May 7, 2023 – Psalms 92; 107; 136

Lesson Date: May 7, 2023

Focal Scripture Passage: Psalms 92:1-4; 107:1-2; 136:1-25

AIM: To lead students to identify some things for which they should thank God, and to encourage them to thank God both privately and publicly.

Before class: Read the notes on Psalms 92; 107; and 136  found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the words “Thank You” on the marker board or chalkboard.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the students’ attention to the words “Thank You” written on the board.  Ask: “Why do we say those words?” (to express our gratitude to someone).  Ask: “When was the last time you heard those words?  When was the last time you spoke them?”  State that common courtesies such as saying, “thank you,” and writing thank you notes are disappearing from our society.

Tell the class that Romans 1 is a passage that describes people who spiraled deeper and deeper into sin.  Read Romans 1:22-32.  Explain that the people described in those verses exchanged God’s truth for lies and then went into uncleanness, immorality, and vile affections.  Their minds became evil and they committed all sorts of sin.  They didn’t care anything about God and they enjoyed drawing others into their immoral behavior.  Ask: “Do these descriptions sound anything like America today?” (yes).

Ask: “What could possibly start a person or a society on such a terrible downward spiral of sin?”  After students suggest a few causes, tell them the answer is found in verse 21.  Read Romans 1:21.  Ask: “What started their downward spiral of sin?” (they didn’t glorify God and they were not thankful).

Stress the fact that that ingratitude is a very serious thing.  In today’s lesson we will learn about thanking God and identify some things for which we should thank Him.  The title of today’s lesson is simply, Thank God.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Finding True Happiness, by dwelling with the Lord, depending upon Him, building our homes and lives upon Him, and fearing and obeying Him).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verse (Ps. 127:1).
2. Thank and Praise God.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Psalm 92.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 92:1-4.
   • Ask: “Verse 1 names two things that are good; what are those two things?” (giving thanks to the Lord and singing praises to Him).
   • Ask: “How would you explain the difference between thanks and praise?”
   • Allow time for responses, then explain the following:
     • Thanks is gratitude for what someone does: their behavior and actions.
     • Praise is glorifying someone for who they are: their nature and character.
     • To clarify the difference, ask the students to give examples of thanking someone and of praising someone.
     • The Bible says it is good to thank and praise God.
     • If the Bible says something is good, we ought to do it.
   • Ask: “How does verse 1 say we should express our praise?” (through singing).
   • Remind the class that the book of Psalms is a collection of songs; we should sing songs of praise to God, such as psalms of praise or modern praise songs.
   • Ask: “According to verse 2, when should we thank and praise God?” (morning and night; in other words, all the time).
   • Tell the students that verse 3 says we can thank and praise God with musical instruments.
   • Ask: “According to verse 4, what should we thank God for?” (doing good things for us).
   • Tell the class the rest of Psalm 92 exalts God for His great works and identifies some of the blessings He gives His children.
   • Summarize: We should thank and praise God. It is the good and right thing to do.
3. Thank God Publicly.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Psalm 107.
   • Read Psalm 107:1-2.
   • Tell the class that verse 1 again calls us to give thanks to the Lord.
   • Ask: “Why should we thank the Lord? What two reasons are given in verse 1?” (He is good and He is merciful to us).
   • Tell the class that we are the recipients of God’s mercy; Lamentations 3:22 says, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”
   • Ask: “Verse 2 mentions the redeemed; who are the redeemed?” (those who have been saved by God, those who know God through faith in Jesus Christ).
   • Ask: “What should the redeemed do?” (“say so;” in other words, tell others about God’s salvation).
   • Tell the class the rest of Psalm 107 urges us to praise the Lord for his help, salvation, sovereign power, and bountiful provision.
   • Summarize: We should openly express our thanks to God. This is a good way to witness to lost people.
4. Thank God for Who He Is.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Psalm 136.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 136:1.
   • Note that this verse is identical to Psalm 107:1; it tells us to thank God because He is good and merciful.
   • Tell the class that the last phrase of verse 1 (“for His mercy endureth forever”) is repeated as a refrain in every verse of Psalm 136.
   • Explain that the rest of Psalm 136 identifies three things we should thank God for.
   • Read Psalm 136:2-3.
   • Ask the class to fill in the blanks as you read the following: We should give thanks to the _________ of __________ and to the __________ of ___________.
   • Explain that since those two verses deal with God’s nature and character, they teach us that we should thank God for who He is.
   • Summarize: We should thank God for who He is. Doing so acknowledges His greatness and helps us to be humble.
5. Thank God for His Creative Work.
   • Tell the class the next thing we should thank God for is found in verses 4-9.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Psalm 136:4-9.
   • Ask: “What should we thank God for?” (His magnificent creation of the universe).
   • Ask the students to identify the specific things God created that are named in those verses. They should name the following:
     • He did great wonders in creation – verse 4.
     • He wisely created the heavens – verse 5.
     • He made the earth appear as dry land above the oceans – verse 6.
     • He made great lights in the heavens – verse 7.
     • He made the sun to give light during the day – verse 8.
     • He made the moon and stars to dominate the night – verse 9.
   • Explain that since all of those things are evidence of God’s mercy, we should thank Him for His creative work.
   • Summarize: We should thank God for His creative work; Doing so helps us remember His magnificence and mercy.
6. Thank God for His Work in Our Lives.
   • Explain that the remainder of Psalm 136 tells something else we should thank God for.
   • Read Psalm 136:10-25.
   • Ask: “What did the psalmist thank God for?” (His mighty works in Israel’s history).
   • Tell the class that God did many amazing miracles in Israel’s history, which is a good and encouraging fact to know.
   • Ask: “God didn’t deliver us from Egypt or give us victory over great kings, so how do these verses apply to us?” (we should thank God for things He has done for us).
   • Ask: “What has God done for you?” Allow time for some responses.
   • Summarize: We should thank God for His work in our lives. Doing so keeps us grateful and prepares us to face our next trial.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that the title of today’s lesson is, Thank God.  Tell them we have discovered the following about thanking God:

• We should thank and praise God (Ps. 92).
• We should thank God publicly (Ps. 107).
• We should thank God for who He is (Ps. 136:1-3).
• We should thank God for His creative work (Ps. 136:4-9).
• We should thank God for His work in our lives (Ps. 136:10-25).

Remind the students of the passage from Romans 1 that you read at the beginning of the lesson, and that a lack of thankfulness toward God started those wicked people on a downward spiral of sin that took them into all sorts of perverse wickedness.

Explain that a person who is not thankful has one of two problems: he either thinks he deserves everything good that has ever come his way or he thinks he is the source of everything he has.  Tell the class that self-sufficiency and pride, the attitudes of “I deserve it,” “I earned it,” or “I accomplished it” keep people from being thankful.  Stress the fact that the Bible makes it clear that we should thank God and even tells us what to thank Him for.

Ask: “Do you say the blessing and thank God for your food before a meal?” (probably most do).  Ask: “How many of you have a pet?  Does your pet stop to thank God or thank you before it eats?” (no).  Comment that a person who does not thank God for all He has done and provided is no better than a hungry dog at feeding time: his only interest is in consuming the blessings without thought of thankfulness.

Ask: “Are you a thankful person?  Are you as thankful as you ought to be?”

Tell them you want them to be thankful people.  You want them to thank God privately and you hope this lesson has encouraged them to do just that.  Remind them that Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”  Ask if anyone would like to thank God publicly right now.  Allow time for some public expressions of thanks and then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Encourage everyone to memorize Psalm 107:1-2.  Ask them to make a list of things they are thankful for and to review that list during their prayer time.