Month of Thanksgiving - Day 21

詩篇116：1-11

¹ 我愛耶和華，因為他聽了我的聲音和我的懇求。
² 他既向我側耳，我一生要求告他。
³ 死亡的繩索纏繞我，陰間的痛苦抓住我，我遭遇患難愁苦。
⁴ 那時我便求告耶和華的名說：「耶和華啊，求你救我的靈魂！」
⁵ 耶和華有恩惠，有公義，我們的神以憐憫為懷。
⁶ 耶和華保護愚人，我落到卑微的地步，他救了我。
⁷ 我的心哪，你要仍歸安樂，因為耶和華用厚恩待你。
⁸ 主啊，你救我的命免了死亡，救我的眼免了流淚，救我的腳免了跌倒。
⁹ 我要在耶和華面前行活人之路。
¹⁰ 我因信，所以如此說話：「我受了極大的困苦。」
¹¹ 我曾急促地說：「人都是說謊的。」

Psalm 116：1-11

¹ I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.² Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

³ The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.⁴ Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”

⁵ Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.⁶ The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.⁷ Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

⁸ For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
⁹ I will walk before the Lord
In the land of the living.¹⁰ I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”¹¹ I said in my haste,
“All men are liars.”

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Brothers and sisters, the author of this psalm was greatly afflicted and therefore said in his haste that "all men are liars". Have you ever had similar experience? Often time we find our joy and faith based on people or circumstances that in the end will bring us disappointment and make us complain. As other psalm suggests, we many times are fool and forget the love and promises of the Lord. In this psalm, the author turned back to the Lord in faith and called upon His name. Our merciful Lord then inclined His ear to the simple supplications, delivering the author from death. For us, the situation may not change immediately after our supplications, but He will surely bring our soul to return to the rest.

"Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share", as is said in Hymn 364, "not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross, but is blest if we trust and obey". Do you trust in Him? Do you obey Him? It is hard to be full of faith in difficulties, but let's still call upon the Lord with "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Let's offer our deepest thanks to the Lord, for He is the one who supplies us with sufficient faith. And let's all praise the Lord as the author did - "I love the Lord".

弟兄姐妹，當詩人在極大的難處的裡面，他急促的說：“人都是說謊的”。你有過類似的經歷嗎？我們常把喜樂，信心建立在人或者環境上，但換回來的卻總是失望，甚至埋怨。詩篇說我們像愚妄人一樣，忘記了神的愛和應許。但詩人憑著信心回轉向神，求告他的主。就是這麼一個簡單的呼求，我們的神居然側耳而聽，安慰搭救我們，雖然環境可能沒有馬上改變，但祂卻要使我們重歸安樂。

沒有一個重擔祂不能背負，沒有一個憂患祂不能了解。聖徒詩歌H364提到："只要信而順從，這一切的傷心損失，所有的厭棄羞恥都要變成祝福"。你信嗎？你順從嗎？難處的裡面還要充滿信心，太難了。但我們要向神求：“我信，但我信不足，求主幫助。”因為連信心都是祂給的。為著從神而來的信心獻上最深的感恩，與詩人同讚：“我愛耶和華”。

Month of Thanksgiving - Day 20

詩107:17-22

¹⁷ 愚妄人因自己的過犯和自己的罪孽，便受苦楚。

¹⁸ 他們心裡厭惡各樣的食物，就臨近死門。
¹⁹ 於是他們在苦難中哀求耶和華，他從他們的禍患中拯救他們。
²⁰ 他發命醫治他們，救他們脫離死亡。
²¹ 但願人因耶和華的慈愛和他向人所行的奇事都稱讚他！
²² 願他們以感謝為祭獻給他，歡呼述說他的作為！

Psalm 107：17-22

¹⁷ Fools, because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
¹⁸ Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
²⁰ He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
²¹ Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
²² Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.

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Among all the blessings you give thanks to God for, are you ever grateful for His word (the Bible)? Psalm 107 teaches us that we should definitely praise the Lord for His word, because "He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them form their destructions."(v.20)

Often time we find ourselves fools, rebelling against God's words, and as a result afflicted in difficult situations because of our transgressions and sin. Fool as we are, God has loved us with an everlasting love. He always heals us with His word, delivering us from the afflicting circumstances. His words comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. His word exposes us, directs us, and compels us.

How I wish we can all sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, for the Bible He gives us and the word He has placed in us, right from this moment.

在你的感恩事項里，神的話（聖經）是其中一項嗎？這段詩篇告訴我們，神的話也應該是我們感恩的原因。20節：“他發命醫治他們，救他們脫離死亡。”英文版本非常清楚的翻譯 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.

我們時常因著天然人的愚昧而犯錯，甚至犯罪；不渴慕神的話，甚至厭惡神的命令。這些都會導致我們愁苦加增，落在各樣的難處里。然而，我們縱然愚妄，神的愛和眷顧總不改變。當我們回轉求告祂的時候，祂要用祂的話來醫治我們，幫助我們脫離目前的光景。祂的話讓不安的人得著安慰，讓安逸的人感到不安 - 祂的話提醒我們，引導我們，也激勵我們。

巴不得我們今天就來操練，為著祂所賜給我們的聖經，為著祂放在我們心裡的話，獻上我們感恩的祭。

Month of Thanksgiving - Day 19

詩篇92:1-8 安息日的詩歌。

¹ 稱謝耶和華，歌頌你至高者的名，
² 用十弦的樂器和瑟，用琴彈幽雅的聲音，早晨傳揚你的慈愛，每夜傳揚你的信實，這本為美事。
⁴ 因你耶和華藉著你的作為叫我高興，我要因你手的工作歡呼。
⁵ 耶和華啊，你的工作何其大！你的心思極其深！
⁶ 畜類人不曉得，愚頑人也不明白：
⁷ 惡人茂盛如草，一切作孽之人發旺的時候，正是他們要滅亡，直到永遠。
⁸ 唯你耶和華是至高，直到永遠。

Psalm92:1-8 A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath day.

¹ It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
² To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
³ On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
⁴ For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

⁵ O Lord, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
⁶ A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.
⁷ When the wicked spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.

⁸ But You, Lord, are on high forevermore.

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Unconsciously we often tell ourselves that "I have given enough thanks", or "it is enough to be grateful quietly in heart". But Psalm 92, the song for the Sabbath day tells us clearly that Sabbath is not only for us to take a rest, but to praise the Lord in congregation ("sacred assembly" in Lev 23:3). As 2 Chron 5:13 says, the trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord!

It is necessary to praise the Lord with gratitude, yet furthermore, as is said in this psalm, it is beautiful ("good") to praise the Lord. Similarly, Jesus saw it a beautiful thing when Mary anointed Himself before He went to the cross. On one hand, it is beautiful because our praises is precious to the Lord. He loves our praises and thanksgivings, and is satisfied when we do so. Brothers and sisters, thanksgiving is more precious than solicitation because thanksgiving is entirely focused on the joy and glory of the Lord rather than asking for self-interest. On the other hand, we ourselves will be set free through thanksgiving - whenever we turn our eyes upon Jesus instead of temporary things on earth, we will be enabled to go through the many difficult situations.

我們常會自我暗示：“我已經感謝的夠多的了”或“心裏默默感恩就夠了”。但這篇安息日的詩歌足可让我们看见：舊約的每一個安息日不僅是用來休息，更是用來聚會稱謝神的（“聖會”利二十三3），而且有吹號的，歌唱的，都一齊發聲，贊美感謝耶和華（代下5:13）。

頌贊、感恩誠然是應當的，但這裏卻更進一步稱之為“美事”。就如同新約的馬利亞在耶穌上十字架以先用膏膏主，耶穌稱之為“美事”。“美”，一方面表達出了這是神所喜愛，所寶貴的，神在其中得到了滿足。弟兄姐妹，感謝比祈求更美，因其中沒有任何利己的成分，完全是求神的喜悅和榮耀。另一方面，我們自己藉著感恩也能得著釋放與自由，眼目调转至永恒的神，而非短暂人事物，就能經過了許多人所不能經過的環境。

Month of Thanksgiving - Day 18

詩篇65 大衛的詩歌，交於伶長。

¹ 神啊，錫安的人都等候讚美你，所許的願也要向你償還。
² 聽禱告的主啊，凡有血氣的都要來就你。
³ 罪孽勝了我，至於我們的過犯，你都要赦免。
⁴ 你所揀選使他親近你，住在你院中的，這人便為有福！我們必因你居所，你聖殿的美福知足了。
⁵ 拯救我們的神啊，你必以威嚴秉公義應允我們，你本是一切地極和海上遠處的人所倚靠的。
⁶ 他既以大能束腰，就用力量安定諸山，
⁷ 使諸海的響聲和其中波浪的響聲，並萬民的喧嘩，都平靜了。
⁸ 住在地極的人因你的神蹟懼怕，你使日出日落之地都歡呼。

⁹ 你眷顧地，降下透雨，使地大得肥美；神的河滿了水。你這樣澆灌了地，好為人預備五穀。

¹⁰ 你澆透地的犁溝，潤平犁脊，降甘霖使地軟和，其中發長的蒙你賜福。
¹¹ 你以恩典為年歲的冠冕，你的路徑都滴下脂油。
¹² 滴在曠野的草場上，小山以歡樂束腰，
¹³ 草場以羊群為衣，谷中也長滿了五穀，這一切都歡呼歌唱。

Psalm65 Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion;
And to You the vow shall be performed.
² O You who hear prayer,
To You all flesh will come.
³ Iniquities prevail against me;
As for our transgressions,
You will provide atonement for them.

⁴ Blessed is the man You choose,
And cause to approach You,
That he may dwell in Your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house,
Of Your holy temple.

⁵ By awesome deeds in righteousness You will answer us,
O God of our salvation,
You who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
And of the far-off seas;
⁶ Who established the mountains by His strength,
Being clothed with power;
⁷ You who still the noise of the seas,
The noise of their waves,
And the tumult of the peoples.
⁸ They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of Your signs;
You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice.

⁹ You visit the earth and water it,
You greatly enrich it;
The river of God is full of water;
You provide their grain,
For so You have prepared it.
¹⁰ You water its ridges abundantly,
You settle its furrows;
You make it soft with showers,
You bless its growth.

¹¹ You crown the year with Your goodness,
And Your paths drip with abundance.
¹² They drop on the pastures of the wilderness,
And the little hills rejoice on every side.
¹³ The pastures are clothed with flocks;
The valleys also are covered with grain;
They shout for joy, they also sing.

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"Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion" (v1) - Psalm 65 is a group thanksgiving poem. We all know that we should always offer thanks and praises to our Lord, but for what? David brought up very important reasons behind thanksgiving.

David is grateful for God first because He is a merciful God who forgives our sins - today through the blood of Jesus and by faith we can come boldly unto the temple of God and draw near to Him. Do we share David's gratitude and perceive it as a privilege to worship God in fellowship at our church? 

The world today is filled with murder, strife, evil, chaos and corruption. But David let us see that the Lord sits enthroned, surpassing all powers on earth. This vision should enable us to enjoy our rest in the Lord even when suffering. What a precious blessing from Him!

The Lord has been so good to His people and the nature that in Psalm 65 everything on earth seems to sing praises to the Lord beautifully in harmony. The author of this psalm, David, therefore cannot help singing "They shout for joy, they also sing". (v13)

“錫安的人，都等候讚美你” (v.1)，本詩是團體感恩詩，我們知道要時常向主獻上感謝與贊美，但是為什麼要這樣呢？大衛向我們提出非常重要的原因。

首先詩人提出感謝神施恩赦罪──今日我們靠著主的寶血，藉著信心坦然無懼來到 神的殿中，來親近祂。我們有否像本詩所描述的，覺得到教會參加集體敬拜是福分？

這個世界充滿了兇殺、爭競、邪惡、混亂和敗壞。但是詩人讓我們看見耶和華坐著為王，勝過自然界和人一切的力量。使我們在患難中享受安息。這 個福份是何等的寶貴。

神對大自然的眷顧和他百姓的厚恩，自然界好像和合奏乐赞美這位主。所以诗人情不自禁的说：“这一切都欢呼歌唱。”(v.13)

Month of Thanksgiving - Day 17

詩篇 26

1 耶和華啊，求你為我申冤，因我向來行事純全，我又倚靠耶和華並不搖動。

2 耶和華啊，求你察看我，試驗我，熬煉我的肺腑心腸。

3 因為你的慈愛常在我眼前，我也按你的真理而行。

4 我沒有和虛謊人同坐，也不與瞞哄人的同群。

5 我恨惡惡人的會，必不與惡人同坐。

6 耶和華啊，我要洗手表明無辜，才環繞你的祭壇，

7 我好發稱謝的聲音，也要述說你一切奇妙的作為。

8 耶和華啊，我喜愛你所住的殿和你顯榮耀的居所。

9 不要把我的靈魂和罪人一同除掉，不要把我的性命和流人血的一同除掉，

10 他們的手中有奸惡，右手滿有賄賂。

11 至於我，卻要行事純全，求你救贖我，憐恤我。

12 我的腳站在平坦地方，在眾會中我要稱頌耶和華。

Psalm 26
A Michtam of David.

1 Vindicate me, O Lord,For I have walked in my integrity.I have also trusted in the Lord;I shall not slip.

2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me;Try my mind and my heart.

3 For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes,And I have walked in Your truth.

4 I have not sat with idolatrous mortals,Nor will I go in with hypocrites.

5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers,And will not sit with the wicked.

6 I will wash my hands in innocence;So I will go about Your altar, O Lord,

7 That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,And tell of all Your wondrous works.

8 Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house,And the place where Your glory dwells.

9 Do not gather my soul with sinners,Nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

10 In whose hands is a sinister scheme,And whose right hand is full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;Redeem me and be merciful to me.

12 My foot stands in an even place;In the congregations I will bless the Lord.

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Psalm 26 reveals us that the source of David's joy and gratitude comes from his inner purity and his pursuit of God's presence and God's temple. True gratitude is not decided by the situation outside, but rather out of our decision inside. Despite the fact that we usually only feel grateful when things work out fine, David let us see true gratification starts from an inside transformation.

David didn't spell it out for what specifically he was grateful for, but he led us to the source of being grateful - when living a holy life in Christ, our life will be full of thanksgivings naturally.

這首詩的核心讓我們看見大衛流露出一個人心裏純正，專心以神的同在和祂的殿為樂的情懷，而這成爲了他喜樂與感恩的來源。感恩是出於内心的抉擇，而不是由於外在環境的影響。我們的感恩常常從因著外面的事物，而大衛卻讓我們看見感恩是由内心的改變開始。

詩人雖然沒有告訴我們『感恩』的形式和内容，卻是引領我們到那源頭，當我們以聖潔常在主的面前，必然活出感恩的生活。