"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: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." (Psalms 103:1-5 NKJV)
Psalm 103 has no request. It is nothing but praises; David is blessing The Lord.
What are some of the benefits David sings about? David's praise focused on the good things God was doing for him. it is easy to complain about life, but David's list gives us plenty for which to praise God - He forgives our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from death, crowns us with love and compassion, satisfies our desires, and gives righteousness and justice. We receive all of these without deserving any of them. No matter how difficult our lives' journey, we can always count our blessings - past, present, and future. These are blessings we may have often forgotten or that we may be taking for granted:
1) The Lord Saves!
"Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases"(V 3)
The last part of that statement is an illustration of the first part. He forgives all our iniquities in the same way He heals the human body. Often in the Bible, sin is compared to sickness, and salvation is compared to health. God bring health to our souls.
2) He Protects.
"Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies"(verse 4)
He keeps us and protects us from the destruction around us. In His pleasure He puts a crown on our heads and make us princes and princesses. He surrounds us with His loving-kindness and tender mercies.
3) He Satisfies.
"Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like eagle's." (verse 5)
As in Isaiah 40:31, the eagle is used as a symbol of youth and strength. The eagle molts, loses its old feathers, gets a new coat, and soars again.
Do we pray to God for the sole purpose of praising Him? We have much for which to praise Him, for His love and care never cease. He saves, keeps, and satisfies us. Never take God for granted; always take time to praise Him. Be blessed with this inspiring song 10,000 Reasons by Matt Red
