Psalm 118 - A Psalm of Thanksgiving (Reorientation)
by Pastor Paul Dugan
Try entering into gratitude with this three-part rhythm:
Part 1
Become present to the presence of God:
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. (Psalm 9:1 ESV).
Pause in silence before God. Practice breathing slowly and deeply. As you inhale, invite the Holy Spirit to fill every part of your being. As you exhale, release any burdens you are carrying into this time of prayer. Repeat this breathing prayer until you have brought your whole self -‘as is’ -before the presence of God.
Optional prayer of approach: “Lord, in my despair, you have been my hope. In my bondage, you have been my freedom. Every anguished prayer, bitter tear, sleepless night, has been seen by you, known by you- my Comforter, my Ransomer, my Righteousness…” (Endless Grace, by Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt: Psalm 118).
Part 2
Slowly read from Psalm 118 (NLT) out loud: (for audio versions click here)
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Let all Israel repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”
3 Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”
4 Let all who fear the Lord repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”
5 In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
and the Lord answered me and set me free.
6 The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?
7 Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
10 Though hostile nations surrounded me,
I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
11 Yes, they surrounded and attacked me,
but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
12 They swarmed around me like bees;
they blazed against me like a crackling fire.
But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
13 My enemies did their best to kill me,
but the Lord rescued me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.
The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
16 The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph.
The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
17 I will not die; instead, I will live
to tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has punished me severely,
but he did not let me die.
19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,
and I will go in and thank the Lord.
20 These gates lead to the presence of the Lord,
and the godly enter there.
21 I thank you for answering my prayer
and giving me victory!
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.
24 This is the day the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, Lord, please save us.
Please, Lord, please give us success.
26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, shining upon us.
Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you!
You are my God, and I will exalt you!
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Part 3
Use your own words to pray Psalm 118 back to God:
Begin by personalizing the pronouns in the psalm, turning the words about God into a prayer directly to God. For example, v. 1 (‘Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever‘) becomes ‘I give thanks to YOU Lord, for YOU are good. YOUR faithful love endures forever.’ Pray your way through the psalm in this way.
Then gather these thoughts into your own psalm of thanksgiving:
Describe an experience of pain or difficulty…
What reminded you to call on the Lord?
Describe your experience of God’s deliverance, provision, or guidance. Give him thanks!
With whom can you share this story?
The psalms are best read as the prayers of Jesus, our incarnate Savior and Lord. How does this psalm give voice to both Jesus’ experience of suffering and his vindication by the Father? Which verse(s) best captures for you a vision of resurrection power and hope?
The psalms were originally written as lyrics, as prayers set to music. Throughout the history of Israel and the church, the people of God have sung the psalms. Song invites us to internalize the Word of God with the whole self- body, mind, imagination, emotions and affections. Take time to listen to a version of Psalm 118 set to music. Try taking the psalm song with you into your day.
From the album Psalms (2002) by Shane and Shane. shaneandshane.com