The Thanksgiving Song
One of my favorite quotes around Thanksgiving is “everyone seems to be thankful at Thanksgiving, except the Turkeys.” I’m not sure who said that, perhaps a vegan, but I’m thankful the Lord gave us some tasty meat to enjoy during this national time of Thanksgiving, especially the white meat (with stuffing and gravy on top).
There is only one song in the book of Psalms that is specified as “a Psalm of Thanksgiving,” and it is Psalm 100. It is the last of what is known as the Royal Psalms (or Theocratic Enthronement Psalms: 93–100). These psalms highlight God’s Sovereign reign over all as King and Judge and they call all nations to worship Him.
God chose to use two Hebrew words for “thanksgiving” and they are both used in this psalm in the same verse (v. 4).
Towdah is a Hebrew word most often connected with the sacrificial thanksgiving offerings (Lev. 22:29; 2 Chron. 29:31).
Yadah is a Hebrew word used 114 times as a confessional word that is translated as praise, thanks, or confess.
Both words are built around the idea of confession, a vocal expression of our need and God’s ability to meet that need, so understanding why we are grateful is inseparable from the act of expressing and acknowledging our appreciation.
What do we learn from this song?
Thanksgiving recognizes God’s motivational goodness (v. 5)
The word “for” in verse 5 points back to the seven ways we are commanded to praise the Lord (in verses 1–4). It’s all because of God’s inspirational goodness…in good times and in bad times. Like the psalmist said, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word. You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes” (Psalm 119:67–68).
Our spiritual enemy knows that if he can get you and me to doubt God’s goodness, you won’t trust Him and if you don’t trust Him, you won’t obey Him.
In this passage, the psalmist reminds us that God’s lovingkindness (steadfast love) is good and God’s faithfulness is good. We can trust God’s nurturing and protecting love and His ongoing trustworthiness.
Thanksgiving responds with passionate giving (v. 1–4). The psalmist gives seven commands of personal giving (“shout joyfully, serve, come before Him, know, enter, give thanks, bless”).
Give God a glad heart (v. 1–3) that is expressed five ways: Enthusiastic joy (v. 1: “shout joyfully”), it’s commanded for everyone (v. 1b: “all the earth”), it should saturate our ministry (v. 2: “serve the Lord with gladness”), it should be sung (v. 2b: “come before Him with joyful singing”), and it is based upon proper submission (v. 3: Since God is the Creator, Redeemer, Shepherd who made us, He, therefore, owns us and deserves our willing and loving compliance).
Give God a grateful heart (v. 4) since He doesn’t want grumps in His kingdom. The psalmist uses the Tabernacle or Temple (“His courts,” “His gates”) to highlight the place of gathering, and together we thank and praise Him for what He’s done (“with thanksgiving”) and who He is (“bless His name”).
Don’t be an ungrateful “turkey” because the Lord is always good to us (“O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him” Psalm 34:8).
Pastor Jeff