Verse of the Day for November 1

David wrote this song for the day the ark came home to Jerusalem. It was a day of drums and dancing, and you would expect the song to be all celebration.

Then, right after O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good, comes a line that sounds like it belongs to a harder day. Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen.

The people are told to give thanks and to cry for help in the same breath. Their thanks is not waiting for everything to be fixed. It stands beside the request, not after it.

Notice the reason given for the rescue: that we may give thanks to thy holy name. They want to be saved so they can thank him more. Gratitude is where they start and also where they hope to end.

You may not feel thankful this morning. You may be waiting on a result, a payment, a phone call that has not come. Say both lines anyway, on the walk to the bus stop if that is where you are. He is good. Save me. The song has room for both.

You can be grateful and still be asking for help, because the same psalm does both.

Say thank you for one thing before you say what you still need.