September 18

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: … who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies. - Psalms 103:1-4.

GRATITUDE is our subject this morning, and a very interesting subject it is. It is worthy of our observation, that when the Apostle is speaking of the heathen, he says that “when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful.” Gratitude to God is to be expressed in the thoughts of the mind, the language of the lips, in the actions of the life, which testify a concern to make suitable returns, while it is not in our power to make compensatory ones; these are David’s words. By nothing was he more distinguished than a disposition of thanksgiving and praise. His gratitude here has three attributes.

First, It is personal; “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Our religion must be social as well as personal; but while it must not end at home, it must begin at home; and relative religion without personal will always be found wanting in excitement, in energy, in extent, in continuance, and very commonly in success.

Secondly, It is fervent: “And all that is within me bless his holy name.” All my thoughts, my feelings, my understanding, my will, my memory, my conscience, my affections, and my passions.

Thirdly, It is rational and well founded: “And forget not all his benefits.” Nothing can properly affect or influence us when it is out of our recollection. Out of sight, out of mind: and out of mind, out of motive. Whence arose the ingratitude of the Jews of old? Bad memories. “Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten the God that formed thee.” “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” It should, therefore, be our concern, not only to recall our mercies, but to reckon them.

Lastly, It is specific. David here specifies five things, but this morning we shall only dwell on one of these-the kindness of God in providence. How blessed have we been in the seasons? How is the year crowned with his goodness. How has the earth been filled with “his riches.” We depend upon the brutes more than they depend upon us; and nothing pertaining to their welfare can be indifferent even to our selfishness. And has not his tender mercies been over all his works, so that he has provided for the wants of every living thing? He has made the grass to grow for cattle, as well as herbs for the service of man. The cattle have never sinned; they have never forfeited the care and kindness of their Creator.

But where is man? the sinner, the rebel, the traitor. How has he been regarded? What has been done for him? We saw the sower going forth; a season always of peculiar solicitude-and then, after the months of winter, we went forth and saw God blessing the springing of the earth. We saw first the blade, then the ear, and after that the full corn in the ear. We heard the little hills rejoicing on every side; we saw the valleys standing thick with corn; we walked through the waving fields, and while we paused in the midst of the cross path, lifted up our eyes and hearts, and said, “Thou hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.” And the heart preached from these words of thanksgiving. What clear shining after the rain, and what suitable weather afforded for gathering in the precious produce of the fields.

And after this shall we expose ourselves to the reproach of Jeremiah: “Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth rain, both the former and the latter in his season. He reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”