Categories
Recommended Posts


Hallel: Sixth Paragraph: Unlimited Gratitude



Psalm 116: Part Two: Sixth Paragraph: Unlimited Gratitude
“What can I respond to God for all the good He has given to make me independent? I will lift up the cup of salvation and I will call out in God’s Name. I will fulfill my promises to God in front of His entire nation. Death to His pious ones is precious in God’s eyes. Please God; allow me to be Your servant. I am Your worker, the son of Your maidservant; You unlocked my chains. I will bring an offering of thanks to You, and I will call out in the Name of God. I will fulfill my promises to God in front of His entire nation. (This will be) In the courtyards of God’s House, in the center of Jerusalem. Hallelukah!”

Only the Chassid – the Pious Person – can thank God. A pious person distils the lessons of each Mitzvah and uses his creativity to personalize, honor, and beautify his service of God. It is impossible to thank God for all He does, especially for making us independent, unless we use that very independence to form new and creative ways to express our gratitude.

David promised to use his expressions of gratitude towards God as a way to inspire the entire nation. He promised that when the opportunity arose, when people began to experience the infinite promise of their future, that he would acknowledge God’s role in his life before the entire nation. He would openly declare that all he had and all he had become were gifts from God.

He added a request to his thank you: “Please God; allow me to be Your servant.” David not only thanked God for the opportunity to serve Him; he included a supplication to be granted further chances to serve God as part of his Thanksgiving Offering. The thanks were enhanced by the acknowledgement that it is a gift to be able to serve and thank Go.

David was not satisfied with a Thanksgiving Offering. He included his own creative expressions of gratitude in order to thank God as a Chassid – A Pious One.

Go Back to Previous Page

  • Other visitors also read