I give thanks, but also

"From Prayer to Praise" {Ps40:1-5}
* Thanksgiving holiday least encumbered by silliness/commercialism
* Psalms contain 20 diff words for praise
- "Hallelujah" most well-known of those 20
- "hallel" = to boast loudly
* Ps40:1
- "patiently" a phantom word
- Actually more like "Waiting, I waited" -- emphasis on "waiting" rather than on "patiently"
- Waiting on YHWH rather than turning to false god (v4)
* Praise:prayer as root:flower
- No Hebrew word for "thank you"
- Thanks done via telling others about what someone has done
* Ps40:2
- King of Creation stooped down to listen to me (what God did in v2)
- Leads immediately to v3, where praise becomes prayer
* Ps40:3
- "new song" = both new music AND new sense of joy in relationship w/ God, new connection
- Result of public praise is others see Lord working, revere Him, and trust in Him
* Sometimes best praises are from long-simmering prayers