Psalm
103 reminds me of my wedding. I truly did not have a clue how
wonderful marriage would be, or fully understand the experience of
raising a family. Looking back I can now speak for days about the
incredible results. There are few decisions in life more important
than who we choose for a spouse. This psalm is written by King
David, explaining THE most important decision in life. He shares his
deeply personal relationship with God. We clearly understand that
David has experienced God’s righteousness and His Mercy. He bares
his soul, so that others may know the same transformation.
Outwardly, I am not wildly emotional, but inwardly I have known God’s
fullest expression. As I read David’s psalm, I can only agree. He
begins, “Praise
the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name“.
The words freely flow as he begins to list “all
His benefits“. First
on his list is the one thing we cannot get from any other
relationship in our life, God “forgives
all your sins and heals all your diseases“.
I had always thought of myself as a “good person” and I really
did not think I had lots of “sins”. I learned that only by
comparing myself to perfection, could I see how far off the mark I
really was. Everything looks clean with the lights off! What about
the healing of all disease? Jesus taught the purpose of healing was
to demonstrate God’s authority over all things. After the
religious leaders challenged His claim to forgive sins, Jesus cured
the sick, saying, “But
so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to
forgive sins…”
(Matthew 9:6). God desires an exclusive, permanent relationship with
you.
David
continues teaching that God not only removes the junk, but also adds
more than we can imagine. He says God “redeems
your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion…
satisfies your desires with good things“.
‘Redeem’ is one of those “church words” that has lost all
meaning today. We think of it in terms of rebates, but it was
originally a word used to describe a transaction to pay the price to
purchase someone out of slavery and restore them. Have you felt
trapped by your past? David says, “The
Lord
works
righteousness and justice
for
all the oppressed”
because He is “compassionate
and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love“.
For those that cannot forgive themselves, he adds, “He
will
not…
accuse… He does not treat us as our sins deserve“.
Understand that Satan is the accuser, but Jesus paid your debt in
full on the cross. “So
if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”
(John 8:36).
The
psalm ends by teaching of the Father’s love. Dads tend to show
love by actions. He writes, “So
great is His love… as far as the east is from the west, so far has
He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on
his children“. It is
not until we look at a globe that we realize that unlike north and
south, we can continue traveling east or west forever. Our sin is
removed an infinite distance. God knows exactly what we need
because, “He
knows how we are formed“.
God loves us as if there were only one person to love. David gives
a gentle warning not to wait, our days are like grass, “the
wind blows over it and it is gone“.
He ends as he began, by praising God. “From
everlasting to everlasting…
The
Lord
has
established His throne in heaven… His angels… obey His Word… do
His will“. Is
something missing in your life? David tells you where to begin,
“Praise
the Lord,
all
His works everywhere in His dominion. Praise the Lord“.
Will you say “I do”?