Meditation and Thankfulness

From The Prayer of a Worshiper on Youversion

Worship is a response to God. Prayer, like song, becomes the vehicle. We give God thanks because of who He is and what He has done, and is continuing to do.

Psalm 119 is one of my most favorite chapters in the Bible. Why? Because it’s filled with relativity and connects my spirit and my emotions to His truth. Most of my time in the Word begins in the Psalms.

I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
Psalm 119:15

When I look at each word, it compels me to pray. When’s the last time you just hung on a word or a verse just to meditate?

May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise;
Psalm 119:41

When I land on a passage like Psalm 119.41, I often ask myself questions about what I’m reading. I like to find the full context of the words that will enable me to dive deeper. For example, reading the phrase “Your unfailing love…” makes me stop and ponder what makes God’s love so “unfailing”?

If we look up that word in Scripture or think about it’s meaning, we find that unfailing means: constant, reliable, dependable, steadfast, steady, endless, undying, unfading, inexhaustible, indefatigable, boundless, tireless, ceaseless. Pretty incredible, right?

Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
Psalm 119:27

This understanding of one word gives us a richer context to worship and sing our prayers to God. We can resonate with the imagery as we see His steady work in our lives, families, friends, ministries, etc. Then, the Holy Spirit can move us to search other words or passages adding to our individual worship experiences.

When I enter into worship, either private or public, I bring to mind what I’ve learned. When a good song lyric, message or sermon comes my way and intersects with what God is doing in my heart, my response to God becomes uncontainable.

May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees.
Psalm 119:171

When we meditate and give thanks for God’s faithfulness, our worship changes because our hearts change. Our behaviors change, because God shapes (and re-shapes) our entire being. Taking your worship to a deeper level with God begins with Him. Worship for depth, not for distance.