As surprising as it may seem, Psalm 100 is the only psalm in the psalter explicitly identified as “a Psalm of Thanksgiving.” The Psalmist exhorts us “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Ps. 100:4). Such a response to God should not surprise us, and in fact should be “second nature” to His people. Consider three characteristics of our Father which should motivate us to thank Him: (1) He is good, (2) He is merciful, and (3) He is true.
• His goodness refers to His graciousness and benevolence. To be sure, God is a good God, and we are all beneficiaries of that goodness. He has provided us with more than we need both spiritually and physically. Therefore the Psalmist wrote, “Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men” (Ps. 107:8).
• God’s mercy has to do with His compassion for the miserable and steadfast love for His creation. “The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him…” (Ps. 103:17). Jeremiah said, “Through the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not” (Lam. 3:22). How great is the mercy of our God? Surely it is beyond the scope of our comprehension.
• That God is true speaks to His firmness, steadfastness, and faithfulness. Moses said, “Therefore know that the Lord your God, he is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deut. 7:9). Our God is true and faithful. His word is absolutely true (John 17:17) and we may confidently depend on Him (Titus 1:2; Heb. 10:23).
Paul said, “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:18). Such an attitude should come natural for Christians. God not only wants us to be thankful, He deserves it because of Who He is and what He does.