Hymn writer Henry Alfrod wrote these lyrics published in 1844.
Come, ye thankful people, come,
Raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
God our Maker doth provide
For our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come,
Raise the song of harvest home.
By the end of November, we hope all the crops have been harvested. The season has come to an end and we look at all that has been “safely gathered in” with a deep sense of gratitude. We apply this sentiment to all who have been safely gathered into our homes around a table full of sumptuous foods with intoxicating smells. There is laughter and joyful bantering. Children make the moment even more special, especially when they are grandchildren!
I appreciate the pause of a holiday. For a moment, the normal busyness of life stops. No expectations. No responsibilities. Traffic is minimal. There is no rushing to a store, appointments, jobs, or any other of life’s distractions. We are focused on family and friends, feasting and fellowship. As we look around the room, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with a singular thought.
God has been so good to me! I am blessed above and beyond measure. Is life perfect? Is it free of problems? Absolutely not and this side of the grave, it never will be. But I’ve spent far too many wasted hours in life grumbling about issues than I have praising God. This has been a year that I’ve diligently sought to reverse that trend in my life and I believe I’ve made some headway, thanks to God and the conviction of His Holy Spirit.
One of the most undervalued phrases in all the Bible is found in Psalms 135:3. “Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.” “Good” seems a bit bland to me when I think about God. I would think far greater superlatives would be in order to describe our Lord. Now, I cannot disagree with God’s Word because it is all given “by inspiration of God” and our God desired to describe Himself as “good.” The Hebrew word means good, pleasant, agreeable, excellent, valuable in estimation. 
Why would the Lord choose to use such a humble description of Himself?
I cannot answer authoritatively on this but I can suggest a couple of reasons. First, “good” is a common word, used 566 times in the Old Testament. It’s used to describe land, people, old age, words, situations, and just about anything we would normally ascribe such a word. Remember that God’s word is not written for the sophisticated, cultured, refined, and collegiately educated. It’s for common man. So God uses a common word to which we can all relate.
Second, God desires willful worship, not forced worship. As we become overwhelmed by the awesomeness of God, our worship is elevated and we voluntarily begin using the best words we can muster to express our hearts to Him. Sometimes, the words completely escape us as we are consumed in worship and praise.
As we gather to give thanks today, allow your heart and mind to be flooded with thoughts of God. We, the undeserving, have been given so much grace and mercy. Try to imagine what it might be like for you had that grace and mercy been withheld! Reflect on Psalms 106:1-2. “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his 
mercy endureth for ever. (2) Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?”
Let that bring us to a shout of triumph, praise, and song. You might want to warn everyone at the table, though, before you do any shouting! We don’t want anyone to choke on their turkey!
Ezra 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
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