A Thanksgiving Devotion (Introduction and Part One)

10 Psalms of Thanksgiving and How They Apply to Us Today

Candice Lucey

Updated Nov 10, 2026

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With attention fixed on organizing a great Thanksgiving dinner for loved ones, sometimes we forget to actually give thanks. Gratitude is more difficult for some than others, but it is healing in so many ways. 

Psalms of Thanksgiving

When we find reasons to give thanks, we also find reasons for hope. And, as Christians, we have someone to thank who cares deeply for us. Scripture is filled with examples of how we can express gratitude to God. Here are ten Psalms of Thanksgiving which apply to us today.

1. Psalm 28:7

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"The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him." - Psalm 28:7

David had cried out, “Be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.” (v.1) David Guzik explains that “In faith he gave God the title he longed for Him to fulfill: to be David’s Rock in the present season of difficulty. David said this also in hope because, at the moment, he felt God be silent to him.”

Gratitude is especially remarkable when a person is suffering but still praises God. David could not hear God, felt isolated and forgotten, yet he knew that the Lord was with him. He was inconsistent, his obedience faltering, but he knew that the Lord was not like us; he was steady and consistent. David was grateful enough to sing.

David was a strong man and a warrior king, but his gratitude helped him recognize the Lord’s trustworthy character and his own neediness. He could let his guard down in neediness and ask God: “Save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever” (v.9). He knew he needed God to be rock and shepherd—king and Savior.

Revelation 22:6-7

6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”

7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

Revelation 22:6–7 affirms that the visions in Revelation are trustworthy, come from God, and call believers to readiness because Christ’s return will be sudden; those who keep the prophecy are promised blessing.

Overview

These verses begin the epilogue of Revelation, summarizing its purpose and urging a faithful response. The angel and Christ speak, confirming the reliability of the book and emphasizing obedience and expectation.

Verse-by-verse meaning

Revelation 22:6 — “These words are faithful and true”

• The angel assures John that everything revealed in the book is trustworthy and comes from “the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets.”
• This ties Revelation to the entire prophetic tradition, affirming divine origin and reliability. Bible Hub+1
• “Must soon take place” signals urgency, not necessarily immediate chronology. Many commentators note the Greek implies suddenness rather than short duration. Bíblia Plus+1

Revelation 22:7 — “Behold, I am coming quickly”

• Christ speaks directly here, promising His return. “Quickly” means suddenly and unexpectedly, reinforcing the need for vigilance. versebyversecommentary.com
• The blessing—“Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book”—echoes Revelation 1:3, framing the entire book with a call to hear, obey, and live its message. pastorjasonelder.com
• Keeping the prophecy means guarding it, taking it seriously, and aligning one’s life with its warnings and promises. versebyversecommentary.com

Theological themes

• Trustworthiness of Scripture: God guarantees the truth of Revelation’s visions.
• Imminence of Christ’s return: Not a timetable, but a call to readiness.
• Blessing for obedience: Revelation uniquely emphasizes blessings for those who heed its message.
• Prophetic continuity: Revelation stands in line with earlier biblical prophecy.

Summary

Revelation 22:6–7 serves as a final assurance that the book’s message is true, urgent, and meant to shape the lives of believers.

Hello, Friends. With Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks off, I thought that a set of devotions is appropriate for our study prior to that day. Once again, I will be using Crosswalk for them. Thanks for coming. Have a wonderful day and God bless!

Do You Struggle with Spiritual Imposter Syndrome?

 What is that, anyway?

What is Spiritual Impostor Syndrome:

It can happen when walking into a room of amazingly talented people, spiritually mature people, or maybe just other Christians who seem to have life all figured out regarding family, finances, and amazingly good health. A person experiencing imposter syndrome feels like a fraud; they don’t belong. They believe any success they’ve had was a fluke, and eventually, they’ll be exposed, and everyone will know the truth. 

The Root of Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome is very real and typically rooted in anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and perfectionism, according to WebMD. High achievers struggle with imposter syndrome the most. Where vocation is concerned, 56 percent to 82 percent of people struggle with imposter syndrome. The exact percentage depends on vocation, according to the NIH government website.  

In addition, imposter syndrome is especially prevalent among CEOs. In the United States, 71 percent of CEOs struggle with it, according to Korn Ferry.

For a Christian, imposter syndrome can also show up as feeling that even though someone has been a Christian for many years, they’re lacking in Biblical knowledge and just not living out the Christian life as well as everyone else, according to The Gospel Coalition (TGC).

However, the comparison isn’t exactly a fair one because it measures what’s going on internally with one person and what appears to be going on with someone else via observing from the outside. TGC compares this to one person sitting in a movie theater watching a movie while the other one has their ear pressed up against the wall outside of the theater.

A Few People in the Bible Who Struggled with Imposter Syndrome 

Imposter syndrome negatively impacts a person’s ability to walk in the calling for which God has chosen them. There are even some people in the Bible who struggled with imposter syndrome.

  When God called Moses to stand before Pharaoh, Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11)

When God called Gideon to lead Israel into battle against the Midianites so Israel could be set free from their oppression, Gideon said to God, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”  (Judges 6:16)

When Mordecai informed Queen Esther that a decree went out for all of the Jews to be slaughtered and told her she needed to intervene, she refused at first because she no longer believed she had favor with the king. It had been a full month since he invited her into his presence. (Esther 3:11)

That being said, God is gracious and knows the frailties of each of His Children. He loves to give second chances (sometimes even third and fourth chances), especially when He sees that an effort is being made to respond to Him.     

Muting the Negative Voices Connected to Imposter Syndrome

A couple of practical ways to mute the negative voices connected to imposter syndrome include talking to safe friends and/or trusted family. Ask them to help with processing successes so they can sink in and it can be recognized that they are legit. Talking and processing with a counselor can also be helpful, according to WebMD.

From a spiritual angle, a person can work on deepening their relationship with Christ through spending time in prayer and the Word. A nice starting place would be to look for people in the Bible who seemed to struggle with imposter syndrome (such as Moses, Gideon, and Esther), recognizing that God still loved them, and studying how He made a point of leading them into the purpose He had for them. 

Another helpful focus is for a person to delve more deeply into their identity in Christ. A great place to start with that one is Ephesians chapter 1, verses 1-14. A ministry called Cru offers a great study on identity in Christ. Click here to check that out. A really good Christian movie to check out that hits on identity in Christ is Overcomer. The trailer can be watched here.

(Source: Elizabeth Delaney

Updated Nov 13, 2024)

Revelation 22:1-5

Eden Restored

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of lif5e, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever

Revelation 22:1–5 describes the restored creation in the New Jerusalem: a crystal-clear river of life flowing from God’s throne, the tree of life bearing continual fruit for the healing of the nations, the complete removal of the curse, believers seeing God’s face, and God’s people reigning forever.

Overview

Revelation 22:1–5 is the climax of the biblical story, presenting the final state of redeemed humanity in God’s presence. It intentionally mirrors and reverses Genesis 2–3: what was lost in Eden is restored and surpassed in the New Jerusalem. pastorjasonelder.com

Verse-by-Verse Explanation

22:1 — The River of the Water of Life

• John sees a pure, crystal-clear river flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb.
• This symbolizes eternal life sourced directly from God, echoing Eden’s river (Genesis 2:10) and Ezekiel’s temple river (Ezekiel 47).
• It represents the Spirit’s life-giving presence saturating the renewed creation. bible.eu+1

22:2 — The Tree of Life

• The tree stands on both sides of the river, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, one for each month.
• This imagery communicates unceasing abundance, not literal agricultural cycles.
• Its leaves bring healing to the nations, meaning the full restoration of humanity and the end of all division and brokenness.
• Access to the tree, once barred after the Fall, is now fully restored. bible.eu+1

22:3 — No More Curse

• The curse from Genesis 3 is completely removed—no death, pain, toil, or alienation.
• God’s throne is present, and His servants worship Him in unhindered fellowship. pastorjasonelder.com

22:4 — Seeing God’s Face

• God’s people see His face, something impossible in the fallen world.
• His name on their foreheads signifies belonging, identity, and full sanctification.
• This is the ultimate fulfillment of God dwelling with His people. bibletimes.app

22:5 — Eternal Light and Reign

• There is no night, no need for sun or lamp, because God Himself is their light.
• Believers reign forever, sharing in God’s royal rule in a restored creation.
• This marks the final, eternal state of God’s people. bibletimes.app

Theological Significance

• Eden restored and fulfilled: The passage completes the arc from creation → fall → redemption → new creation.
• God-centered life: All life, healing, and light flow from God and the Lamb.
• Perfect communion: Humanity lives face-to-face with God, free from sin and curse.
• Eternal vocation: God’s people reign—not in domination, but in joyful participation in God’s life and purposes. sermonacademy.com

Summary

Revelation 22:1–5 presents the final vision of Scripture: a world fully healed, fully alive, and fully illuminated by God’s presence, where His people enjoy eternal communion and reign with Him forever.

Praise God, my Friends! I am back! Thankfully that nasty virus is gone and I can do what God has mandated me to do for those that come to this blog. I pray that you woke up to God's blessing in your life, as I did. Have a wonderful day, and God bless!