Psalm 107:1

The following is adapted from a short lesson I gave on the memory verse for this month in Junior Church.

O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is so good, for His mercy endureth forever.

The first thing I noticed in looking at this verse is the reason we are told to give thanks is because God is good. Not because of the food we have, the warm house we sleep in, the job that provides income, the freedom we live in - no none of these things are listed. Instead the Psalmist points to the character of God and says, give thanks for who He is.
Then he adds just one trait that makes God so good, and that is His unending mercy. I phrased it for the kids this way : give thanks to God because He is so good, because His mercy endures. God is good because He is merciful.
Now, mercy is not getting what you deserve. To illustrate what mercy is let me give you an example.
Suppose one day as a child you decide to build a house for your pet. You need wood, nails, a hammer, and a saw but since you don't own any you borrow your father's without asking first. You build the house but as you are finishing, mom calls you for dinner and the tools get left out overnight in the rain. By the time you remember them after school the next day, they are starting to show the result of being constantly wet. You can't return them that way! So the solution is to hide them under a bush and hope he doesn't ask you for them.
Well a few days later dad discovers them and finds out that you are the culprit. However when he talks to you about it, he tells you that he forgives you and will not punish you this time. You deserve punishment but he decides not to give it to you, because he is being merciful. Remember, mercy is not getting what you deserve.
So in applying that definition to our verse today, we are taught to thank God not just for the things He gives us materially, but for the attributes He displays toward us. If it was not for His great goodness and mercy we would not know forgiveness of our sins. We deserve full punishment for our sin but as Christians we have been redeemed through the shed blood of Christ and brought near to Himself through His great love, grace, and mercy. Even more, we have assurance that this display of love and mercy will never end! Our verse says His mercy endures forever. Forever and ever, in the countless ages to come God will continue to show us increasing depths of His rich love and mercy.
Doesn't that just wow you? When was the last time you thanked God just for being Himself?