There may be many things we are not certain about when it comes to the will of God and what pleases Him, but there are some things of which we can be absolutely certain. While there are some portions of Scripture that, even after noodling on them for awhile, you’re still not sure you’ve got it . . . there are other truths from God’s word that are laid on the surface, just waiting for harvesters of truth to come along and glean them . . . pick them up, put them in their satchel, and own them. I picked up one of those “there for the taking” truths this morning in Psalm 69 . . .

“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
This will please the LORD more than ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.” (Psalm 69:30-31)

What pleases God? A song of praise. What makes God glad? Thanksgiving concerning His mighty works which brings into view His greatness. Pretty simple, huh . . . not too hard to dig that out of the Word . . . and talk about being doable.

Right here, right now . . . I can offer up a song a praise. As I type I’m listening to a song of praise being sung . . . “Not to us O’ Lord, but to Your Name be the glory” . . . these lyrics streaming out of iTunes become my tunes and my words . . . and I know that it pleases God. He has given us a new song to sing (Psalm 40:3) . . . so let’s do it! ‘Cause it makes God smile.

Has God done great things for me? Yeah . . . while I was yet without power . . . yet a sinner darkened to the things of heavenly light . . . yet an enemy of God determined to exert my will above His . . . in that condition, God showed His love in sending His Son to die on a cross . . . sending His Son to seek and save the lost . . . sending His Son, through the Spirit, to woo me to Himself . . . removing the scales from my eyes . . . taking my heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh . . . taking me from darkness into marvelous light . . . delivering me from the domain of the prince of this world and conveying me into the kingdom of His beloved Son. I can certainly give thanks for that. I can certainly magnify the grace of God by confessing that mighty work in my life. And that’s, quite literally, just the beginning. And that, quit truthfully, pleases God.

The Psalmist says it is the greatest of sacrifices . . . Peterson puts it this way, “For GOD, this is better than oxen on the altar, Far better than blue-ribbon bulls.” Give God a choice of a burnt offering or a praise offering . . . He’ll take the praise offering every time. Offer God bleating sheep or a song sung (even if it’s just a “joyful noise to the Lord”) and, hands down, He’s all about the song. Ask God what He prefers . . . the first fruits of livestock, sliced and diced and placed on the altar . . . or the fruit of lips, the sacrifice or praise (Heb. 13:15), offered by those who have placed themselves on the altar (Rom. 12:1)? He’ll take the praise every time . . . and He does so with joy . . . and gladness . . . it pleases my God!

Some things that are asked of us as followers of Christ, as children of God, though they may be simple, are often not easy. But this “command to obey” . . . this act which brings God such pleasure . . . is both simple . . . and easy.

Whether it be a little child’s voice offering up, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so” . . . or a symphony backed choir of dozens singing the “Hallelujah Chorus” at the top of their harmony woven lungs . . . the song offered to God in praise, pleases Him. Whether it’s relating again the story of our salvation . . . or the reminder of His nearness that He graciously provided me yesterday . . . giving Him thanks magnifies the King of Heaven . . . and pleases Him.

Now there’s a truth available for the taking. To overuse a term, there’s some “low hanging fruit.” Oh, but to take this low hanging fruit and do it has a high and holy impact. The song of praise ascends beyond the confines of this earth and magnifying thanksgiving reaches into heaven itself . . . and they touch the very heart of God. That, my friends, is how to please God. Amen?