Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 23

Thanksgiving Month Introduction...

Psalm 116:1-7,17-18
（Memorization Scripture 5-7,17-18）
1 I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
2 Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
3 The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you....
17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
Now in the presence of all His people,
In the courts of the Lord’s house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!

【Reflection】Have you ever experienced the kind of situation that the psalmist described as "The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish" (verse 3)? If you have, you may also have the urgent prayer of the psalmist, "Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!’" (verse 4). How often do we forget that we are still alive because God has heard our prayers? Even if He did not fulfill our requests exactly as we asked, He did indeed hear our prayers. This gracious and righteous God, who is full of compassion, is experienced by those who call upon the name of the LORD in times of trouble. It is also by His grace that those in distress are supported to continue walking in the path of faith, waiting for His salvation. After coming out of the Valley of Weeping, this psalmist, who tasted the goodness of the Lord, joyfully declares, "Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." (verse 7). And he comes into the temple of the LORD, offers thanksgiving sacrifices to God, and fulfills the covenant he made when he first called upon the LORD. "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live." (verses 1-2)

【感恩月簡介】...

詩篇 116:1-7,17-18
(背誦經文:5-7,17-18)
1 我愛耶和華，因為祂聽了我的聲音和我的懇求。
2 祂既向我側耳，我一生要求告祂。
3 死亡的繩索纏繞我；陰間的痛苦抓住我；我遭遇患難愁苦。
4 那時，我便求告耶和華的名，說：「耶和華啊，求祢救我的靈魂！」
5 耶和華有恩惠，有公義；我們的 神以憐憫為懷。
6 耶和華保護愚人；我落到卑微的地步，祂救了我。
7 我的心哪！你要仍歸安樂，因為耶和華用厚恩待你。...
17 我要以感謝為祭獻給祢，又要求告耶和華的名。
18 我要在祂眾民面前，在耶和華殿的院內，在耶路撒冷當中，
向耶和華還我的願。你們要讚美耶和華！

【心得分享】你曾經有過如詩人形容的「死亡的繩索纏繞我；陰間的痛苦抓住我；我遭遇患難愁苦」（3節）這樣的遭遇嗎？如果有，那你應該也有詩人「求告耶和華的名，說：耶和華啊，求祢救我的靈魂！」（4節）這樣的迫切的禱告。 多少次我們忘了我們如今還存活，是 神聽了我們的禱告。即或祂沒有完全依照我們所求的成全我們，祂確實是聽了我們的禱告。這位有恩惠、有公義、以憐憫為懷的 神，是在患難中求告耶和華的人所經歷的；也是從這位 神而來的恩典，支持了在患難中的人仍然走在信心的路上，等候祂的救恩。 出了流淚谷之後，這位親嚐主恩滋味的詩人，慨然說：「我的心哪！你要仍歸安樂， 因為耶和華用厚恩待你。」(7節) 並且他來到耶和華的殿內，以感謝為祭獻給 神，在神眾民面前還他當初求告耶和華時所立的約。「我愛耶和華，因為祂聽了我的聲音和我的懇求。祂既向我側耳，我一生要求告祂。」 (1-2節)