There are a number of people running around at supermarkets purchasing items for Thanksgiving dinner. Some are stressing about how much to purchase and prepare, because some invited guests have not responded yet.  Others are spending a lot of time cleaning their homes to make sure everything looks good and nothing appears to be out of place. There is a lot of work people put in before this holiday, to insure everything goes well on Thanksgiving day. However, do people recognize everything they are able to do is through the grace and mercy of the Lord?  Therefore, how important is giving thanks to the Lord in your life!  It’s good to have a holiday giving thanks to the Lord, but that’s only once a year. As the people of God we understand Thanksgiving is something we do consistently throughout each and everyday. Why, because we know our existence has been made possible by the Lord, and everyday you wake up is a blessing from the Lord.

In Psalm 9:1-2, the writer wants the readers to know how important it is to give thanks to the Lord. In the beginning of verse 1 it states, “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart.” The writer is expressing the importance the Lord has in his life. Throughout the Psalm, the writer details some of the things the Lord has done. The writer wants it to be known the Lord is responsible for his existence. I can imagine as the writer was formulating this Psalm, he began to reflect on all the Lord has brought him through. Knowing if he did this for me, he also did it for others. This is the reason he is sharing this Psalm to motivate others to give the Lord thanks with their whole heart. In essence you are not to short change the One who made your life possible, and continues to watch over you.  With the totality of who you are, give the Lord thanks because He has blessed every aspect of your life. Now it’s time for you to do the following from the rest of verse 1, “I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” You have an obligation to share the goodness of the Lord with others. Our God is awesome, and we want others to know it. Hoping in time they also will come to this realization. In verse 2, the writer wants it to be known how glad he is, because the Lord has been blessing him. Therefore, he will sing his praises to the Lord, because He is, “O Most High”. The writer is excited about the relationship he has with the Lord. Therefore, holding back is not an option. 

How excited are you about your relationship with the Lord? It’s not about what you say, but what people see when they look at you. Your excitement should be visible and infectious. When people hear you talk about the Lord, and your actions confirm it. This will draw people to you, because they want to understand how this happens. That’s when you let it be known the Lord is worthy of all your praise, and holding back anything is not an option. Continue to walk in your blessings.