Now Thank We All Our God (Psalm 34)

Now Thank We all Our God (Psalm 34) – Worship with Gratitude Week 4

“I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.”
Psalm 34:1

I haven’t really gone into the history of any of our hymns of thanksgiving this month, but the story behind the one for this week is so inspiring that I can’t help but share it with you.

“Now Thank We All Our God” was written by a minister named Martin Rinkart. It is uplifting, encouraging, and rejoicing in tone. You might think that the author of this song lived a “too blessed to be stressed” kind of life.

This is not the case.

The Life of Martin Rinkart

Martin Rinkart lived in Eilenburg, Germany during multiple invasions, wars, overcrowding of refugees, plague, and overwhelming loss in both his community and personal life.

A German Lutheran Pastor, Rinkart lived from 1586-1649. A good part of his ministry was spent during the Thirty Years’ War, when Eilenburg was invaded and conquered multiple times. Refugees caused overcrowding and famine.

Without enough to consistently feed themselves, Martin and his family took people in need into their home to care for them. In the midst of this darkness, it would seem that it could not get any worse.

Then, the plague came.

Sickness and Death

The Plague swept through Eilenburg, and Martin was suddenly the only pastor still alive in the entire city. Performing over 4,000 funerals, he sometimes conducted up to 50 a day as people succumbed to the sickness.

He lost friends and even his wife to this horrible disease.

In the middle of all this loss, he would gather his household around a table with only scraps for food and pray this prayer:

Now Thank We All Our God

Verse 1:
Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

Verse 2:
O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
with ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us,
to keep us in his grace,
and guide us when perplexed,
and free us from all ills
of this world in the next.

Verse 3:
All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given,
the Son and Spirit blest,
who reign in highest heaven
the one eternal God,
whom heaven and earth adore;
for thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

Bless the Lord At ALL Times

What an inspiration this is to me! When I start to feel sorry for myself or think that 2020 is totally the pits (which it is for most of us), I need to look to heroes of the faith like Martin Rinkart who stayed thankful, joyful, and peaceful through Christ in the face overwhelming tragedy.

We should bless the Lord at all times. The circumstances of our lives do not negate or prove His goodness. He is good no matter what we experience.

The Peace of God

When we surrender to God in thanksgiving, He can flood us with His peace in the middle of the hard times.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.
How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!”
Psalm 34:8

 Action Step:

Let’s use our whole bodies to thank Him today like the song suggests:

Our Hearts – Let’s lift our hearts to the Lord, rehearsing the good things He has done for us and releasing any bitterness that has started to set in this year.

Our Hands – Let’s get outside our own heads and think of something we can actively do to help someone else. Maybe it is to help a family member or neighbor. Perhaps we can donate food to a local food pantry or church for those in need. Maybe it is simply writing an encouraging note, text, or email to someone, or picking up the phone to connect with loved ones far away.

Our Voices – Whether you consider yourself to be a “singer” or not, let’s lift our voices in grateful song to Him. God loves our worship because we are His children (not because He thinks we should go on America’s Got Talent).

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Prayer:

Dear God, help us to keep our eyes on You and not on the hard things going on in our world today. Help us to rely on you and not lose sight of your incredible blessings. We thank you with our hearts and hands and voices today! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Don’t forget to keep writing down those blessings like we talked about here in Count Your Blessings!

For the November Worship with Gratitude Series page, CLICK HERE!