第12天
詩 9:1-5, 11
1我要一心稱謝耶和華，我要傳揚你一切奇妙的作為。
2我要因你歡喜快樂，至高者阿，我要歌頌你的名。
3我的仇敵轉身退去的時候，他們一見你的面，就跌倒滅亡。
4因你已經為我伸冤，為我辨屈；你坐在寶座上，按公義審判。
5你曾斥責外邦，你曾滅絕惡人，你曾塗抹他們的名，直到永永遠遠。
11應當歌頌居錫安的耶和華，將他所行的傳揚在眾民中。
作一個感恩的敬拜者並不複雜。簡單地說，真實的敬拜者會正確地回應所有 神的所是，以及所有 神以前做過的、現在正在做的、和以後將要做的事。大衛深深知道這點，所以他將之表達在自己的詩歌中。
這意味著我們必須真正認識到 神以及祂奇妙的作為。聖經中的“認識”一詞常常是指在親密的關係中獲得的經驗性的知識。也就是說，我們對神的感恩是基於事實而不是基於感覺，而且這感恩也是基於我們和 神之間活潑的關係。當大衛讚美耶和華的名的時候，他其實也是在高舉 神的屬性 － 神之所以為 神的屬性。當大衛用全心讚美 神的時候，他是在讚美 神做的所有的事 （即便有些事並不是為大衛自己做的）。神的祝福每早晨都是新的，但是只有當我們重視這些祝福以及它們的來源時，我們才能每日都感謝神。
這種感謝既不是抽象的也不是普通的。大衛花時間與神親近，並且用敏銳的眼光看到 神如何粉碎罪惡卻拯救罪惡的人。大衛之所以能夠因 神公義的審判而感謝 神，主要是因為他意識到 神對他奇妙的愛和憐憫。大衛深深地知道自己和以色列民能夠持續地活在 神面前，不是因為他們有多麼好，而是因為 神對自己百姓永不改變的好。
這也是為什麼詩人用全心向 神唱出他的感謝。統治錫安的 神也是愛我們以至於進入這個世界來擦去我們的罪、並住到你我的心裡的 神。這完全的、仁慈的救贖實在值得大衛用全心來感謝和讚美。
今天，你的心有幾分在感謝 神？你想和大衛一樣更多地感謝 神嗎？那麼，請你今天停下手頭的事來數算 神所有奇妙的作為 （特別是他差遣自己的愛子來救贖我們）。花時間去認識和思想 神的所是，然後，懷著感恩的心唱讚美 神的詩歌，並且到人群中去傳揚祂！
Psalm 9:1-5,11
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
When my enemies turn back,
They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
For You have maintained my right and my cause;
You sat on the throne judging in righteousness.
You have rebuked the nations,
You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!
Declare His deeds among the people.
To be a thankful worshiper is nothing complicated. Simply, true worshipers respond correctly to all of who God is and all of what He has done, is doing, and even what He will do. David simply got this so well that he burst forth in poetry.
This means we actually have to know God and his wonderful works. Biblical language for knowing so often means experiential knowledge that comes from intimate relationship. This means our thankful response is grounded in reality - not merely how we feel - and in vibrant relationship. When David leads praise to YHWH’s name he is lifting up the very character of God - who the Lord is. When David gives praise with his whole heart it is for all of God’s deeds (even when things aren’t working out for him). God’s blessings are indeed new every morning but we can only thank Him for these daily to the degree that we pay attention to them and their source.
Such thanks are not abstract or general. David has spent time with God and has keen eyes to see how God is really working to crush evil and redeem evil people. For David to be able to actually thank God for His righteous judgment is crucial because it means he also recognizes God’s amazing mercy and love for David. David knows full well that he and Israel have been sustained not because of their superior goodness but because of God’s steadfast goodness to His people.
That is why the psalmist sings out in thanks with his whole heart. The Lord who reigns in Zion is also the God who loves us so much that he intervenes, stepping into the world to wipe out evil, starting with your heart and mine. Such complete, merciful salvation is worthy of David’s whole heart and nothing less.
What percent of your heart would you say is thanking God today? Want to thank more like David? Spend time today to stop and recount all of God’s marvelous works (especially sending the Son). Carve out time to get to know and meditate on who God is. Then in thanksgiving sing praise as you go and declare this among the people.
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