Psalm 116

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Sermon Follow Up

Summary

Psalm 116 teaches us to respond to God’s tangible acts of deliverance with tangible acts of thanksgiving. In Israel, thanksgiving wasn’t just an inward feeling, it could become a public event involving sacrifice, food, celebration, and a gathering of God’s people. God gives us practices of thanksgiving because giving thanks forms us into thankful people.

Discussion/Reflection Material

-Read Psalm 116:1–8. What specific things has God done that cause the Psalmist to love and praise Him? What does this teach us about the relationship between who God is and what God does?

-Verse 12 asks, “How can I repay the LORD for all the good he has done for me?” Read vv. 13–19. How does the Psalmist answer his own question?

-Read Leviticus 7:11–16. What tangible elements were involved in Israel’s thanksgiving offering? How does knowing this background change the way you hear Psalm 116:17?

-The sermon argued that giving thanks forms us into thankful people. What practices or habits have formed you, for good or ill? How might deliberately practicing thanksgiving increase your awareness of God’s goodness?

-Are you specific enough in your prayers that you can recognize when God answers them? Think of something you have asked God for recently. What has happened since you prayed?

-Are you as intentional about thanking God after deliverance as you are about asking Him for deliverance beforehand?

-The Psalmist promises to give thanks “in the presence of all his people” (vv. 14, 18). What has God done for you recently that you could share with other Christians (or at least your family) so that they can thank Him with you?

Practice this week: If you can identify a significant answered prayer or act of God’s provision, find a tangible way to mark it. Share a meal, tell someone what God did, invite others to celebrate with you, or otherwise turn your gratitude into an event.

Family-Friendly Devo

Big Idea: Giving thanks helps make us thankful.

Read Psalm 116:1–2, 7–8, 12, 17 together.

Ask your kids: Why does the writer say he loves God? What did God do for him?

Explain that when God rescued His people, He didn’t only tell them to feel thankful. He gave them ways to do thanksgiving. They could bring a special offering, share food, gather with God’s people, and celebrate what God had done.

Then ask: What is something our family has prayed about that God has answered? How could we thank Him for it together?

Choose one answer and make your thanksgiving tangible: pray about it together, tell someone else what God did, make a special meal, or celebrate in another simple way.