Giving Thanks for God's Sovereignty in Prayer
Giving thanks for God's sovereignty in prayer involves acknowledging God's ultimate control and wisdom in all things, and expressing gratitude for it. This practice is deeply rooted in biblical teaching and is a recurring theme in Christian worship and devotion [9, 10].
The Bible frequently calls believers to offer thanksgiving to God. Psalm 50:14 states, "Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving," and Psalm 95:2 encourages, "Let’s come before his presence with thanksgiving" [1, 2]. This act of thanksgiving is not merely a suggestion but a command [3]. It is considered a "good thing" to give thanks (Psalm 92:1) and should be offered to God through Christ and in His name [3].
Jesus himself set an example of giving thanks, as seen in passages like Matthew 11:25 and John 11:41 [3]. In Matthew 11:25, Jesus gives thanks to his Father for revealing divine mysteries to "babes" while hiding them from the wise and understanding, acknowledging God's sovereign choice in revelation [12]. This demonstrates an attitude of gratitude for God's wise and sovereign distribution of grace and understanding [12]. The heavenly host also engages in thanksgiving, as described in Revelation 7:11-12 and 11:16-17 [3].
Prayer itself is described as converse with God, an intercourse of the soul with Him through direct address [6]. It involves "pouring out the soul before the Lord" and "drawing near to God" [6]. While prayer often includes supplication and petition, it is also a vital avenue for expressing praise and thanksgiving [4]. God is worthy of praise due to His majesty, glory, excellency, greatness, holiness, wisdom, power, goodness, mercy, and loving-kindness [7]. David's thanksgiving prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:10-25 exemplifies this, as he expresses gratitude for God's ownership of all worldly wealth and greatness, and for His grace in inspiring generosity among the people [11].
Thanksgiving in prayer should be offered "in everything" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) [3]. This comprehensive approach to gratitude acknowledges God's sovereignty over all circumstances, both favorable and challenging. The Lord's Prayer, given by Jesus as a model for prayer, embodies a succinct expression of faith and includes petitions that implicitly acknowledge God's sovereign will, such as "may your name be kept holy" and "your kingdom come, your will be done" [5, 8]. This model contrasts with "vain repetition" and emphasizes simplicity and sincerity in addressing God as Father [8].
Sources
- Psalms “Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Pay your vows to the Most High. -- Psalms 50:14”
- Psalms “Let’s come before his presence with thanksgiving. Let’s extol him with songs! -- Psalms 95:2”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Thanksgiving — Christ set an example of -- Mt 11:25; 26:27; Joh 6:11; 11:41. The heavenly host engaged in -- Re 4:9; 7:11,12; 11:16,17. Commanded -- Ps 50:14; Php 4:6. Is a good thing -- Ps 92:1. Should be offered To God. -- Ps 50:14. To Christ. -- 1Ti 1:12. Through Christ. -- Ro 1:8; Col 3:17; Heb 13:15. In the name of Christ. -- Eph 5:20. In behalf of ministers. -- 2Co 1:11. In private worship. -- Da 6:10. In public worship. -- Ps 35:18. In everything. -- 1Th 5:18. Upon the completion of great undertakings. -- Ne 12:31,40. Before taking food. -- Joh 6:11; Ac 27:35.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Lords Prayer — the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples. (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4) "In this prayer our Lord shows his disciples how an infinite variety of wants and requests can be compressed into a few humble petitions. It embodies every possible desire of a praying heart, a whole world of spiritual requirements; yet all in the most simple, condensed and humble form, resembling, in this respect, a pearl on which the light of heaven plays."--Lange. "This prayer contains four great general sentiments, which constitute the very soul of religion,--sentiments which”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Praise — God is worthy of -- 2Sa 22:4. Christ is worthy of -- Re 5:12. God is glorified by -- Ps 22:23; 50:23. Offered to Christ -- Joh 12:13. Acceptable through Christ -- Heb 13:15. Is due to God on account of His majesty. -- Ps 96:1,6; Isa 24:14. His glory. -- Ps 138:5; Eze 3:12. His excellency. -- Ex 15:7; Ps 148:13. His greatness. -- 1Ch 16:25; Ps 145:3. His holiness. -- Ex 15:11; Isa 6:3. His wisdom. -- Da 2:20; Jude 1:25. His power. -- Ps 21:13. His goodness. -- Ps 107:8; 118:1; 136:1; Jer 33:11. His mercy. -- 2Ch 20:21; Ps 89:1; 118:1-4; 136:1-26. His loving-k”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:9: 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity. • Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34). • may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24; Jer 34:15-16; Ezek 39:7; Amos 2:7).”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 136:1: The duty we are here again and again called to is to give thanks, to offer the sacrifice of praise continually, not the fruits of our ground or cattle, but the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name, Heb 13:15. We are never so earnestly called upon to pray and repent as to give thanks; for it is the will of God that we should abound most in the most pleasant exercises of religion, in that which is the work of heaven. Now here observe, 1. Whom we must give thanks to - to him that we receive all good from, to the Lord, Jehovah, Israel's God (Psa 136:1), the G”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 66 (introduction): This is a thanksgiving-psalm, and it is of such a general use and application that we need not suppose it penned upon any particular occasion. All people are here called upon to praise God, I. For the general instances of his sovereign dominion and power in the whole creation (Psa 66:1-7). II. For the special tokens of his favour to the church, his peculiar people (Psa 66:8-12). And then, III. The psalmist praises God for his own experiences of his goodness to him in particular, especially in answering his prayers (Psa 66:13-20). If we have learned in”
- 1 Chronicles (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Chronicles 29:10: HIS THANKSGIVING. (1Ch. 29:10-25) Wherefore David blessed the Lord--This beautiful thanksgiving prayer was the effusion overflowing with gratitude and delight at seeing the warm and widespread interest that was now taken in forwarding the favorite project of his life. Its piety is displayed in the fervor of devotional feeling--in the ascription of all worldly wealth and greatness to God as the giver, in tracing the general readiness in contributing to the influence of His grace, in praying for the continuance of this happy disposition among the”
- Matthew (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Matthew 11:25: In these verses we have Christ looking up to heaven, with thanksgiving to his Father for the sovereignty and security of the covenant of redemption; and looking around him upon this earth, with an offer to all the children of men, to whom these presents shall come, of the privileges and benefits of the covenant of grace. I. Christ here returns thanks to God for his favour to those babes who had the mysteries of the gospel revealed to them (Mat 11:25, Mat 11:26). Jesus answered and said. It is called an answer, though no other words are before recorded but his ow”