Cultivating a Thankful Spirit: Day Thirteen
It would be neglectful to write a series on thankfulness in the Bible without spending time discussing the Psalms. This entire book of the Bible is a collection of songs and poems express a mixture of praise, worship, and confession.
“Let everything that lives sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
Psalm 150:6
The Psalms are best known as being written by King David, though several other kings and priests were also responsible for creating them. The chapters within the book of Psalms can be divided into five sections: humans as fallen but redeemed by God, Israel as a ruined but recovered nation, the worship and reverence we owe to God’s holiness, the relationship of believers to the nations around us, and the thanksgiving we owe to God and His perfect Word. All of these sections, however, can be unified through one way; they are prayers from the heart of any believer and for any situation.
I find it fascinating that the book of Psalms is considered almost synonymous with praise, yet most of them are written by King David. David was chosen by God to become King of Israel, yet his life was not picture-perfect. He made horrendous mistakes, he was hunted by enemies, he was disappointed in his own wishes — but still, David praised God through all of his sufferings. David’s ability to worship God in his difficulties as well as in his blessings is an example to readers, who can find comfort and inspiration by sharing his prayers. Even when we feel angry or desperate, we can find a psalm (or several) that both reflects those feelings and focuses on the goodness of God.
In your prayer time, I encourage you to find a Psalm to pray during the week; chapters 8, 19, 30, 65, 84, 96, 100, 136, 145, and 150 can all be good places to start. What is a psalm that stands out to you, or helps you focus your prayer time?
— Hannah
This Small Group 
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