Title Give thanks to Jehovah!
Contents
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1. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good and his mercy endures forever.
2. Give thanks to God, who is superior among gods, for His mercy endures forever.
3. Give thanks to the one who is superior among lords, for his mercy endures forever.
4. Give thanks to him who alone does great wonders, for his mercy endures forever.
5. Give thanks to him who in wisdom made the heavens, for his mercy endures forever.
6. Give thanks to him who spread out the earth upon the waters, for his mercy endures forever.
7. Give thanks to him who made the great lights, for his mercy endures forever.
8. Give thanks to him who made the sun rule the day, for his mercy endures forever.
9. Give thanks to him who made the moon and the stars rule the night, for his mercy endures forever.
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9. Hereby we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may fill your spiritual wisdom and understanding with the knowledge of the will of God.
10. Walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing in all things, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God;
11. Empowering you with all power according to the power of his glory, with joy to all endurance and long-suffering;
12. May we give thanks to the Father, who has made us worthy to receive the part of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Content
Topic: Give thanks to Jehovah!
Text: Psalm 136:1-9, Col 1:9-12
Psalm 136 is a prayer of thanksgiving called the “Great Hallel” in Jewish literature. ‘Hallelujah’ are psalms that sang Hallelujah at the beginning and at the end, or at the beginning or at the end (106: 111: 15, etc.). However, Psalm 136 is especially called ‘Great Hallel’ even though there is no expression ‘Hallelujah!’ at the beginning or the end. This is because of the special form and content of poetry. In every verse of verse 26, it is a form of chanting a story of thanksgiving to God and chanting, “His mercy endures forever.” It is a form of holy poetry reading. In terms of content, the beautiful relationship that is confessed between the worshiping God and the worshiping congregation is exceptional. It is a majestic and lively poem where heaven and earth meet. ‘O give thanks to the Lord!’ is the beginning of the four verses (1,2,3,26).
These are expressions such as ‘the God of gods’ (verse 2), ‘the Lord of lords’ (verse 3), and ‘the God of heaven’ (verse 26). The content and the expression itself contain the emotion of ‘Halel’ (hymn). It contains the impression that the goodness and mercy of God the Creator, which is manifested in all creation, is eternal (verses 1-9). Give thanks to God for His kindness toward Israel, whom He had a will to choose during human history (10-24). The remaining two verses (verses 25 and 26) tell us to give thanks to God who cares for all life in heaven and earth. The Chinese character for ‘thank you’ (感謝) is ‘a sense to feel’ and ‘to give thanks’. It is the greatest task of human life (Short Catechism of Christianity 1). It is the greatest condition and task of being human. It is a task that requires training. In worshiping God, thanksgiving is alpha and omega.
This kind of gratitude is what a finite life looks like in eternity. The New Testament text (Colossians 1:9-12) is Paul's prison epistle, a prayer for the church in Colossae. This is the content of intercessory prayer offered without rest. The ‘Colossian Heresy’ is a prayer for the church that was experiencing spiritual confusion due to the bad influence of Greek philosophy. The supreme supremacy of the church is revealed to be Jesus Christ, not man. ‘He is the image of the invisible God. He is the firstborn of all creation...and he is before all things, and in him all things hold together' (Colossians 1:15-17). ‘He is the head of the body, the church. he is the root the firstborn among the dead, that he himself might have supremacy over all things” (verse 18). If you have become a Christian through the grace of the gospel, is there any other response than gratitude?