Whenever I used to thank my Grandpa Joe, he’d reply, “Don’t thank Grandpa!” Then I’d say, “well—thank you anyway,” and we’d both laugh. Here’s what I think he meant: “It’s my pleasure to be able to do something for my grandson—don’t bother with the ‘thanks.’”

One of our commentators, Rabbi Eliezer Davidovits (1878-1942) my cousin of blessed memory, makes a similar point in his interpretation of Psalm 107:8 where we read:

יוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה חַסְדּ֑וֹ וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃

“Let them praise the ETERNAL on account of God’s love; for God’s wondrous deeds for humanity!”

The question Rabbi Davidovits asks is why would God need our words of thanks at all? While we might wish to be thanked for the kindnesses we show others, God is beyond all words of thanksgiving or praise. God doesn’t need our words or our thanks so why bother?

Rabbi Davidovits teaches that the purpose of offering words of thanksgiving is for our own spiritual growth. He draws this conclusion by focussing on the last words of the verse from the Psalm: “לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם—for humanity.” It’s a clever word-play that suggests we should read the verse as follows: “They should praise the ETERNAL for God’s love and wondrous deeds for their own sake.” It’s for בְנֵי אָדָֽם, for humanity’s own good that we are instructed to be more grateful, more thankful people.

Research from the field of positive psychology suggests that this is the case. Study after study demonstrates an association between gratitude and an individual’s sense of well-being.

God might not need our words of praise and thanksgiving but we should offer them anyway—for our own selves and our own good. It will help us to be more grateful people and experience a deeper sense of wholeness, well-being, and Shalom.

— Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback