Day 394: Psalm 66- Growing Gratitude

​Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. 4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah
 
5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. 6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him, 7 who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah
 
8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, 9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. 10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. 11 You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; 12 you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water;  yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you, 14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah
 
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!
 
 
 
 
Meditation
An essential element of growing in maturity is creating an ecosystem where gratitude flourishes. Psalm 66 offers three categories to cultivate gratitude.
 
Celebrate God’s deeds in God’s world (1-4): The awesome deeds of the Lord propel us into praise. Our eyes must be off our circumstances and ourselves to celebrate the awesome deeds of the Lord. The scope of God’s work is all God’s world. Take time to learn and look for God’s work around the globe and celebrate His grace.
 
Celebrate God’s grace as God’s people (5-12): Gratitude is strengthened in community, like Aspen trees growing on the side of a mountain. The invitation to “come and see what God has done” (5) is a call to corporate worship, remembering and reflecting on the redemption and grace of God for His people in salvation and sanctification. The Church must cultivate a community of gratefulness, celebrating God’s grace displayed in God’s great acts.
 
Celebrate God’s love as God’s child (13-20): Communal gratitude is fruitful when each person cultivates a heart of gratitude. Worship of God through offerings and sacrifices grow gratitude.  Testimony also grows gratitude, inviting people to “come and hear” what God has “done for my soul.”  Do you share the story of God’s grace in your life with others? The categories of the psalm can empower you to do so: God has heard us personally, forgiven us, listened to us, and loved us. As children secure in the arms of a Father so we cannot be removed from the steadfast love of the Lord.
 
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you need to grow in gratitude? Where do you see the need most clearly?
 
-Which category comes most naturally to you, exploring God’s awesome deeds, celebrating corporately, or celebrating individually? Why?
 
-How can you share the awesome deeds of the Lord with others in your life? Who is someone who needs to hear?
 
Key Verse
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.