A Thankful Heart

"Praise the LORD!

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart." 

(Psalm 111:1)

I am starting this November with a thankful heart.  The past few months have been awesome - I will have to recount the many joys throughout the next several posts because it would take me hours to share all of the wonderful experiences.  

Jumping to the present tense, I opened up my Bible this morning to Psalm 111 - fitting as it is the 1st of November.  Can you believe that by the way??  The holidays are upon us already! 

Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, 

In the company of the upright and in the assembly.

Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them.  

Splendid and majestic is His work; And His righteousness endures forever.  

He has made His wonders to be remembered; The LORD is gracious and compassionate. 

He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever.

He has made known to His people the power of his works, 

In giving them the heritage of the nations.  

The works of His hands are truth and justice; All His precepts are sure.  

They are upheld forever and ever; They are performed in truth and uprightness.  

He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; 

Holy and awesome is His name.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; 

A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;

His praise endures forever. 

~ Psalm 111, NASB ~

A few things particularly stood out to me in the above passage of Scripture.  First, I am convicted of my lack of outward praise to my God.  I get too busy and too distracted and before I know it, I have done a terrible job of outwardly expressing my praise to God.  

Verse 1 of Psalm 111 says, "Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart ... " Spurgeon comments the following on this Scripture: 

"Do it now, do it always: do it heartily, do it unanimously, do it eternally.  Even if others refuse, take care that you have always a song for your God. put away all doubt, question, grumbling and rebellion, and give yourselves up to the praising of Jehovah, both with your lips and in your lives" (Psalms, Volume II).  

I love his commentary on this Scripture because it encourages me to put a high priority on praise.  To be intentional about praising my God.  To make sure that I always have a song for my God.  

The second thing I noted is found in verse 2: "Great are the works of the LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them."  And to that verse Spurgeon says: 

"Those who love their Maker delight in his handiworks; they perceive that there is more in them than appears upon the surface, and therefore they bend their minds to study and understand them ... The man of God digs unto the mines of Scripture, and unearths each grain of its golden truth.  God's works are worth of our researches, they yield us instruction and pleasure wonderfully blended, and they grow upon reflection, appearing to be far greater after investigation than before.  Men's woks are noble from a distance; God's works are great when sought out" (Psalms, Volume II).  

I am thankful for the Word of God.  Am I delighting in His works the way I should be compelled to do?  Am I digging into the mines of Scripture, unearthing each grain of its golden truth? 

Oh, how I love the LORD.  To think about where ... and who ... I would be without Him, forces a dose of humility upon me.  Thank you Jesus, for redeeming my life.  Thank You for unmerited grace, compassion and forgiveness.  

I am nothing without You.

And for that ... I am left with a thankful heart.