“I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”
Psalm 9:1–2
One of the easiest things to do when life becomes busy or difficult is to forget what God has already done.
We pray for an answer. We ask the Lord to provide, to heal, to give wisdom, or to open a door that seems impossible. Then, when He answers, our hearts are filled with gratitude. But before long, another challenge takes its place, and our attention shifts to what we still need instead of remembering how faithfully God has already led us.
That is why I love how David begins Psalm 9. He makes a deliberate decision:
“I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds.”
David does not keep God’s faithfulness to himself. He speaks about it. He tells others what the Lord has done. There is great wisdom in that.
Throughout the Bible, God continually called His people to remember. Israel was commanded to teach each new generation about His mighty works. Memorial stones were placed beside the Jordan River so that children would one day ask, “What do these stones mean?” The biblical feasts were established so that God’s people would never forget His faithfulness from generation to generation.
God knows how easily we forget.
We often remember today’s burdens more quickly than yesterday’s miracles. That is why our testimony is so important.
When we begin sharing God’s goodness, something changes within us. We stop focusing only on the problems before us and begin remembering the God who has carried us through every season. We remember His provision, His peace, His protection, and the prayers He answered when there seemed to be no answer. As we remember, our faith begins to grow again.
Over the years, I have seen this happen countless times. Someone shares what God has done in their life, and suddenly hope begins to rise in everyone listening. Faith is strengthened. Hearts are reminded that the God we read about in the Scriptures is still working today.
Sometimes we think our testimony has to be dramatic before it is worth sharing. But that simply isn’t true.
Perhaps the Lord gave you peace in the middle of uncertainty. Perhaps He provided for your family at exactly the right moment. Perhaps He restored a relationship, gave you strength when you felt weak, or reminded you that you were never alone. Those are wonderful works too.
Every answered prayer, every act of His kindness, and every expression of His faithfulness points us back to the goodness of our Heavenly Father. No testimony is too small when it brings glory to His name.
Here in Israel, we have the privilege of witnessing God’s faithfulness every week through the ministry of our Beit Hallel congregations. We rejoice when someone discovers the hope of Yeshua for the first time. We celebrate when new immigrants begin rebuilding their lives in the Land of Israel. We thank God when families receive practical help at just the right moment and when people walk through the doors of our congregation searching for hope and encounter the love of the Lord.
These are not simply ministry updates.
They are reminders that our God is alive, that He is still moving among His people, and that His faithfulness has never changed. The same God who is working here in Israel is working in your life as well.
Perhaps your circumstances look different. Maybe you are praying for a loved one, waiting for a breakthrough, or asking God to show you the next step. Let me encourage you today: do not overlook the ways He has already been faithful. Sometimes the greatest encouragement for tomorrow comes from remembering yesterday.
David continues by saying,
“I will be glad and rejoice in You.”
David’s life was not free from hardship. He experienced battles, disappointment, betrayal, and seasons of deep difficulty. Yet he chose to rejoice because his joy was rooted in God’s unchanging character rather than in changing circumstances. The same is true for us.
As we remember God’s faithfulness, joy begins to replace discouragement. Gratitude overcomes anxiety. Worship rises naturally because our eyes are lifted above our circumstances and fixed once again on the One who never changes.
That is why David concludes by saying,
“I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.”
Thanksgiving leads to testimony. Testimony strengthens faith. Faith fills our hearts with joy. And joy naturally overflows into worship.
As we enter this Shabbat, I want to encourage you to do something simple. Take a few moments to remember the goodness of the Lord. Think about the prayers He has answered, the ways He has protected and provided for you, and the moments He carried you when you had no strength left. Then share that testimony with someone. Tell your family around the dinner table. Encourage a friend. Strengthen someone who may need hope today.
You never know how your testimony may become the encouragement someone else has been praying for.
And as you speak about God’s wonderful works, I believe your own heart will be strengthened as well. Your faith will be renewed. Your hope will grow stronger. Your eyes will once again be fixed on the God who has never failed you.
The God who was faithful yesterday will be faithful tomorrow, because He never changes.
May your home be filled with thanksgiving, your heart with joy, and your lips with praise as you celebrate His goodness this Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom,
Pastor Israel Pochtar