Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever. – Psalm 136:1
The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration. Yet, for many, it can easily become a time of grumbling and complaint: maybe we overcommit and get stressed (too many parties!), or we have unrealistic expectations (aiming for the “perfect” holiday gathering). We feel the financial pressures (gift-giving and hosting), experience the relational strife of family conflict (the argument at family dinner), or face the magnified pain of grief in this season (remembering a lost loved one).
If you have a grumbling heart this holiday season, consider Psalm 136. Here, the Lord doesn’t grab us by the collar and say “Be thankful!”. Instead, he woos us with the foundational motivation for gratitude: His steadfast love endures forever.
The psalm has one simple goal: to overwhelm us with the love of God in a way that moves us from grumbling to gratitude. Gratitude is the antidote for a grumbling heart, and the psalmist gives us a high dose of this much-needed medicine! The phrase “His steadfast love endures forever” is repeated 26 times. Here’s a summary:
Give thanks to the God above all “gods”—His steadfast love endures forever (vv. 1–3). Grumbling stems from a lack of trust and misplaced expectations. By thanking God for His sovereignty and steadfast love, you remember His providential care in every situation, helping you see your circumstances in light of His goodness.
Give thanks for His wondrous works of creation—His steadfast love endures forever (vv. 4–9). Grumbling often arises from discontentment. Seeing God’s works in creation shifts your attention from what is lacking to the abundant beauty and provision already present in the world.
Give thanks for His deliverance from affliction—His steadfast love endures forever (vv. 10–16). Grumbling focuses on present difficulties, while thanksgiving for God’s redemption reminds you of His power and faithfulness in the past, cultivating hope for the future.
Give thanks for His preservation of His people—His steadfast love endures forever (vv. 17–25). Grumbling often stems from fear or forgetfulness of God’s care. Giving thanks for His preservation reminds you of His ongoing commitment to your well-being, replacing complaints with confidence in His steadfast love.
How can you move from grumbling to gratitude this season? See the beauty of His creation as you take in a sunset or converse with a fellow image-bearer of God. Reflect on how Jesus redeemed you and how He is working in your life right now. Slowly work your way through Psalm 136, making these prayers of praise your own. Write your own psalm of gratitude to the LORD. Whatever it may be, find ways to reflect on the persistent love of God—your Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Protector.
How can we be sure of this persistent and continual love? Christ has remembered us in our low estate (v. 23). He put the declaration of steadfast love into action by coming to rescue us from our foes (v. 24). He saves us to the uttermost (Heb. 7:25). This is, as the hymn writer George Matheson wrote, a “love that will not let me go.”