angela hormberg

Tag: Thankfulness

  • Psalm 30

    Psalm 30

    Commonplace –

    “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

    To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever” (Psalm 30:11-12)

    Oh, what a difference a week can make. I haven’t been posting this week, as I completed a big school project. Five late nights and a couple of gallons of coffee later, I am thrilled to be back in my chair reading my daily psalm and conversing with Matthew Henry and you. When I sat back down and looked at my last post, it was actually a draft of Psalm 30. The commonplace I had chosen was verse 9:

    “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

    Clearly, I was in a different place. But isn’t that the wonder of the Psalms? They meet you where you are. And that is exactly what happened to me this morning. I am in a very different place today than I was a week ago, when I had a major final project looming for school. I still have another week, but the hardest part is over. All that to say, my outlook today is bright and sunny. So, it’s no surprise my focus in the Psalm has shifted, and my commonplace changed. So, let’s get to it.

    In Psalm 30, David begins with extolling God for all the good God has done for him: healed him, brought him out of the grave, kept him alive, kept him from the pit. David encourages all the saints to join his song of praise, remembering that God’s anger passes quickly and his favor is eternal. At this point, David declares:

    “And in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved” (Psalm 30:6).

    Yet in verse 7, David signals a turning point, when God’s face was no longer shining on him. He cried out. He prayed. He begged.

    “Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper” (Psalm 30:10).

    And that is exactly what happened. Because, as we see just a few verses later, David declares:

    “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou has put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

    To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever” (Psalm 30:12).

    This change left me wondering: Did God hide his face or did David get so comfortable in his prosperity that he stopped pursuing God in the same way he did during times of trouble or trial? And, then something happened in his life, and David felt the loss, recognizing he had forsaken seeking God. We can see it in the psalm. Just as quickly as David turned from a place of confidence, “thou hast made my mountain to stand strong” (v. 7a), to a place of fear, “thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled” (v. 7b), in one verse, David turned again from crying out for mercy, “Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper” (v. 10), to praising God in joy, “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness” (v. 11)in the space of two verses. How much time those verses encompassed we cannot know, but, by framing them in such quick succession within the psalm, we get the idea of how quickly we can reclaim confidence and joy in God and our relationship with Him. It only requires a returning, and it is immediate. It doesn’t mean our circumstances change that quickly, but life isn’t really about circumstances. It’s about our mindset. If we set our mind on God, it reframes how we perceive our circumstances, and that’s where the real, daily battle is fought.

    Matthew Henry notes the following in the opening of his summary of Psalm 30,

    “This is a psalm of thanksgiving for the great deliverance which God had wrought for David, penned upon occasion of the dedicating of his house of cedar, and sung in that pious solemnity, though there is not any thing in it that has particular reference to that occasion” (276).

    Henry closes his summary with the following,

    “In singing this psalm we ought to remember with thankfulness any like deliverances wrought for us, for which we must stir up ourselves to praise him and by which we must be engaged to depend upon him” (276).

    What a terrific topic for the first post of November – being thankful!

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 30.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 21

    Psalm 21

    Commonplace –

    “The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!” (Psalm 21:1).

    Psalm 21 is a joyful psalm full of praise of the Lord. We have encountered many psalms when David was downtrodden and calling on the Lord in his anguish, but here he revels in answered prayer and the faithfulness of God.

    “Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not witholden the request of his lips. Selah” (Psalm 21:2).

    It is right and good when our prayers are answered to be as passionate of our praise of God, as we are when we petitioning Him with desperate prayers. David goes on to list all the ways God has answered his prayers. God has

    1. given him his heart’s desire
    2. not withheld his request
    3. set a crown of pure gold on his head
    4. given him long life
    5. made him glad with God’s face

    David notes his own trust in God and how God’s mercy is what allowed him to remain steadfast in trials. He trusted in God and acknowledged it was only through God he was able to be unmoved.

    Next, David discusses his ongoing prayer: that God will destroy the wicked. He expresses confidence that God will do it: “Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them” (Psalm 21:9). It’s important to note that David isn’t simply calling them wicked, because they oppose him but because they oppose God: “they intended evil against thee” (v. 11).

    Finally, he ends in praising God for His strength: “Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength” (v. 13).

    Matthew Henry noted the following in his summary:

    “As the foregoing psalm, [Psalm 20], was a prayer for the king that God would protect and prosper him, so this is a thanksgiving for the success God had blessed him with” (250).

    Let us give thanks!

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 21.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 18

    Psalm 18

    Commonplace –

    “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2).

    David’s own introduction to Psalm 18 is worthy of noting:

    “A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and the hand of Saul” (Psalm 18).

    Here is a song of victory. Yet in it, there is no conceit, no arrogance, no smugness. David heaps his gratitude on God and gives God all the glory for the defeat of his enemy. Matthew Henry’s description of Psalm 18 is especially insightful.

    [Psalm 18] is an admirable composition. The poetry is very fine, the images are bold, the expressions lofty, and every word is proper and significant; but the piety far exceeds the poetry. Holy faith, and love, and joy, and praise, and hope, are here lively, active, and upon the wing” (241).

    With Psalm 18, David was setting down a stone of remembrance of the occasion of his victories over his enemies. We have encountered many psalms where David was in distress and beseeching God for assistance. It is right and good that when he receives the answer to his prayer he recognize the gift and give thanks for it, and here he did so in a beautiful way.

    In regard to this point, Matthew Henry notes:

    “The private compositions of good men, designed by them for their own use, my be serviceable to the public, that others may not only borrow light from their candle, but heat from their fire” (241).

    As Matthew Henry points out, the passion David pours out in Psalm 18 is an encouragement for our own times of struggle to keep going. We can borrow some of his joy to fuel our own hope.

    To Matthew Henry’s point about “borrowing light from their candle”, in Psalm 18, David also left us a worthy model of offering thanks to God, which we can use to illuminate our own expressions of thankfulness to God in times of intense and hard fought victories. Matthew Henry has taken David’s model and broken it down into a helpful outline, which we can employ for our own use.

    I. “[David] triumphs in God (v.1-3).

    II. He magnifies the deliverances God had wrought for him (v. 4-19).

    III. He takes the comfort of his integrity, which God had thereby cleared up (v. 20-28).

    IV. He gives to God the glory of all his achievements (v.29-42).

    V. He encourages himself with the expectation of what God would further do for him and his (v.43-50)” (241).

    It is essential to take note when God has given us a victory in our own life for a few reasons.

    1. It is important to thank the giver for the gift.
    2. It is an important reminder to ourselves that the victory was granted to us.
    3. It increases our faith, because we realize God hears and answers our prayers.
    4. In future struggles, we can look back and remind ourselves of the hard times we previously faced and the victories gained, which will gives us strength and encouragement to stay the course.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 18.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 136

    Psalm 136

    Commonplace –

    “…for his mercy endureth forever” (Psalm 136 refrain).

    The refrain, “for his mercy endureth forever”, is included in every verse of Psalm 136. With this psalm the writer is focused on the eternal aspect of God’s mercy and how that mercies shows up through the various roles God has taken on, for the benefit of his people, throughout time. Verses 1-9 focus on God, Creator. Verses 10-16 focus on God’s role as Rescuer, saving Israel from Egyptian bondage. Verses 17-22 focus on God as Defender of Israel, saving his people from wicked kings, Sihon and Og. Verses 23-24 focus on God’s role as Savior, remembering and redeeming His people from sin. Verse 25 focuses on God’s role as Provider, the One who gives us our daily bread. The opening verses, 1-3, and closing verse, 26, are a call to thankfulness from those who have been blessed by God’s enduring mercy.

    The beauty of this psalm is the exemplary way it models for us the appropriate way to put ourselves in a state of thankfulness.

    1. Call yourself to thankfulness – “O give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever”.
    2. Recall the ways God’s mercy has shown up in your life – God as Creator, Rescuer, Defender, Savior, Provider.
    3. Close with thanks to God, Creator of heaven.

    As Matthew Henry notes,

    “…the mercy that is in God endures for ever; it is an inexhaustible fountain” (615).

    The fullness of His mercy is as available to us as it was to those in the past, and it never decreases. His mercy is always abounding.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 136.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 122

    Psalm 122

    Commonplace –

    “Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

    Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord” (Psalm 122:3-4

    Jerusalem was a city of “entirely in the possession of God’s people” (Henry 595); it is a glimpse of Heaven to come, when all God’s people are together. All the people of God went there for the purpose of giving thanks, “which we all have reason to do” (Henry 595).

    “If God speak to us by his word, we have reason to answer him by our thanksgivings. See on what errand we go to public worship, to give thanks” (Henry 595-596).

    Even in our own home, where we live as Christians with our family, we have a micro version of Heaven to come. What better place to give thanks on a continual basis for all God’s provision.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 122.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3 and Volume 6, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 118

    Psalm 118

    Commonplace –

    “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

    It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in any man.

    This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

    O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for his mercy endureth forever” (Psalm 118: 6, 8, 24, 29).

    What a poignant reminder that our fear should be in God and not man. What can man do to me? If I put my trust in God and not man, I can trust that God, whose mercy endures forever, will always do what is best for me. What a wonderful hope to rest in!

    Matthew Henry suggests,

    “In singing this psalm we must glorify God for his goodness, his goodness to us, and especially his goodness to us in Jesus Christ” (Henry 555).

    Specifically, Henry states,

    “It appears here, as often as elsewhere, that David had his heart full of the goodness of God. He loved to think of it, loved to speak of it, and was very solicitous that God might have the praise of it and others the comfort of it. The more our hearts are very impressed with a sense of God’s goodness the more they will be enlarged in all manner of obedience” (Henry 556).

    This is a great point! Focusing on God’s goodness orders our hearts aright and helps us to continue in obedience.

    Also, as Henry notes, while this psalm was written by David regarding specific events in his own life, Psalm 118 foreshadows Jesus and his life.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 118.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg

  • Psalm 92

    Psalm 92

    Commonplace –

    “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High” (Psalm 92:1).

    “Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.

    They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

    To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him” (Psalm 92:13-15).

    The title of this psalm, “A psalm or song for the sabbath day” indicates that it “was appointed to be sung, in the house of the sanctuary on the sabbath day, that day of rest, which was an instituted memorial of the work of creation, of God’s rest from that work, and the continuance of it in his providence” (Henry 482-483). I had never considered Sunday quite in that way, as a ‘memorial of the work of creation’.

    Yet the psalmist notes, we must “shew forth [God’s] lovingkindness in the morning, and [His] faithfulness every night” (Psalm 92:2). Our thanksgiving is not confined to Sunday during the public assembly but also we must continue praising God and being thankful within our own home. Matthew Henry notes,

    “We must begin and end every day with praising God, must give Him thanks every morning, when we are fresh and before the business of the day comes in upon us, and every night, when we are again composed and retired, and are recollecting ourselves; we must give him thanks every morning for the mercies of the night and every night for the mercies of the day; going out and coming in we must bless God” (Henry 483).

    It is good to keep a thankfulness journal and record in it daily specific instances in one’s own life in which we are thankful for God’s provision. When the day begins this way, it sets our minds and hearts on God and acknowledges His portion. When the day ends with thankfulness, it, again, sets our mind on God and His provision. In this way, we practice thankfulness to Him and in so doing set our own hearts at ease.

    Works Cited

    Henry, Matthew. “Psalm 92.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary On the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition. Volume 3, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., March 1996.

    Holy Bible: Giant Print with Study Aids. Dugan Publishers, Inc., 1984.

    © 2025 Angela Hormberg