As Thanksgiving approaches, we may not be gathering in typical ways. Our tables may not include those normally invited, we may be grieving as we miss those who used to fill the seats, we may not have enough money to feast. Our hearts may be too overwhelmed to feel like celebrating as our forefathers did on that first Thanksgiving.
One of my forefathers was William Bradford who captained the Mayflower through extraordinary tribulation and trials, later celebrating the first Thanksgiving we now consider a holiday. It’s inspiring to read words of our ancestors and ponder their experiences. He wrote, “Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, shew how He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor. When they wandered in the desert wilderness out of the way, and found no city to dwell in, both hungry and thirsty, their soul was overwhelmed in them. Let them confess before the Lord His loving kindness and His wonderful works before the sons of men” (p. 63).[1]
Lord, we thank You in our trials
I’ve recently learned that the Hebrew word translated “thank” in our Bibles actually means to “confess” or “acknowledge.” So, as we thank Him, we are acknowledging Him as Lord, in all of His character and ways. We acknowledge and confess our sin and see our dependent need for Him and His wondrous redemption. We thank God for what He has done and is doing for us, all by grace. My heart is so humbled before Him.
Dear friend, no matter what trials are happening for us, just as for all His people since the fall in Genesis 3, He is unchanging and He has done so much for us. Could God be giving us good gifts in the trials themselves because He is lovingly helping us seek Him?
Let’s “gather together” in a praise interruption here, as Scripture and song fill our hearts with words of thanksgiving to our Lord.
We thank You that You never forget Your children
We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
he chastens and hastens his will to make known;
the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing:
sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.
We Gather Together, Valerius, A., 1597
Can a woman forget her nursing child,
that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget,
yet I will not forget you (Is. 49:15 ESV).
If God is for us, who is against us? (Rom. 8:31b ESV)
We thank You that You are winning the battle
Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
so from the beginning the fight we were winning;
thou, Lord, wast at our side: all glory be thine!
We Gather Together, Valerius, A., 1597
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mt. 28:18 ESV).
I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice (Ezek. 34:15-16 ESV).
We thank You that Jesus Christ is our victorious leader and defender
We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
and pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation endure through tribulation:
thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
We Gather Together, Valerius, A., 1597
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (I Cor. 15:57-58 ESV).
Lord, we thank You in our trials by singing thanksgiving to You
This week’s playlist is filled with songs of thanksgiving, songs to confess and acknowledge the Lord’s worth, His gospel-work in Jesus Christ, and the many blessings He has provided to us. They are of varied genres according to varied personal taste, but I pray that each Psalm, hymn, and spiritual song will edify and encourage you. I curate playlists with my music education and music therapy knowledge, aiming to help you sing!
If you are hurting, I’ve learned that giving thanks to God is a healing act. I’ve learned that singing thanks to God is His glorious gift to us. Will you join me in rejoicing in the Lord always, by singing in personal worship? If you thirst for words of praise and thanksgiving to sing to Him, especially now, sign up here for my free YouTube playlist gift (with lyrics to sing) that matches the Scriptures you just read! I am praying He blesses you through it, dear friend in Christ. Do you have a friend who might be blessed and encouraged? Feel free to pass this on!
[1] Bradford, W. (1952). Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647. Rutgers University Press
