Quite

often, we are led to give thanks after giving honor and adoration to

God in our prayers. We give thanks for the amazing things God has

done—for this world, for his people, and for us in our personal

lives.

Notice

how Psalm 66 moves from adoration to thanksgiving. In the first four

verses the psalmist declares how awesome and glorious God is. Then in

verse 5 we see a transition to “come and see what God has done.”

From this point on, the psalm reads like an inventory of God’s

gifts and amazing help. The psalmist describes how God saves and

watches over his people, even in the context of trouble and

disappointment, and the psalmist shares what God has done for him

personally as well.

Psalm

66 teaches us the value of being specific when we give thanks to God.

Many people like to keep a prayer journal that helps them pay

attention to what God is doing in their lives. They keep a running

list of God’s blessings and work for them, and they review their

list in thanksgiving to God.

In

our prayer life, gratitude can grow in many ways. God is incredibly

gracious and generous. As we read in James 1:17, “Every good and

perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father. . . .”

The one who gives so abundantly is most worthy to receive our

abundant thanks.