Psalm 103:1 ¶ «A Psalm
of David.» Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless
his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my
soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who
crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Possibly this was written and sung when David was getting up there
in age. Perhaps he had recovered from some illness and was grateful about that
and remembering the trials and tribulations he had come through in life. I am
reminded of this in Exodus.
Exodus 15:11 Who is like
unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders?
And this later in Psalms.
Psalm 111:9 He sent
redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and
reverend is his name.
1Chronicles 16:34 O give
thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
In sickness or health we must take the eternal perspective in that
salvation or damnation endures forever and ever.
God not only heals us from our sicknesses but forgives our sins,
His temporal work and His eternal work in our lives. When we are brought low by
sickness when we are healed we experience a renewal of our strength. God is so
loving and kind. We should be thankful and grateful at all times, even in our
worst condition.
Colossians 3:15 And let the
peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body;
and be ye thankful.
You have experienced life. You have experienced joy. You have
experienced peace and safety. All of these you have experienced at some point.
When you were given a death sentence by your doctor did you thank God for the
years you had on this earth, to love and be loved? When someone you loved died
were you thankful for the time you were allowed to have them with you? Or did
you just, like Job, sit in dustcloth and ashes and cry out why this happened to
you?
Psalm 103:6 ¶ The LORD
executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts
unto the children of Israel. 8 The LORD is
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he
keep his anger for ever. 10 He
hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our
iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high
above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so
far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children,
so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that
we are dust. 15 As for
man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it
is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from
everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto
children’s children; 18 To such as keep
his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
The Israelites were oppressed by the Egyptians. Then God sent
Moses to deliver them from bondage. When Israel rebelled against their Creator
and Benefactor, God was patient and longsuffering. In other words, like us,
they didn’t get what they deserved. God’s mercy is as high above the greatest
saint as it is above the greatest sinner seeing as it is infinite.
God knows we are weak and frail and it is He who removes our sins,
our transgressions against Him, as far away as the East is from the West which
is also infinite as you cannot go one direction and ever come to the other.
God does this in His pity for our feeble capacities. We are like
the wildflowers that bloom and then fade as quickly and are gone. We are like
an event in space-time never to be repeated. But God’s mercy for those who are
His is forever and ever. This is for those who obeyed Him in under the Old
Testament and for those who receive Christ as their Saviour in the New
Testament.
From the Old Testament;
Deuteronomy 6:25 And it
shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before
the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
And from the New Testament;
John 6:28 ¶ Then said they
unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said
unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Sentiments in this Psalm are spoken upon elsewhere if you follow
the verses in Psalm 103 from 6 to 18 with what I am about to say.
Psalm 9:9 The LORD also
will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
Psalm 86:5 For thou, Lord,
art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call
upon thee.
Psalm 30:5 For his anger
endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night,
but joy cometh in the morning.
Ezra 9:13 And after all
that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing
that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast
given us such deliverance as this;
Psalm 36:5 ¶ Thy mercy, O
LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.
Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am
he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not
remember thy sins.
Isaiah 63:16 Doubtless thou
art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us
not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
Psalm 78:39 For he
remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not
again.
Isaiah 40:7 The grass
withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it:
surely the people is grass.
Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is
good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Psalm 25:10 All the paths
of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his
testimonies.
Psalm 103:19 ¶ The LORD
hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that
excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his
word. 21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye
his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places
of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
Here is emphasized that the
God who created all things has His throne in the heavens and that the order and
dispensation He has created rules over all.
Here it is ordered that God’s angels in Heaven and His ministers
on earth do His commandments, hear His voice, and do His pleasure. For it is
for His pleasure that we were all created.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art
worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created
all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
The angels in Heaven praise Him. His righteous ministers praise
Him. We should praise Him every moment of our lives. He has saved us. He has
shown His mercy to us. We cannot save ourselves as we did not create ourselves.
Give praise unto God!
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