Magnify God With Thanksgiving

Minister:
Date: AM (Thanksgiving Day)
Text: Psalm 69:30
Psalters: 381, 169, 88, 186
  1. The activity.
    1. The setting for this psalm is the psalmist being evilly treated by enemies.
    2. To “magnify” to cause to grow, to make great or important, to promote (cf. 34:3).
    3. We are to magnify “God” and His “name,” not ourselves (cf. Ps. 35:26).
      1. God’s name is His revelation of Himself in creation, in Scripture, in Jesus Christ.
      2. How do we magnify God? The restriction is always in our eye and heart, so these must be enlarged.
    4. And we are to “praise” God.
      1. All praise is to go to God for He alone is worthy of glory and honor for He is good, full of perfections.
      2. Sincere praise arises, not by liturgy, but from a heart deeply aware of God’s goodness shown to us.
  2. How is God to be magnified and praised?
    1. “With thanksgiving.”
      1. Gratitude is the expression of the heart to Him Whom we identify as the Source and Giver.
      2. Our gratitude is increased when we confess our unworthiness to receive anything good of Him.
    2. “With a song.”
      1. Words with music powerfully conveys the moods of the words.
      2. Music moves the singer and the hearer to greater praise than just saying the words.
    3. "Give thanks! Oh Thou, who has given us so much, mercifully grant us one more thing - a grateful heart." G. Herbert