For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God;
before our God: Paul is acutely aware of the divine presence in his life and of his continuous obligations to God. He has learned from experience the truth of the psalmist’s statement: "In thy presence is fullness of joy" (Psalms 16:11). The joy that Paul experiences is not due to or dependent upon outward circumstances. It comes to all who stand "before (in the presence of) our God."