PSALM 103 - BLESS THE LORD

 

PSALM 103

Introduction

Psalm 103, attributed to David, is a hymn of praise, celebrating God’s goodness and love for his people. The psalm begins and ends with a call to bless the Lord and remember all His benefits. 

A Call To Praise

103:1-5

David begins by praising God, saying: “bless the LORD”. To bless the Lord is to praise Him. To bless or praise his name is to praise him. (Note: We do not bless God in the same way he blesses us. He gives us things that add to us; we cannot add anything to God because he is self-sufficient. This is the doctrine of aseity.

The phrases “O my soul” and “all that is within me”refer to the author’s total being, his inner self. The NIV says”all my inmost being”.  Most of us today would say “with all my heart”. 

When we bless the Lord with our soul, we are praising Him with our whole hearts with all that we are and everything we have within us. That is what God is pleased with. (Isaiah 29:13) 

David praises the Lord for the things he does. He tells us not to forget the Lord’s benefits. He lists some of them. 

First, God forgives our iniquity. The word “iniquity” means describes a moral corruption, perversity, or wickedness, and a deliberate deviation from God’s will. 

Iniquity is sometimes used interchangeably with sin, as the NIV does here, but iniquity emphasizes the inherent immoral or perverted character of an act, rather than the act itself. God forgives our sins and the iniquity behind them. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) 

Second, he heals all diseases. This statement, being parallel to forgiveness, likely means God taking away our moral corruption as opposed to physical ailments. He heals us from sin’s corrupting power. 

Third, God redeems one’s life from the pit. He saves us from hell (the pit) because of his steadfast, covenant, love and his mercy. Justice would mean spiritual death for violating God’s standards. 

God crowns us with steadfast love and mercy. (4) We become objects of his love as opposed to objects of his wrath. (Ephesians 2:1-5) Mercy is God’s not giving us what we deserve, but saving us from what we deserve because of our faith in Christ. 

Fourth, God satisfies his people with good things that renew them. Believers recognize the good things God gives them, great and small. Every good and perfect gift is from him. (James 1:17) 

God’s Glorious Attributes

103: 6-19

David praised God for the things he has done. Now he praises God for who he is. 

God is righteous and just. Justice in the Old Testament refers to the right treatment of the oppressed. God delivered Israel when they were oppressed in Egypt. In return, he commanded them to act justly. (Micah 6:8) He gave his law to Israel through Moses so they would know his ways.

God is merciful; he does not give his people what they deserve. He is steadfast in his love for us. (8)

God is gracious; he gives his people things they do not deserve, including salvation. As a matter of grace, he does not respond in anger every time we sin against him and does not hold our sins against us forever. He forgives sin.

God is steadfastly loving. (11) His love for his people does not wax and wane. 

God is compassionate toward believers. (13) He knows we mess up because we are flawed. (14) 

God is eternal. In contrast to men and women, who are temporary, God is eternal and loves his people eternally. (17) His people are those who keep his covenant and see to obey him. (18) 

Those who have been reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ are his people. They live to obey him. Jesus told his followers: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”. (John 14:5)

God reigns over all things and people. (19) There is nothing that is not subject to his power and authority. God the Father has given this authority to God the Son. Jesus said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18) Those who believe in Jesus recognize his authority and live in submission to him. 

Universal all To Worship

103:19-22

David began the psalm praising God. He ends it the same way, praising God with all he is and has and calling upon all of us to praise him also. 

Takeaways

God is great and deserving of praise. If you do not already do it, work praise into your prayer life. You can use this psalm as a prayer. 

Be sure to recognize that the good things you have came from God and thank him for them.