September 17, 2026 – Daily Devotional
“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.” – Psalm 9:1
The Psalms were written for several occasions. Some were songs written to express the deepest of emotions such as fear, worry, shame, and joy. Others were written to help the faithful worship God in the temple or while on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Psalm 9 was written to express thanksgiving to God. This Psalm expresses praise to a God who has done marvelous things for God’s children.
Psalm 9 was written by David. We know so much about David, and we understand that God did much for David. It was appropriate for David to express his gratitude to God. David was the youngest child in a family without great political power. In ancient Israel, the youngest son had little to no authority, power, or responsibility. When we first meet David, he has been taking care of the sheep…not really a glamorous job. When David’s brothers went to war, David stayed home with his father to care for the sheep. The only reason David was there to fight Goliath was that his father sent him as a messenger to bring word of the battle with the Philistines and deliver food to his older brothers. Although David is successful in many battles, he finds himself on the wrong side of King Saul. He eventually must run and hide from Saul.
Although we know of David’s tremendous success, we also know of his failure when he gives in to temptation and selfishness with Bathsheba. He even has her husband, Uriah, killed to cover his transgression. These are not at all the actions of God’s appointed King.
David’s life is an amazing story of failure and triumph. At an early age, he was selected by God to be the future King of Israel. He becomes a musician in the King’s court. He defeats the giant Goliath and saves Israel. David becomes one of Israel’s greatest kings. He is given the plans to help build the temple of God. These mighty achievements are significant for anyone, but especially a shepherd boy from Bethlehem. It is no wonder David was able to write, “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 9:1)
If we take a few moments, I believe we all can look at our lives and see struggles and triumphs. Like David, God has been with us through it all. The important thing is to offer thanksgiving to God for all God has brought us through. We are who we are because of the grace of God. Through God’s presence and love, we have experienced the fullness of life.
Today, I am thankful for all that God has done for me. “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.”
-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
