Life is to be rooted in thanks. Thanksgiving is not a specific action expressed verbally in prayers or around a table during the Thanksgiving holiday; it is a lifestyle. Our lives should be ongoing expressions of thanksgiving to God. There is no singular way to define thankfulness. An attitude of thankfulness expresses itself in how one lives his/her life. This holiday season in America is a unique celebration where we, as a nation, remember that God is our Provider. We are not thanking ourselves. We are not trusting in ourselves. We are acknowledging the goodness and faithfulness of God. We are not implying that God only blesses America but rather are thanking God for blessing America.
Psalm 100 is a psalm of thanksgiving. It comes at the end of a series of psalms (93-99) that express the Kingship of God. God’s role as King is highlighted in these psalms and Psalm100 rounds off the section by highlighting the role of God’s people. We are instructed to thank our King and be loyal subjects. This psalm praises God simply for being God. Psalm 100 is very instructional and uses royal language to describe the relationship between God and his people. Simply put, God is our King and we are his servants. The word translated in v. 2 as “worship” is more accurately translated as “serve.” This word is used specifically throughout Psalms to express the role of a king’s subjects. Their lives are devoted to the King and they live lives of thanksgiving and service.
God is praised for his role as the Creator in v. 3. A literal translation of this verse is, “It is he who made us, not we” (v. 3). Understanding that God is the King who provides for and sustains his people is crucial to a lifestyle of thanksgiving. We do not provide for ourselves. All that we have is from God. We are stewards of his blessings and graces. We own nothing and attribute all we have to God. Verses 4-5 must be read together since they explain why we should live lives of thanksgiving: “For the LORD is good and his loves endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (v. 5). In short, v. 4 tells us to be thankful and v. 5 gives us the reasons.
Psalm 100 is appropriate for our current Thanksgiving holiday. But I challenge you as American Christians, as the world’s most blessed inhabitants, to live lifestyles of thankfulness. Do not settle for an annual holiday to express thanks to God. Take it to its logical conclusion and devote your entire life to serving King Jesus.
