Psalm 103
I doubt I’m the only one feeling a bit more anxious during these strange days, and I suspect that a constant focus on news, bad news, and shared frustrations is part of my problem. I’ve (finally) turned off the notifications on the news app on my phone and looked for a different focal point for my attention. As I caught myself saying, again, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” instead of listing whatever the frustrations of the moment were (probably internet-related), I realized that I had forgotten the accompanying list of reasons WHY it is good to bless his name. So I’m re-memorizing the first portion of Psalm 103, and remembering all the ways he has carried me and kept me through these first (nearly) 60 years. Actually, the whole thing is good to dwell on, to recognize his righteousness and mercy on our behalf.
Starting with the third verse, David lists five specific benefits, and–yes–I do count them off on my fingers to keep me straight!
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul.
All that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits—
3 who pardons all your guilt,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion,
5 who satisfies your life with goodness,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Here is the whole psalm.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
All that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits—
who pardons all your guilt,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion,
who satisfies your life with goodness,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The Lord performs righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
He will not always accuse.
He will not keep his anger forever.
He does not treat us as our sins deserve.
He does not repay us according to our guilty deeds.
Yes, as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so powerful is his mercy toward those who fear him.
As distant as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our rebellious acts from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
For he knows how we were formed.
He remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass.
Like a wildflower he blossoms.
Then the wind blows over it, and it is gone,
and its place recognizes it no more.
But the Lord’s mercy is from eternity to eternity
over those who fear him,
and his righteousness is with their children’s children,
with those who keep his covenant,
with those who remember his precepts in order to obey them.
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his royal power rules over all.
Bless the Lord, you his angels,
you strong warriors who obey his word
by listening to what he says.
Bless the Lord, all his armies,
you who minister to him,
you who do whatever pleases him.
Bless the Lord, everything he has made
in all places where he rules.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
I’ve also been meditating on Psalm 23 (Ps. 23:1-6), remembering that in Christ there is no lack; he is with us in the midst of everything we walk through; and that surely, Goodness and Mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The green pastures of tender grass and still waters of rest can be just as present to us in Christ, as is the valley of the shadow of death. He is with us every step of our way.
