PRAISE THE LORD, MY SOUL

Psalm 103:1-22 / Keywords 103:2

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-

 

103:1 Praise the Lord, my soul;

    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the Lord, my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your sins

    and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit

    and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord works righteousness

    and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,

    his deeds to the people of Israel:

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

    slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,

    nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve

    or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

    so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,

    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,

    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,

    he remembers that we are dust.

15 The life of mortals is like grass,

    they flourish like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,

    and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting

    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,

    and his righteousness with their children’s children—

18 with those who keep his covenant

    and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,

    and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the Lord, you his angels,

    you mighty ones who do his bidding,

    who obey his word.

21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,

    you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the Lord, all his works

    everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

1. David exhorts his soul to praise the LORD and his holy name, with all his inmost being. He does not forget divine benefits—forgiveness of sins, healing of diseases, redemption from the pit. The LORD crowns us with love and compassion, satisfies us with good things, and renews our youth. Praise the LORD for all his heavenly blessings upon us!

 

2. In verses 6-19, David praises the LORD for his great love for his covenant people who fear him. The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve. Rather his love is sky high, and he has removed our sins far, far away from us. We are made from dust like fading flowers, but God’s love is everlasting towards those who fear him and descendants who keep his covenant.

 

3. David then calls upon all creation, angels, and servants to praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, my soul. Remember even some of the good things the LORD has done in your life and in history and praise him!

 

Prayer I praise you, Father in heaven, for what you’ve done for me, my family, my church, and my nation. Thank you for Jesus our Savior and Redeemer, and your greatest love through him!

One Word Praise the LORD and remember his undeserved blessings