FEBRUARY 5
Psalm 26:7, “Singing God-songs at the top of my lungs.” (The Message Bible)
At the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, comedian Nikki Glaser drew attention to a notable trend: none of the acceptance speeches in the first half of the ceremony included a mention of God. While delivering a “mid-show recap,” Glaser humorously pointed out that, in terms of gratitude, fellow cast members and crew were first, with eleven mentions, followed by mothers, who were thanked three times. God, however, came in last with zero mentions. Glaser joked that this absence of God was “no surprise in this Godless town.”
Such is the state of things in this broken world. Although humanity was created by God, most refuse to honor Him or offer thanks (Romans 1:21). Rebel hearts and darkened minds lack both the understanding and the will to fulfill the purpose for which they were made. Despite God’s immense love and mercy, shown through the sending of His Son to save sinners, this priceless gift is often met with rejection and scorn.
For the redeemed, however, the perspective is different. A key example can be found in the context of our verse, where the psalmist publicly thanks God at the altar—an altar that looked forward to the future sacrifice of God’s Son for the forgiveness of sins. This act of thanksgiving is rooted in the incredible gift of salvation extended to every sinner. Through God’s Word, the Holy Spirit continually instructs and reminds us of the immense blessings we’ve received (Ephesians 1:3). It is not enough for us to remain silent in our gratitude. The church exists to proclaim the excellencies of the One who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). We have a song of thanksgiving to share with the world.
I’ve sat with hospice patients in their final days and have heard some thanking God amid their afflictions. God put a song of thanks in their heart that they’ve sung ’til their last breath. Many of them have asked why God has kept them here when they were ready to pass on. The answer, I responded, is that God still has a purpose for them: a heart and voice to witness to others amidst their affiliations. What about you? It’s easy to complain—any child can do that. But to walk with Jesus in such a way that genuine thanksgiving flows from the heart and is expressed through our words—that is a “God-song” bearing a powerful testimony!
“Come Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace.”—Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing; Robert Robinson
Application Questions: When’s the last time you publicly expressed thanksgiving for something God has done? How much freedom does the Spirit have in your heart to publish the “God-songs” that will proceed through your lips?
LookingtoJesus 