536_Bless the Lord, O my soul

Psalm 103 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 forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

A certain woman was going through a very difficult season of her life. She had lost her job, her health had weakened, and her family relationships were strained. One morning, as usual, she sat down with the scriptures. Instead of reading, however, she began to write down every blessing she could remember – help received, forgiveness of sins, answers to prayer, strengthening during times of weakness. As she named her blessings, one by one, her face became joyful. Her despair had transformed into gratitude. She realized how much reason she had to bless the Lord, right in the midst of her troubles.

That story captures the heart of Psalm 103. This is not just a song of David but an intentional act of praise. David reminds himself how much the Lord is worthy of praise and trust. He does this deliberately and painstakingly, not in an emotional outburst. Mind, body, emotions, are all called to bless the Lord. For we all know how easily we forget to praise, when the heart is weighed down, how naturally we focus on our needs rather than our blessings. Therefore, he reminds himself: “Forget not his benefits.”

But what does it mean to bless the Lord? God needs nothing from us. He is great, and we add nothing to his greatness by praising him. Instead, by acknowledging all he is and all that he has done for us, we glorify him as he deserves, and our souls are lifted up with thankfulness and hope as a result.

The greatest and first of all the benefits that God has bestowed is forgiveness. “Who forgives all your iniquity.” The gospel of Mark, chapter 2, tells the story of the Lord speaking to the paralytic man, “Your sins are forgiven.” The religious leaders were outraged, for only God can forgive sins. And the Lord proved that he had the authority, given by God, to forgive, by healing the man’s paralysis in front of them all. Yet forgiveness is never cheap. Christ gave his life as the price of that great gift. Our sins are forgiven us for his name’s sake. The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin if we walk in the light. Whenever we bless the Lord for forgiveness, we must remember the cross.

David continues his litany of praise, “Who heals all your diseases.” God’s healing is physical, emotional, and spiritual. He does sometimes heal our bodies miraculously. More often, he heals us through the natural processes he has designed. Sometimes he uses the skills of doctors to heal us. But the healing that he brings to our inner being is much greater and durable. It may bring complete restoration of well-being. Or it may bring us the quiet confidence that his grace is sufficient for us.

The psalmist continues: God redeems our life from the pit. He lifts us from destruction. He crowns us with steadfast love and mercy. Think of that image—a crown placed on the head of someone unworthy. This is the wealth of God’s grace. In a restless world where nothing satisfies, He fills our souls with good things, so that we regain the energy and the hopefulness of our youth through the power of his never-failing love.

From verse 6 onward, David begins to reflect on the very character of God—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These are not abstract qualities; they are realities that shape His dealings with us. Because He is just, He defends the oppressed. He acts on behalf of His people, as He did when He delivered Israel from Pharaoh. He made His ways known to Moses and His deeds to Israel, for He is faithful to His promises.

His steadfast love is the root of every other blessing. In his steadfast love, he turns away his anger before long. He does not deal with us as we deserve, because of his steadfast love. His mercy towards us is as high as the heavens above the earth – and it is because of his steadfast love. He removes our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west because of his steadfast love. For otherwise, who could stand?

And as a father with his children, he compassionates our frailty. If we sinners treat our children with love and delight to grant their desires, how much more does he remember we are made of dust, brief and fragile in our frames. Our lives are like grass that grows in the morning and withers by evening. But as the shining backdrop to our frailty is the eternal covenant love of God, steadfast through all generations to those who fear Him.

For David, as for us, this is not just a historical truth nor one to do with personal experience. God’s unchanging love is the one constant of our earthly lives.

And therefore it means everything to us to hear that: “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all.” This is no territorial god but the unshakable Ruler of the universe. This is why his promises are secure. And since his rule is over all, the angels who speed at his command, the heavenly hosts who do his will, all his works everywhere are summoned to join the grand chorus.

Psalm 103 is not just a beautiful poem but a foundational rule of life. For with David, let us join all creation in blessing the Lord. We easily forget God’s blessings and dwell on our troubles. But God gave us the gift of memory to teach us to trust. His goodness in the past is a powerful motivator to hope and believe for the future. Thankfulness lifts our spirits out of the shadows into the realities of God’s sovereign and steadfast love.

When we feel weighed down, or even bitter, let us begin to count our blessings. This is one expression of the self-discipline that comes with walking in the Spirit. Let us remind ourselves of his forgiveness, his healing of our broken hearts, his strengthening and renewing grace. Let us speak these truths until our hearts catch fire again with praise.

The psalm begins and ends with the same words: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” That repetition is no accident. It emphasizes the place of thankfulness as the heartbeat of our lives. From the moment of our rising to the moment we lie down, in joy or sorrow, on Sundays or weekdays, let us bless the Lord for his goodness. For a heart that remembers is a heart that constantly worships and hopes and trusts.

So today, let us join David in his song. Let us bless the Lord with all that is within us. And thus our souls will be lifted, renewed, and satisfied in Him. God bless.