Psalm 92:1-2 says, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:  To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.”

These verses give us an important reminder.  In the midst of our busy lives, sometimes we forget why we are here.  In Revelation 4:11, we read that “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”  God made us to give Him praise and glory.  When we give thanks to the Lord and sing His praises, we are fulfilling the purpose for which He created us.

It is a good thing to give thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ because He is good.  As we read in Psalm 136:1, “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”  It is also good to sing praises unto His name.  His name describes who He is and recognizing Him as the Most High is a good place to start.  Isaiah saw the Lord “high and lifted up” in Isaiah 6:1.  In Isaiah 57:15, we read, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”  It is important to be humble before the Lord, give Him our total respect, and praise Him as the One who is “far above all” (Ephesians 1:21).

There is much material for thanksgiving and praise when we focus on His lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness every night.  At the beginning of the day we may be worried about how the day will go, but focusing on His love for us will calm us and give us courage to face the day.  At the end of the day we can praise Him for His faithfulness in guiding us through every challenge of the day.  As we read the Scriptures, there is no shortage of material for thanksgiving, praise, and worship.  There is so much in His name and His attributes that cause us to bow in worship and sing His praises.  This is spiritually healthy and is a powerful testimony to others, especially when we keep praising during the difficult times.  Paul and Silas had this attitude.  We read in Acts 16:25 that after they were put in prison, “At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God:  and the prisoners heard them.”  This attitude of praise was an effective witness and resulted in much spiritual blessing to the jailor and others.

The Lord Jesus said in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  When we fulfill the reason why God created us by thanking and praising Him, we will experience the more abundant life that He wants us to experience.  Let us seek to “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psalm 29:2).  (219.7)  (DJ)