God in his word commands that in all things we must give thanks (Ephesians 5:20). This can be really challenging when we are faced with problems for which we need solutions, and needs we desperately want met. The Psalmist, I think, is brilliant in how he combines thanksgiving with petitioning and declaration. He combines praise with his petition and declarations, based on his confidence in God, with thanksgiving to God. The Psalmist shows a God-awareness and a God-consciousness, that sets God’s will and omnipotence at the center of his prayer and the situation he finds himself in.
God’s place is always meant to be at the center of our lives, problems, hopes and aspirations. This God consciousness should influence our perspective causing us to defer back to God. After many points of thanksgiving and declarations he adds a sacrificial offering to his prayer, which he binds with cords to the horns of the alter.
The horn of the alter is the might, strength and power of the alter. Every alter has a horn. By tying his sacrifice to the horn, he makes God his source of strength and power.
He secures the backing of God when he proclaims that he will destroy the nations against him (his adversaries) in the name of the Lord. He makes the name of the Lord work for him through this act of binding.
This sacrifice is a living sacrifice, because he does not ask for it to be burnt or pierced in the manner in which sacrifices were made. Implicitly, the psalmist himself is the sacrifice. This is a prophetic act as the concept of presenting our bodies as living sacrifices is not totally established until after Christ. Our ability to be a living sacrifice is based on the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Christ. The psalmist prophetically speaks in anticipation of what will be possible through Christ Jesus, the stone the builders rejected.
When we tie ourselves, our bodies and our souls to the alter we make God the source of our strength and power and because he can never run dry he must supply us with the strength we need.
For he will supply all your needs according to his riches in Glory. (Philippians 4:19)
What great news that our power supply is connected to the omnipotence of our God! The more we demand the more He supplies. Just like this Psalmist let us resolve to build on our demand daily, so he can supply to us daily, according to our need.
So, when we Pray,
- we pray with awareness and confidence that God is holding our lives and is listening to us.
- we pray with hearts filled with thanksgiving and appreciation on our lips.
- we pray making declarations based on his words and promises to us – in sync with God’s heart.
- we pray with the earnest fervency of all our faith, knowing that we are willing to make the sacrifice for what we are asking.
- we pray for the Holy Spirit because he is our supply
- and when we pray we pray daily.
Psalms 118
(Praying in Thanksgiving, in praise, declaration and prophecy asking but always thanking God.)
1Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
3Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
4Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His mercy endures forever. “
5I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
6The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desires on those who hate me.
8It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
9It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
10All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
11They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me:
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12They surrounded me like bees; they were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
13You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the Lord helped me.
14The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
15The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
16The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
17I shall not die, but live, And the declare the works of the Lord.
18The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
19Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them, and I will praise the Lord.
20This is the gate of the Lord, through which the righteous shall enter.
21I will praise you,
for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.
22The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
23This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
24This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25Save now I pray, O Lord;
O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27God is the Lord, And he has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with Cords to the Horns of the alter.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you.
You are my God, I will exalt you.
29Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
New King James Version © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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