Opening illustration: As President Washington proclaimed the 26th of November 1789 to be a day of thanksgiving. The last paragraph reads as follows: "And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.”
President Washington gave our nation a purpose and reason to celebrate ‘Thanksgiving’ with underlying Biblical interjections. Today our nation may not even hold on to the same values but let us check out from God’s Word and see the ‘Thanksgiving’ values held by the Israelites as articulated by the Psalmist in chapter 95.
Introduction: Whenever we come into God’s presence, we must come with thanksgiving. The Lord is to be praised; we do not want matter, it were well if we did not want a heart. How great is that God, whose the whole earth is, and the fullness thereof; who directs and disposes of all! The Lord Jesus, whom we are here taught to praise, is a great God; the mighty God is one of his titles, and God over all, blessed for evermore. To him all power is given, both in heaven and earth. He is our God, and we should praise him. He is our Savior, and the Author of our blessedness. The gospel church is his flock, Christ is the great and good Shepherd of believers; he sought them when lost, and brought them to his fold.
What is ‘Thanksgiving’ all about?
1. The ‘HOW’ of Thanksgiving (vs. 1 – 2)
(a) Singing praises ~ We love him, we admire him, we reverence him, let us express our feelings with the choicest sounds, using our noblest faculty for its noblest end. It is well thus to urge others to magnify the Lord, but we must be careful to set a worthy example ourselves, so that we may be able not only to cry “Come,” but also to add “let us sing,” because we are singing ourselves.
(b) Shout joyfully ~ With holy enthusiasm let us sing, making a sound which shall indicate our earnestness; with abounding joy let us lift up our voices, actuated by that happy and peaceful spirit which trustful love is sure to foster. As the children of Israel sang for joy when the smitten rock poured forth its cooling streams, so let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. The author of this song had in his mind’s eye the rock, the tabernacle, the Red Sea, and the mountains of Sinai, and he alludes to them all in this first part of his hymn. God is our abiding, immutable, and mighty rock, and in him we find deliverance and safety, therefore it becomes us to praise him with heart and with voice from day to day; and especially should we delight to do this when we assemble as his people for public worship. It is especially used ~
• of warlike shouts, Jos_6:16; 1Sa_17:20;
• of the shout of triumph, Jdg_15:14;
• of the sound or clangor of a trumpet, Num_10:9; Joe_2:1.
© Entering into God’s presence ~ Here is probably a reference to the peculiar presence of God in the Holy of Holies above the mercy-seat, and also to the glory which shone forth out of the cloud which rested above the tabernacle. Everywhere God is present, but there is a peculiar presence of grace and glory into which men should never come without the profoundest reverence. We may make bold to come before the immediate presence of the Lord - for the voice of the Holy Ghost in this Psalm invites us, and when we do draw near to him we should remember his great goodness to us and cheerfully confess it. Our worship should have reference to the past as well as to the future; if we do not bless the Lord for what we have already received, how can we reasonably look for more.
2. The ‘WHY’ of Thanksgiving (vs. 3 – 5)
(a) God is Great ~ No doubt the surrounding nations imagined Jehovah to be a merely local deity, the god of a small nation, and therefore one of the inferior deities; the Psalmist utterly repudiates such an idea.
(b) God is Sovereign ~ Idolaters tolerated gods many and lords many, giving to each a certain measure of respect; the monotheism of the Jews was not content with this concession, it rightly claimed for Jehovah the chief place, and the supreme power. He is great, for he is all in all; he is a great King above all other powers and dignitaries, whether angels or princes, for they owe their existence to him; as for the idol gods, they are not worthy to be mentioned. This verse and the following supply some of the reasons for worship, drawn from the being, greatness, and sovereign dominion of the Lord.
© God is The Creator ~ This was seen to be true at the Red Sea when the waters saw their God, and obediently stood aside to open a pathway for his people. The Lord on high reigned supreme over the flood, as King forever and ever. So is it with the broad ocean, whether known as Atlantic or Pacific, Mediterranean or Arctic; no man can map it out and say “’Tis mine”; the illimitable acreage of waters knows no other lord but God alone.
Illustration: "The parents of a young soldier killed in action gave their church a gift of money as a memorial for their son. During the presentation service, the mother of another soldier overseas whispered to her husband, "Let’s give the same amount for our son." "What’s the matter with you?" he asked. "Our boy hasn’t died in battle." "That’s just it," the mother replied. "Let’s give it because he was spared." In giving that reply she showed that she was sensitive to the truth that thanksgiving is a way of life." It is true that thanksgiving is a way of life. It is also true that complaining is a way of life as well. The mother in this story knew how to count her blessings and say thanks.
3. The ‘ACT’ of Thanksgiving (v. 6)
(a) Worship (act of Adoration) ~ let us prostrate ourselves; the highest act of adoration by which the supremacy of God is acknowledged.
(b) Bow down (act of Submission) ~ let us crouch or cower down, bending the legs under, as a dog in the presence of his master, which solicitously waits to receive his commands.
© Kneel (act of Humility) ~ let us put our knees to the ground, and thus put ourselves in the posture of those who supplicate.
Posture is not everything, yet is it something; prayer is heard when knees cannot bend, but it is seemly that an adoring heart should show its awe by prostrating the body, and bending the knee.
Illustration: The Masai tribe in West Africa have an unusual way of saying "thank you." Translators tell us that when the Masai express thanks, they bow, put their forehead on the ground and say, "My head is in the dirt." When members of another African tribe want to express thanks, they sit for a long time in front of the hut of the person who did the favor and literally say, "I sit on the ground before you." Those Africans understand well what Thanksgiving is and why it is different for us: at its core, thanksgiving is an act of humility."
Conclusion: Reasoning for ‘Thanksgiving’ (v. 7) ~
• Personal God ~ He is our God
• Corporate God ~ We are His people
• God who Shepherds ~ People of His pasture
• God who Protects ~ We are under His care
Here is the master reason for ‘Thanksgiving.’ Yahweh has entered into covenant with us, and from all the world beside has chosen us to be his own elect. If others refuse Him homage, we at least will render it cheerfully. He is ours, and our God; ours, therefore will we love Him; our God, therefore will we worship Him. As he belongs to us, so do we belong to Him. And we are His as the people whom he daily feeds and protects. Our pastures are not ours, but His; we draw all our supplies from His stores. We are His, even as sheep belong to the shepherd, and His hand is our rule, our guidance, our government, our succor, our source of supply. Israel was led through the desert, and we are led through this life. The hand which cleft the sea and brought water from the rock is still with us, working equal wonders. Can we refuse to “worship and bow down” when we clearly see that “this God is our God forever and ever, and will be our guide, even unto death.” But what is this warning which follows? Alas, it was sorrowfully needed by the Lord’s ancient people, and is not one whit the less required by ourselves. The favored nation grew deaf to their Lord’s command, and proved not to be truly His sheep.
