Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
This psalm expresses gratitude for God's kingship and His kingdom. If you were to look back at the very first verse, verse one, it says, "I will extoll you, my God and King." Then the verse right after our verse says, "they shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom." You have God as our King, and then you have us as members of His kingdom.
Do You Know the Difference?
This verse, verse ten, is describing what will happen. Specifically, Your works will thank You, Lord, and Your faithful followers will praise You. According to Ephesians chapter 2, in the New Testament, we are God's workmanship. Then, we are faithful followers of the Lord.
We're in this verse. We as Christians, we will thank God and we will praise God. I wonder, do you know the difference between thanking God and praising God? As these faithful followers—in other translations it says, Saints—we are saints. We will thank God for what He has done, and we will praise God for who He is.
Do You Thank God for What He’s Done?
Ask yourself, do I thank God for what He has done in prayer? Formally and informally? Maybe there's time that you set aside each day. Maybe it's the as-you-go sort of prayer, but you are expressing thanks and gratitude to God. You're aware of the good things that God has done for you, and you're thanking Him for what He has done.
Do You Praise God for Who He Is?
Then also, do you praise God? Do you understand from His word? Do you think about who He is, His character, His attributes? Do you acknowledge God in word and song and praise Him for who He is? As Christians, there is meant to be a rhythm of life that is thanking God and is praising God, and we see it right here in Psalm 145.
This might go without saying, but in order to thank God for what He's done and in order to praise God for who He is, you need to be paying attention. You need to be paying attention to the Word of God and growing in your understanding of who God is. You need to be paying attention to what God is doing in your life.
Then you're going to need to take time. Whether it's as you go or whether it's time you specifically set aside, you're going to need to thank God and praise Him- in word, in prayer, with other Christians, or in song.
Participate in the Reality of Our Verse
Today, will you make a conscious effort to distinguish between thanking God and praising God? Will you participate in the reality of our verse? Psalm 145, verse 10: All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you.
