As we sacrifice certainty and attempt to discern God’s will for us and our communities, how do we know we are on the right track? How can we rest assured that our efforts are pleasing to God?

In the early verses of Psalm 50, God is preparing to render judgment on the people. God summons those called faithful to account for their actions. It appears that the people are doing exactly what they have been taught to do, moving through the rituals and preparing burnt offerings. Yet this is not the sacrifice that God desires. Instead, God asserts that sincere gifts of thanksgiving are most desirable and pleasing.

One interpretation of this text is that a sacrifice that is pleasing to God holds at the center a spirit of gratitude. Today the term “thanksgiving” in the United States is most often associated with a holiday filled with family, food, and football. Yet, as the classic gospel song by Dr. Charles G. Hayes and the Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer reminds us, “Every Day Is a Day of Thanksgiving” or, at the very least, has the potential to be a day of thanksgiving. Scientists have long studied the positive benefits of gratitude and have found that the daily practice of expressing appreciation is correlated with better mental and physical health, improved self-esteem, deeper empathy for others, and even better sleep.

The writer of this psalm might have been onto something. Even in the midst of our sacrifice God desires for us to be whole and well. Placing gratitude at the center of our daily spiritual practice can and will improve our well-being.