Psalms 103:1-2
The scripture for today is Psalms 103:1-2
Psalms 103:1-2 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.
What are the benefits that we receive from the hand of the Lord? The psalmist follows our text for today with the answer. “Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” Psalms 103:3-5
“The benefits which God bestows are daily renewed, and should be acknowledged with daily thanksgiving.” Family Bible Notes Each day of our lives, each breath we take, each observation of God’s hand in the things He has created, and the awareness of the presence of His life within us should bring us to the same place that the psalmist arrived. A place where the heart overflows with gratitude to God for the unmerited favor that He bestows upon us.
Too often we gravitate to the negative and focus on the things that we think are going wrong, not realizing that in the midst of those things there is a great and awesome God whose hand is always reaching out to provide for our needs. Too often we turn away from His hand because we have our own ideas about how things ought to be. God offers us nourishment each day, but we often refuse it because in our minds something that we want is missing. We do not see or appreciate what God is giving us because we want something different. The psalmist rises above the natural and taps into spiritual reality. God does not miss anything, nor does He neglect anything. He knows what we need and His benefits accrue to us as we live our lives respecting His holy presence.
“The name of ingrate is one of the most shameful that a man can wear; surely we cannot be content to run the risk of such a brand. Let us awake then, and with intense enthusiasm bless Jehovah.” The Treasury of David
May we not carry such a name; may we, like the psalmist, lift our hearts daily in thanksgiving to God and say with heartfelt gratitude, “Bless the Lord O my soul.”
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim