Good to Thank and Praise

It is good to give thanks to the Lord

and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High

To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning

And your faithulness by night

Psalm 92:1-2

I have heard this psalm before, but I never really noticed the order.  Thanks comes before praise.  Sometimes I am so blown away by God's goodness that I have to break out in praise.  How could it possibly be reversed?  I can't start in praise and then turn to thanks because praise always comes from thanksgiving.  I am not sure what I could praise God for if it didn't start in praise.  

The second is the declaration of lovingkindness starts in the morning and then ends at night.  I know some people say they don't do devotions until evening but I don't know how you don't start in the morning.  Our models such as Jesus always started first thing in the morning.  That sets the tone for the day.  I know when I blow past devotions in the morning, it usually is difficult to end the day right at night.  

Third is it starts in lovingkindness and ends with faithfulness.  God's love is the starting point.  Like thanks, we have nothing to offer so it is always God's love manifest in his gift of grace.  By the end of the day, faithfulness is evident because I have so hosed everything up that it becomes real clear how faithful God is.  Paul writes that "even when we are faithless, He remains faithful". 

Finally, notice the action verbs - we give thanks, we sing praise, we declare lovingkindness.  Our part is to make God known.  I know that when I am close to the Lord, these verbs have to spring out of overflow of gratitude.  I can't help but give thanks, sing praise, declare lovingkindness.  When my focus is not thanks, love, and faithfulness, it usually means the focus is me and I can't possible give, sing, and declare.