
C: I thank You, Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, my Lord, that You have redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with Your holy, precious blood and with Your innocent suffering and death, that I may be Your own, and live under You in Your kingdom, and serve You in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as You have risen from the dead, live and reign to all eternity.
P: O Holy Spirit….
C: I thank You, O Holy Spirit for bringing me to faith, for I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord or come to Him; but You have called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with Your gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as You call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the whole Christian Church on earth, and keep it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church You daily and richly forgive all sins to me and all believers, and will at the Last Day raise up me and all the dead, and give unto me and all believers in Christ eternal life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
