Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

My joy comes alive and my strength renews as I bless the LORD for His goodness, grace, justice and severe mercies! So begins Psalm 103.

2. Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:

What are the LORD’s benefits?

Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
⁴ Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
⁵ Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Our sins and iniquities are not just covered by the blood; as were the Israelites by the blood of animals, but totally washed away. Hallelujah! That blood of the Perfect, Spotless Lamb also paid the price to heal ALL your diseases. It redeems you from destruction. He also crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Who am I to deserve such grace? He satisfies your mouth with good things which renew your youth like the eagle’s. What more could we ask for?

6 The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷ He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.

His goodness was displayed as He executed righteousness and brought justice to the oppressed in Moses’ time and ours. Look back at His mighty acts in the Exodus from Egypt and the wandering through the wilderness. During those years of trial, God revealed His ways to Moses and he relayed them to the Israelites.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
⁹ He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

Praise Father God for sending our Messiah Jesus the Christ! If you read through the Old Testament, you realize how merciful, gracious and slow to anger God was to His wayward people. I am so thankful for His abounding mercy and patience with me and the fact He took Jesus’ payment for our wayward ways and washed us clean of all our sins and iniquities. We deserved no less than eternal death and damnation for our acts, but Jesus saved us. The suffering, the shame and torture He gladly accepted for the joy that was ahead, reconciling God’s children (us) back to our Father; and His.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward 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 pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
¹⁴ For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We are nothing without the wisdom Father freely gives without chiding us. He realizes what we ultimately are and what our earthly bodies actually are. He pities us, having to live in this fallen world, but through Jesus Christ, He provided our remedy to completely erase our sinful past.

As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
¹⁶ For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.

Our earthly lives are no more than a flash; a drop in the bucket. I say make the most of what you’ve been given and live to glorify God im the body He’s provided to house your eternal spirit here on earth.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸ To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

We need to learn the fear of the LORD and remember His commandments; mainly to love God with all you are and love others as we love ourselves. I claim that righteousness to my children’s children!

19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.

That Heavenly Throne is where we are seated with Christ; and where the final judgement will be meted out. Are you ready for that day? Are you living in Heavenly places with Christ today?

20 Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
²¹ Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
²² Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.

The angels do His word, heeding His voice. The Hosts of Heaven minister and do His pleasure. All His works in all places in Heaven and Earth bless Him. We should not be left out of hearing His voice, heeding His word, and blessing Him.

Remind your soul who’s in charge…

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Shalom my dear readers!