Thanksgiving: The Stress Melting Holiday
Scripture: Psalms 118 (NIV)
Summary: We’re just about a week and a half away from one of America’s most loved holidays – Thanksgiving. I have heard it said that women love this holiday because it doesn’t require all the preparation that Christmas asks for. It’s “the relax and enjoy the calm before the storm” holiday!
For the next few moments, I want to stimulate within you a greater desire to give thanks. To turn up the volume on your gratitude, I ask that you to turn to Psalm 118 with me.
Find the largest, fattest chapter in all of your Bible, and turn one chapter to the left. Or you could find the shortest chapter in your Bible and turn one chapter to the right. Either way, end up at Psalm 118.
We’re just a few days away from one of America’s most loved holidays – Thanksgiving. Many people love this holiday because it doesn’t require all the preparation that Christmas asks for. It’s “the relax and enjoy the calm before the storm” holiday! Today, I invite you to consider with me – Thanksgiving: The Stress Melting Holiday.
Psalm 118 is historically connected to the Passover meal. Let me back up: the Jews celebrated three great feasts every year, at which it was mandatory, if you lived within a certain distance to Jerusalem, that all the males must attend the feast at the temple. They were Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. For each of these celebrations, there were certain Psalms that were recited and sung for the celebrations. And Psalm 113 to Psalm 118, called the Hallel Psalms, were the Psalms that were sung at Passover. Think about this: parts of this song would have been sung when God delivered the slaves of Israel from Egypt. Psalm 113 and 114 would have been sung before the Passover meal, while Psalm 115-118 would have been sung after the Passover meal. So, pause to consider this with me: Psalm 118 would have the last song Jesus sang on His fatal night. Was this the last song before Jesus hung on a cross?
Listen carefully to how the Psalm both opens and closes: “1: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever. 29: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever” (Psalm 118:1, 29).
Let me offer your heart and mind three reasons to unite together to turn up the volume on your gratitude.
- I’m Thankful God Stands by Me
“1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say, ‘His faithful love endures forever.’ 3 Let the house of Aaron say, ‘His faithful love endures forever.’ 4 Let those who fear the Lord say, “His faithful love endures forever” (Psalm 118:1-4).
1.1 God’s Love is Loyal
Just now, you heard the same word repeated 4 times – “faithful love.” In each of the first four verses, you hear the Hebrew word “chesedh.” And each of the first four lines parallel with one another so there is a layering effect- repeated over and over for effect. Your translation may say “lovingkindness,” “steadfast love,” or “mercy” no matter, the word is way too rich for any one English word. This word describes a “when the chips are down” kind of love. This is the best kind of love you could imagine.
Did you know that God is a hoarder? Like an avalanche of snow piled high along the roads during a Colorado blizzard, God has hoarded His faithful love in Heaven’s storage rooms. God shows Moses, “the Lord is … abounding in faithful love and truth…” (Exodus 34:6b). It is God’s “chesedh” that chases His children around the back alleys of life: “Surely goodness and mercy (chesedh) shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:6). God has a “chase you down” kind of love for His children. One more now… God takes pleasure in people who pin their hopes to his steadfast love: “The Lord values those … those who put their hope in his (chesedh) faithful love” (Psalm 147:11).
1.2 You Have to Say It
I want you to take note of something here in these first four verses. The psalmist doesn’t say, “Feel thanks for the Lord is good.” Instead, the psalmist says, “Give thanks for the Lord is good.” So many people feel it but they don’t say it. Child of God, can you sit in silence when God’s name is praised? Some of you sit there like a knot on a log this morning. You look as if you’re a toad all swelled up. Inside your saying, “Maybe if this preacher does good, I’ll might feel thankful. Maybe if you the music is right, I’ll smile.” If I caught you right after this service and say, “Come by my house this afternoon. I have the best brisket you’ll ever taste and my great-grandfather’s secret BBQ special sauce for you.” After a great big meal, would you leave my dining room table and only feel gratitude? No, you would smile and say, “This was the best brisket I’ve had in a long time.” You would say it! You couldn’t contain yourself. Now friend, can I say something to you? You cannot just feel gratitude toward God, you’ve got to say it! You’ve got to sing it! You’ve got to shout it! You cannot just feel gratitude; instead, you must sing your gratitude.
Let young and old say, “his faithful love endures forever.” Let rich and poor say, “his faithful love endures forever.” Let Republicans and Democrats say, “his faithful love endures forever.” Let fathers and mothers say, “his faithful love endures forever.” Let Calvinists and Arminians say, “his faithful love endures forever.” Yes, let even saints and sinners say, “his faithful love endures forever.”
1.3 Antiphonal Procession
You see, Psalm 118 was actually canted as people lined up to march up to the temple. And the words were chanted or sung, antiphonally. So a priest would chant one part and the people would respond. The loudest and sweetest notes of praise come from the lips of the redeemed. Give thanks for God’s love is a loyal and faithful love.
1.4 Loyal, Faithful, Steadfast Love
God’s mercy is loyal mercy. God’s kindness is loyal kindness. And God’s love is a loyal love. The stock market may go up and down, but not God’s love. Your mood bounces all around, but not God’s faithful, loyal love. May I submit that we should all hold Psalms 118 so close to us this season, and let’s turn up the volume on our gratitude.
- I’m Thankful God Stands by Me
- I’m Overwhelmed God Stands with Me
Ps 118: 5-16
“I called to the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and put me in a spacious place. 6 The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me? 7 The Lord is my helper, Therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humanity. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in nobles. 10 All the nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I destroyed them. 11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I destroyed them. 12 They surrounded me like bees; they were extinguished like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I destroyed them. 13 They pushed me hard to make me fall, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. 15 There are shouts of joy and victory in the tents of the righteous: ‘The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly! 16 The Lord’s right hand is raised. The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly’” (Psalm 118:5-16)!
2.1 God Is All He Talks About
Four times in verses 5-7, David speaks God’s name. God is all this man can talk about it. Every sentence and every syllable – all he does is talk about God. I wonder if there’s ever a time when I could eavesdrop on your conversation where God is all you talk about? I know you talk about your money and whether it’s sunny… …not the Dallas Cowboys, or white noise… …yes, you talk about even your gains and your pains. But what I want to know is if you ever talk about the goodness of God? The psalmist did just that – David spoke about the goodness of God. What a marvelous impact it had on him.
2.2 Surrounded On Every Side
It wasn’t always this way. There were points in David’s life when all he could see was enemies coming at him. Here was a man in crisis. The king is being attacked and his enemies have him surrounded (verse 10-12). In fact, his enemies attacked him like a swarm of bees (verse 12). Yet, no matter how many enemies came at him, not one of them and not all of them were a match for God. Listen to his testimony in verse 13: “They pushed me hard to make me fall, but the Lord helped me” (Psalm 118:13).
The root of the word thankful is thoughtful. The idea is that if one thinks about their blessings, they would be grateful for their blessings. Thinking always precedes thanking. The command to be thankful is a command to stop and think about how we have been blessed. We give thanks because God’s performance always matches His promise. When we cry out to the Lord, he delivers us from the mess we’ve made. He puts our feet in spacious places (verse 5).
2.4 Luther and Psalm 118
Did you know that Psalm 118 was Martin Luther’s favorite psalm? Luther called Psalm 118 the “golden psalm” because it comforted him during times of great temptation. He even wrote a commentary on when he was “holed up” in a castle at Coburg in 1530 during the Diet of Augsburg. It was feared that if he attended the meeting, he would arrested for his teachings and burned as a heretic. His problems taught him a valuable lesson about trust: “The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me” (Psalm 118:6)?
Again, he says, “The Lord is my helper, Therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me” (Psalm 118:7). He says when no one else could help, not kings, not wise men, not even other Christian friends could help him, but Psalm 118 ran to the rescue. Perhaps when the furnace of temptation rose to its highest heat, Luther ran to the fresh, cool water of Psalm 118. Psalm 118 refreshed his thirst for God’s loyal, faithful love. Yes, I am thankful God stands by me because He had every right to stand against me. Even the psalmist says as much in verse 18, “The Lord disciplined me severely but did not give me over to death” (Psalm 118:18). No matter the “obstacle course” your sinful life presents Him, God’s unrivaled love is so powerful, He will pursue you. Give thanks with me that God’s love isn’t tied to your performance or your obedience!
2.5 Brief Doxology
How important is it to give thanks? The Bible says that King David named Heman and Jeduthun to give thanks to the Lord before the ark of the covenant (1 Chronicles 16:37-41). These two guys had a full-time job “to give thanks to the LORD—for his faithful love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:41b). Double WOW!
I will bless the Lord at all times! God’s praise shall continually be in my mouth. Oh, magnify the Lord with me. Let us exalt God’s name together! Taste and see that the Lord is good. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. You missed your cue there. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Yes, praise the Lord! For the Lord is worthy to be praised.
- I’m Thankful God Stands by Me
- I’m Overwhelmed God Stands with Me
- I’m Grateful God Stands for Me
As the psalmist comes down the back stretch, his praise elevates his ability to give thanks. And he says something remarkable in verse 17, 19-29: “I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done. 19 Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the Lord’s gate; the righteous will enter through it. 21 I will give thanks to you because you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 This came from the Lord; it is wondrous in our sight. 24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Lord, save us! Lord, please grant us success! 26 He who comes in the name of the Lord is blessed. From the house of the Lord we bless you. 27 The Lord is God and has given us light. Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks. You are my God; I will exalt you. 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever” (Psalm 118:17, 19-29).
3.1 Gratitude Is an Escalator
You can feel his confidence build, can you not? His confidence and trust in God is moving up, up, up! Look again at verse 17 with me again: “I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done” (Psalm 118:17). Thankfulness is an escalator that will take you to the top floor! St. Vincent de Paul has rightly said, “We should spend as much time in thanking God for His benefits as we do in asking Him for them.” When we begin to name our blessings and count them – one after another… … then the momentum of gratitude begins to have a snowball effect in your mind. Once you name all the good things the Lord has done and His remarkable love for you, you arrive on the top floor of joy and happiness, trust and faith. “I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done” (vs 17) is no idle boast but it is calm and sure conclusion of man who has counted all that God has done for Him.
Have you ever thought about what’s next for you after this life? William Shatner has thought about his death. In fact, a Philadelphia Inquirer article from 2004, spoke of the famed actor from Star Trek. Reflecting on the death of legendary actor Marlon Brando, Shatner said he began to really think about death. “I’m so not ready to die. It petrifies me. I go alone. I go to a place I don’t know. It might be the end. My thought is that it is the end. I become nameless and I spent a lifetime being known.”
Let me ask you a personal question that I once asked a fellow soldier who was near deployment. Can you say with confidence, “Open the gates of righteousness for me; I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the Lord’s gate; the righteous will enter through it” (Psalm 118:19-20). Most people I talk to believe they are going to hand over their resume as they meet the angels and Jesus at the gates of Heaven. A résumé is all the great things about you. A résumé is your accomplishments, your skills, and your great qualifications. That’s how America works, isn’t it? We work off the résumé system, where everybody opens or shuts doors for you based on what you’ve done. Friend, God will not open those gates based on your résumé. The only way the gates are open for you if you wave Christ’s résumé instead of your own. The only way the gates are open for you is if Christ stands for you.
I’m Thankful God Stands by Me
I’m Overwhelmed God Stands with Me
I’m Grateful God Stands for Me!
3.2 Peter and Psalm 118
Did you know that in one of the 1st Christian sermons, shortly after the death and resurrection, Peter quotes Psalm 118 before a whole group of people? Peter draws a direct line from Psalm 118 to Jesus when he says, “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11-12). In all, Psalm 118 says “thanks” 5 times. But tightening our focus for a moment, we see he’s thankful for the open gate in verse 19. And again in verse 21, he’s thankful that the Lord has become “my salvation.” Friend, you’re never going to be confident you’re getting through the gates of Heaven with your résumé. But you will have all the confidence… … and all the boldness this side of Heaven when you trade your résumé for His résumé.
3.3 God’s Rich Love at Calvary
If you want to really see God, you don’t go to a beautiful sunset. If you want to really feel God’s presence, you don’t sit on a beach. If you want to be near God, you don’t go high into the Himalayas with their majestic wonder. No, if you want to marvel at God’s rich love, you go see a man hang on a bloody cross for your sins.
Conclusion
The official Thanksgiving Day goes all the way back to 1789 when George Washington, the first President of the United States, proclaimed November 26th as a day of Thanksgiving. After that, Thanksgiving Day continued to be celebrated on different days in different states until finally in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a White House proclamation calling on “the whole American people to observe a special day of Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November of every year.”
But you don’t have to wait until the end of November to be thankful. You and I need to be grateful for God’s daily dependability. When God parted the Red Sea, God’s love was dependable. When King David reigned over Israel, God’s love was dependable. When the Battle of Hastings was fought, God’s love was dependable. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, God’s love was dependable. When the Allied forces defeated the Axis powers on D-Day, God’s love was dependable. When terrorists flew planes into the World Trade Towers, God’s love was dependable. When I was born, God’s love was dependable. And when I die, God’s love will be dependable. You can depend on the loyal, committed love of God.
Closing Prayer
Father, we have an infinite number of reasons to be thankful for you and your many gifts. We are overwhelmed by the faithful and steady love and kindness you have shown us. We look forward to the day you open up the very gates of righteousness to take us where you are. We depend on you now and forever more. In Jesus Name, Amen.
