You are my God, and I will give you thanks.
Psalm 118:28 NET
You are my God and I will praise you.
Who is your god? To whom, or what, do you give thanks and praise? The word translated in this verse as “God” is the Hebrew word “el,” a generic name for deity. And in the world of the psalmist, there were many gods. Baal, Asherah, Dagon, and Molech were just a few of the gods that were worshiped in and around Canaan.
So, to which god is the psalmist giving thanks and praising? In the previous verse, he declared, “The LORD is God.” In the Old Testament, the word “LORD” in all caps is a translation of “YHWH,” the name God gave to Moses at the burning bush. So, the psalmist is saying YHWN is my God (God is capitalized here because, in this context, “el” refers specifically to the LORD).
This was a very personal declaration. The psalmist was declaring that YHWH was the one he worshiped and served. It was to YHWH that he gave his praise and thanks. Not to Baal, Asherah, Dagon, or Molech. But to YHWH.
Who Is My God?
Who is my god? Is it the LORD? Is he the one who has captured my heart and soul? Many things compete for first place in my life. And most of them are good. But I need to guard against allowing them to have the LORD’s rightful place in my life.
The Bible is important to me. God has given it to equip me as a believer (2 Tim. 3:16-17). But I can easily fall into the trap of elevating the Bible to an object of worship, focusing my attention on it rather than its author.
The LORD has given me a place to serve in his kingdom. And I am grateful to him for that. But I need to be careful that “my ministry” does not become a substitute for giving thanks to the LORD and praising him.
Make the LORD your God. Not just in the words you say, but in reality. Keep him at the heart of whatever you do. Don’t allow anything else, no matter how good it might be, to take his rightful place on the throne of your life.
