Thanksgiving: Appoint, Repeat!

“On that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord…

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
    make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!..
Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
    his miracles and judgments!..

Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
    Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his place.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth…
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
    and let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns!’
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
    before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

“Blessed be the Lord,..
    from everlasting to everlasting!

“Then all the people said, ‘Amen!’ and praised the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 16:7-10,12,23-34,36

On that day, the tent had been pitched, the people gathered, the priests and Levites consecrated. On that day, musicians and singers were assembled, charged with much rejoicing, and sacrifices were offered. On that day, the day of homecoming, the day of glad mercy for a second chance at transporting the ark of God’s presence to the tent according to God’s command- the right way- on that day, David the king saw fit to appoint thanksgiving. All was from God, and all gratitude and praise was to Him. (1 Chronicles 15:3,11-16,25-28; 16:1-2)

Ah, the mercies of the Lord are indeed many and vast. His disciplines for wrongdoing do not disqualify us, but awaken fresh gratitude for grace, and open the way to broader understanding of His love. When we grasp His welcome, and approach as He prescribes, we want to prepare, we want consecration, we want to offer ourselves and more, we want to sing and make merry because He is worthy of it all.

How do we consecrate and prepare ourselves to gather with the Lord? Have we deliberately appointed thanksgiving a regular part each day’s worship? For what miracles, judgments, strength, and marvelous works have we praised Him today? What deeds and attributes of the good and glorious God are we making known, and where?

“God our Maker doth provide 
for our wants to be supplied; 
Lord of harvest, grant that we 
wholesome grain and pure may be.
All the world is God’s own field, 
fruit unto His praise we yield. 
come to God’s own temple, come; 
 Come, ye thankful people, home.” ~Henry Alford (1844)

Lord, keep me ever singing, always thanksgiving.