As we celebrate our national holiday of Thanksgiving, I’ve been coming across numerous articles about the countless benefits of cultivating an attitude of gratitude in our lives.
According to Scripture, an unthankful heart displeases God. He exhorts us to always give thanks, and to be thankful in all circumstances. It’s through praise and thanksgiving that we enter His presence.
A powerful way to build thanks and praise into our lives is to personalize scriptures and offer them to God as prayers and proclamations of our faith.
The Psalms are great for this. They are beloved by so many because they relate to a wide gamut of human emotions and conditions, and many express great praise and thanksgiving to God.
Here are some verses I’ve personalized from Psalms 100, 118, and 103, which can be used as a starting point:
Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; May I serve the Lord with gladness; And come before Him with joyful singing. I know Lord, that you are God; It is you that has made us, not we ourselves;
We are your people, And the sheep of your pasture. Therefore I enter your gates with thanksgiving, And your courts with praise. I give thanks to you Lord, And bless your name.
For the Lord is good, His lovingkindness is everlasting. His faithfulness is to all generations.
In my distress I called upon you, Lord; You answered me and set me in a large place. Lord, you are for me—I will not fear; What can man do to me? It is better that I take refuge in you, Lord, Than to trust in man.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, May all that is within me, Bless your holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, I will not forget your benefits.
You pardon all my iniquities, You heal all my diseases, You redeem my life from the pit, You crown me with lovingkindness and compassion; You satisfy my years with good things, So that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
All praise, and honor, and glory be Yours Lord, today and every day, as we pause to give you thanks for our many blessings. Amen!
Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton
Thank you, Cheryl, for this practical reminder of the importance of praying God’s Word. Really helpful.
So do you say the words of scripture to God and use them to pray?
Yes, what I’ve shown are simply examples of how to personalize verses from Psalms as a way to express praise and thanks to God, while also reaffirming His promises to us. This can certainly be done with any of His promises in the Word. Blessings to you, Liza!
Thanks Cheryl!I will choose a psalm today and personalize it. A great way to pray – these are prayers God loves to hear and answer!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! We all have much to be thankful for!