Sometimes it’s hard to say “thank you.” Perhaps it’s because we’re embarrassed to admit our dependance and neediness. Maybe we simply get distracted and forget to express the appropriate appreciation. It could be that we don’t say “thank you” because we fail to understand the effort that was involved in the care we received. Maybe we assume that saying it too much dampens the authenticity of our thanks. Or perhaps it’s because we have bitterness in our hearts toward the person that served us.

Interestingly, those same reasons can also create barriers to expressing our gratitude to God—we don’t want to admit we need him as much as we do, we get preoccupied with life, we don’t comprehend the extent of his care, we want to avoid mindless repetition, or we are angry because we think he has failed us in the past.

Sometimes it’s hard to say “thank you” to God but Psalm 136 is going to make it easier.