During 2025, Peachtree Church is focusing on the Book of Psalms with a series called Dwell, through which we seek to deepen our conversation with God and open ourselves to hearing his response. The practice of praying three times each day will unite the voices of our hearts and souls as we seek the day when we will see the full realization of the Kingdom of God, promised in Revelation 21:3: “…Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
We will email devotionals twice weekly with Monday’s providing an overview of the Psalm as a whole, and Wednesday’s focused on that week’s Daily Dwell.
The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
Our God comes
and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
and around him a tempest rages.
He summons the heavens above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather to me this consecrated people,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
for he is a God of justice.“Listen, my people, and I will speak;
I will testify against you, Israel:
I am God, your God.
I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know every bird in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields are mine.
If I were hungry I would not tell you,
for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?“Sacrifice thank offerings to God,
Psalm 50:1-15
fulfill your vows to the Most High,
and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
Devotional
Psalm 50 opens with this powerful image: “The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.” Before we ever bring our words of thanks, we’re invited to pause and remember who he is: the one who holds all things together, who needs nothing, yet delights in us.
That reminder stops me in my tracks. Because if I’m honest, there are plenty of days when worship feels like one more thing on the list. Between getting the kids out the door to school, keeping up with everyone’s schedule, meeting deadlines, and trying to hold everything together, my heart can feel divided and distracted. I can find myself going through the motions—singing the songs, saying the prayers—but sometimes missing the heart behind them.
Psalm 50 reminds me that God isn’t interested in my performance. He doesn’t need my offerings to feel honored. “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,” he says. Everything already belongs to him. What he desires is not more activity, but more awareness. He wants our hearts turned toward him in trust and gratitude.
That shift changes everything. When I remember that worship is not a task but a response, it becomes less about getting it “right” and more about being present to who God is. Gratitude begins to grow in the ordinary moments—in the noise of the kitchen, in the carpool line, in the quiet before bed. Thanksgiving becomes a rhythm that runs through the day, not an event on the calendar. It becomes a way of life, the way our family functions, and the way my heart meditates in the quiet moments.
And as we practice that kind of thanksgiving, something happens in us. We begin to see more clearly. We start to recognize the steady presence of a God who is faithful, generous, and good—not because life is easy, but because he is constant.
True thanksgiving isn’t about bringing something to impress God. It’s about realigning our hearts with the reality that every good thing we have, and every bit of strength we need, comes from him.
This week, may we find moments to stop and whisper, “Thank you, God.” Not because we must, but because he is worthy.
For Reflection
- When does worship most often feel like a task for you, and what helps you reorient your heart toward gratitude instead of obligation?
- How might you practice thanksgiving this week in the middle of ordinary routines? Especially in the noise, the waiting, or the small moments of stillness?
Prayer
God, you are mighty and merciful, the one who holds all things together. Forgive me for the times I make worship about duty instead of delight. Instead, teach me to see your goodness in the everyday moments, and to give thanks not out of habit but out of wonder. Amen.
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Devotionals