It’s wonderful to hear from Jennifer Epperson this week! If you’ve not done so, stop by the contributors page to learn more about her.
To “bless the LORD” is to praise Him. In Psalm 103, David reminds himself to praise God with his whole being for all that He has done—to not forget the many benefits God has bestowed upon him. He then catalogues why he should bless the LORD.
1. He forgives our iniquities AND heals our diseases.
-God addresses both our spiritual and physical needs.
2. He redeems our life from destruction, and He crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies.
-Without redemption, we would have no escape from eternal destruction. I love that He tops off forgiveness, healing, and redemption with more lovingkindness and tender mercies. And when we think He couldn’t possibly bless us more,
3. He satisfies our mouth with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
-He doesn’t give us the bare minimum, nor does he give us the lowest quality. He makes sure we are satisfied—and with things that are good!
4. He executes righteousness and judgment for ALL that are oppressed.
-Sometimes injustice and oppression seem to continue unpunished. But God is righteous, and He will execute judgment in His own time and way.
5. He made known his ways and acts to Moses and the children of Israel.
-When we read about God’s hand on Moses and the children of Israel as they fled Egypt and traversed the wilderness, time and again we see His provision and mercy. Even when His chosen people often complained and disobeyed (just like us), He still provided for them, chastened them as a loving Father, and kept His promises to them. He revealed His character to them through His actions.
6. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
-Again, this is evident in the lives of Moses and God’s chosen people. We can see it in our own lives as well, as He forgives us time and again. I love how God’s mercy is reiterated—He is merciful AND plenteous in mercy.
7. He will not always chide or stay angry forever. He hasn’t punished us according to our iniquities.
-What an illustration of His great mercy! He made a way through Christ for us to escape the ultimate punishment our sins have earned us.
8. His mercy toward those who fear Him is as high as heaven is above the earth.
-Our finite minds fail to fathom that much mercy.
9. He has removed our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west.
-There’s no measurement for how far east reaches or how far west reaches. He has removed those transgressions as far as they can be removed.
David continues, acknowledging that God pities us as a father pities his children. “He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” Our Creator is intimately aware of our frailties. There’s a stark contrast between us and the LORD. We are stingy with our mercy and our lives are fleeting in the grand scheme of eternity. But God is the eternal, merciful, faithful God, and we should remember to bless Him for Who He is and what He does.
It is easy to be caught up in life’s difficulties—or even its mundanity—and forget the many blessings God has given us. We can learn from David and comfort our souls with a reminder of His blessings.
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