Psalms 103

WEEK  11                                           Psalm 103

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

There are two extremes in the Christian Faith when it comes to the benefits of being a believer. The first is that God will supply you with everything you want in this life if you are living right. The second is that all of the benefits of being a Christian come after you die. There are scriptures for both and life experiences to demonstrate both.  The great Wisdom literature in the Bible gives evidence for both points of view. The reason for both is that both are true. I would point out that, though there are benefits now, we are not guaranteed a life without trouble and sometimes a lot of trouble.

 

However, whatever way you lean it can’t be denied that God wants to bless His people and there are benefits to being a Christian. This takes us to the Scripture I am looking at today in Psalms 103:2: “forget not all His benefits.”

 

I believe the greatest challenges in the Christian faith come not from the trials we face but from our own forgetfulness. When we forget, we fail. When we remember, we succeed. This may seem an oversimplification, but the truth is still there. The Old Testament reminds us again and again that a generation rose up that “didn’t know…”; then they sinned.

 

To keep us from falling like them, all we need to do is to remind ourselves of God’s benefits/blessings. This can be done with mental review and with music. “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me; praise his holy name. . .”

So, are you singing?

Psa 103:1-22

(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.

(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.

(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.

Photo by Fabrizio Frigeni on Unsplash