Among the definitions of the word thanksgiving are: “the act of giving thanks,” “a prayer expressing gratitude,” and “a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.” Although the word thanksgiving does not appear in Psalm 103, this Psalm is an excellent expression of heartfelt gratitude and praise to God. The more one praises and thanks God for His goodness, the more reasons he finds for doing so. To deny God genuine thanksgiving is to fail to recognize God’s wonderful bounty to each individual.
QUESTION
In looking at the first verse of our text, with what part of his being did the Psalmist bless (praise) the Lord? Why? See John 4:23.
Name six benefits the Psalmist listed as coming from the Lord. How do you feel about these benefits?
What is likened to the eagle in verse 5? Why give thanks for this?
How do the oppressed fare when they trust the Lord?
List five other items, mentioned in verses 8 and 9 of our text, for which we should be thankful.
What are the wages of sin (Romans 6:23)? How does the Psalmist treat this truth (verse 10)?
How far does God remove the sins of those who repent? Why should this cause thanksgiving?
Why does God have pity upon His children? See verses 13 and 14.
In what way is the duration of life brought to our attention?
In what way is the mercy of the Lord emphasized? Why should this be an inspiration for thanksgiving?
SUPPLEMENTAL SCRIPTURES
THEME THOUGHTS
It is not difficult to go through the Bible and compile an extensive list of first events from which we can learn valuable lessons. Most people are interested in how or when something started and who started it. This quarter will focus on beginnings. The first two lessons deal with the beginning of everything—Creation and the first man. The next two are about the first sin and the first plan of escape from God’s judgment for sin. The next lesson is about the people who built the first “skyscraper” and the pitfalls of trying to be independent from God.
Four Bible characters will be studied: the first Hebrew, Abraham; the first leader, Moses; Israel’s first priest, Aaron; and the first king of Israel, Saul. There also will be a lesson on God’s first written Law.
The point of studying these lessons is to help us get a better understanding of some of the firsts in Bible history and, more importantly, to learn that, since the beginning of our world, each of these has played an important part in Gods plan for our lives. We want to grow spiritually from what we have learned.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy