“THE PSALMIST’S INVITATION TO BLESS THE LORD” PSALM 103:1-22

In this wonderful psalm of thanksgiving, the psalmist praises the Lord, who is worthy of esteem adoration and thanksgiving.  The Lord is indeed good unto us, and since we are among the “say so” crowd, let us praise His awesome name, for Psalm 107:1-2, states: “O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.”  Personally, we should extol God’s name every moment of our existence for manifesting His love through the incarnation in sending Jesus to die for our sins, for I John 4:9-10 states:    “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Again, we need to bless God’s name for sending Jesus to act as man’s substitute for sin, for I Peter 2:24 says: “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

In verses 1-2, the psalmist wholeheartedly praises the name of the Lord because of all of His benefits.  The psalmist’s adorations begins as follows:  “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.”  Like the psalmist, we need to praise Him for His manifold blessings toward us.  The psalmist enumerates some of the spiritual blessings he received from the Lord in verses 3-5:  “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

These blessings demonstrate that God has extended mercy toward the psalmist, David.  Those who have been spiritually enriched by God are indeed wealthy from a spiritual perspective.  It is indeed a blessing to be spiritually endowed because of salvation, for Ephesians 1:3 states:  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

In verses 6-8, David praises the Lord for exhibiting His faithfulness to His people:

“The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel.  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”   These gracious acts demonstrated His compassion for His people.  Because of God’s love, He extends forgiveness to man and removes his transgressions – “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us” (vv. 9-12).

Although man’s life is frail and fleeting, God’s covenant loyalty is with those who obey Him: “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust”  (vv. 13-18).  David concludes this magnificent psalm with an exhortation to bless the Lord’s name:  “Bless ye the LORD, all ye His hosts; ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure.” (vv. 19-22). Yes, let us praise His name, for Psalm 113:3 says:    “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised.”

May God Bless!