4b Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
To be thankful to God is the Christians’ great moral and spiritual duty. Just as in Psalm 100:4, the apostle Paul also encourages us in Colossians 3:15 to “be ye thankful”. Paul further says, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17).
Thankfulness to God is composed of many holy emotions towards God. In thankful hearts, there are lively feelings of pure joy for the gifts they have received, and fervent love for their benevolent Giver. Those stirrings of holy sentiments will gush out in songs of thankful praise, and their strong feelings of indebtedness will be manifested in joyful service.
Every genuinely thankful heart is irrepressible and ebullient when it comes to the worship of and service to God. They rejoice to be with all those who hasten their way to praise Him in the courts of His house. They raise their voices to sing hymns of praise unto the LORD.
Thankfulness leads to praise of God. Thankful people will bless His name. We bless the LORD by acknowledging that He is the One who blesses us with salvation, forgiveness, spiritual joys, grace, peace, wisdom, strength and all spiritual and material blessings, as well as by ascribing praise to God for all that we have received from Him. To God we give thanks, for He gives us all things richly to enjoy. We bless Him because His goodness is freely bestowed on us.
Thankful hearts will be stirred to contemplate the ways and works of God deeply, for He has been their greatest Benefactor. When we consider the favours we have received from Him, we will be compelled to think of His person and nature.
Profound gratitude must always fill our hearts in such a way that constant praise may be raised unto Him. We must praise God for every blessing that He adds to us. It must be our souls’ habitual exercise to bless His name. Paul says in Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. We should never cease to give thanks to our God. Just as Hebrews 13:15 reminds us, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”