Thankful for The Lord’s Blessings

A Sermon on Psalm 9 by Pastor Shafer Parker

Watch the sermon here.

Two Questions:

1. What is a blessing from God’s point of view?

2. What does God count as gratitude, and how best do we express our gratitude to God?

Biblical Gratitude in Trial:

1. Consider the Pilgrims

2. Consider David   

Verse 1: The Key to the Entire Psalm

Out of his heart, David expressed praise and worship to God. Heart: in Scripture, it is the center or core of a person. Before the young man even has a name, God describes him in the Bible as “a man after his (God’s) heart. As such, David has officially designated a “type” of Christ.

1. The mind: intellect, knowledge, thoughts

2. Emotions: feelings, what stirs you to want something

3. Will: commitment, the things for which you willingly pay a price

Let us examine what it means to be a type of Christ. Why? Because just as David foreshadowed something of what Jesus would be like for Israel’s people, so we are called to foreshadow Christ to those who do not yet know Him. Now, lest you think that foreshadowing Christ is too great a burden to bear (after all, He was perfect and we are not), consider that David was about as far from perfect as you can get. However, although he was not perfect in his life, he was perfect in his faith. Remember, it is by faith, not works, that we live and please God.

4. David was more grateful for the Giver than for the giver’s gifts.

5. David worshipped the giver, not the gifts.

6. David was grateful for the Giver before trials, during trials, and after trials.

Conclusion:

David understood that a blessing is whatever moves us toward Christlikeness. Christian gratitude is worshipping from the heart of the God Who is willing to do whatever it takes to conform us to Christ.

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