“Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:1-14
In this song redolent of his own experience with the Lord and brimming-over with gratitude, David recounts, with a prophetic view, all the Messiah would effect in His coming. He himself knew firsthand innumerable benefits from the Lord: forgiveness of grave sin, redemption before his enemies, satisfaction in his calling, God’s favor, and a rich relationship with God. He also understood as well as he could that his was an eternal throne, and blessed the Lord for this unshakable promise that would bring hope through the ages. Indeed, God had been bountiful to him, and his praise was lavish in return. (1 Samuel 24:17-20; 2 Samuel 12:5-13; 1 Chronicles 29:10-16; Psalm 18:1-6,9-10,25-36,49-50; 116:1-2; Matthew 9:6-7; John 4:13-15)
It enlarges the heart to imagine what led to David’s writing this song so pregnant with praise. Perhaps a quiet moment, when he could relish and enumerate the blessings his God had poured on him. Perhaps a season of stress, when he was forced to cling to God’s help because the responsibilities before him were impossible, and enumerating His past faithfulnesses sparked greater faith. Perhaps it was a psalm for his family or people, so they could inculcate a rhythm of regular recitation of the goodness of God. Voicing truth always begets gratitude and trust.
When we take pause to converse with our soul, what do we remember, ponder, or learn? What is our history with the Lord, and how are we remembering His deeds on our behalf? How are we adding to that history through regular interaction with others, conversing about God’s wondrous works and giving communal praise for answers to specific prayer? How has Christ’s presence made an ongoing difference in our outlook, attitude, conversation?
“Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv’n!
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!
O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!” John Francis Wade (1711-1786)
Father, so fill my soul with thoughts of Thee that I cannot help but bless Your worthy, matchless name.
As the rain and snow 