(Note: St. Augustine is famous for writing a book called “The Confessions,” which he wrote completely as a prayer to God. In the same spirit, I plan to write these posts as a prayer to God.)
“I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.” (Psalm 7:17, ESV)
I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness…
Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that you are a righteous God. I can’t imagine living in a world without ultimate justice. I can’t imagine how meaningless everything would feel if I didn’t know you would make all things right in the end. So, I praise your name, Father. I lift up your righteousness and justice. I’m thankful that, ultimately, you will not allow the wicked to prosper or your people to be destroyed. In the end, you will make all things right and all things new.
Father, open my heart and my mouth to thank you more fully. Even now, as I give thanks, I feel like I’m holding back. You deserve more thanks than I am giving. I’m thankful, but I don’t feel like I’m thankful enough. Please forgive me, Father. But I need more than your forgiveness. I need you to stir my heart and soul to be more thankful for who You are and what You do. Help me be more thankful for your righteousness and justice in the world. I want my mouth and my life to pour forth thanks so that the whole world can see you more clearly and respond in thankfulness for your righteousness.
I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.
Father, you deserve all praise and glory for being the Most High God. You are greater than anything in all creation. You are greater than anything I could dream of or imagine. You are the most High. Word are not enough to praise you. To praise you rightly, we must move beyond mere words to song. In order to praise and glorify you rightly, I must sing with all my heart.
So, Father, open my heart and my lips to praise you. I not only want to be thankful for your righteousness, I want to sing your praises for who you are. I want to praise your name. So, Father, I ask that you put a new song in my mouth so that I can break forth in praise of your name. I want to join with all of creation in praising you for who you are. You are the Most High God. You are the God of righteousness and justice. You are my God. So, I continue to give thanks and praise to you alone. Amen.