Thankfulness that leads to Forgiveness in Psalm 50

Do you know that being thankfulness can avert God’s judgment? In Psalm 50 that judgment is coming upon the Israelites for their light worship, for their superficial thanksgiving. Yet, when we turn to verses 14 and 15, we see that God is still looking for true thanksgiving (“thank offerings”) from His people, and He is still willing to relent if such thanksgiving can be found.

Instead of offering sacrifices to God because the people think He needs them, God is asking them to offer sacrifices to Him as an act of thanksgiving. Do you see the difference? One posture treats our offering as something that God needs. The other posture views our offering as an act of thanks to God.

The Israelites needed to realize that it was God alone who has supplied them with everything they need. God alone has given the Israelites their sheep and their cattle. God alone has provided them with food, water, and shelter. They didn’t earn that themselves. God gave it to them. Therefore, their sacrifices should be an act of thanks to God. They should say, “God, thank You for Your gracious provisions. Thank You even for this animal I’m about to sacrifice. May it bring You honor. Thank You.” That is what God wants from the obedient Israelites.

God is after the people’s hearts. He wants us to be thankful for His love and kindness. He wants us to acknowledge that He is our Creator and Sustainer. He wants us to realize that we are dependent on God for everything. Simply put, God is after thanksgiving.

Moreover, true thanksgiving, this true “thank offering”, is the solution to God’s judgment. In Psalm 50:15, God tells the Israelites that if they truly thank Him, He will “deliver” them and “honor” them. God will relent His judgment if they acknowledge that He is their everything. God will relent if Israel lives a life of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the solution of God’s judgment. By being thankful, as verse 15 suggests, God will now answer their prayers.

This is also where the literary concept of characterization comes into play. Thankfulness reveals one’s character as it shows both our view and attitude toward God. The Israelites’ problem is that they have a wrong view of God. They think that God needs them, and, as a result, God’s judgment is over them. However, if they change their character stance, if they repent and live a life of true thanksgiving (which overflows from a sincere and humble heart), then God will relent.

The same is true for us today: How thankful are we for all that God provides? Do we acknowledge that all of our money, our resources and possessions are a gift from Him? Do we thank God when we tithe? Is God’s judgment upon us or is our thanksgiving to Him a testimony to His forgiveness in our life?