Praise the LORD, O my soul

DEVOTION

PSALMS

PRAISE THE LORD O MY SOUL

Ps 103

103:1 Of David.

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the LORD, O 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 As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes 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, O my soul.

NIV

It looks like we could camp out in this psalm for quite a while. Just the opening phrase is enough to fan the flame within. David is speaking to his own soul, and that is certainly something we just might need to do from time to time. How easy it is to spend a day living life, being busy with our daily activities, focused on getting that task accomplished, either at work or around the house. It is not that we forget we are a believer, a Christian, but we just are not in that praising the Lord attitude at those moments. That is when we need to remember to speak to our soul and tell it, “Praise the LORD, O my soul, all my inner most being, Praise his holy name". Should we not be living continually in an attitude of praise? Should we not have some song of praise playing in our heart and mind all the time? When we glance out the window from our home, or as we are driving, and seeing all the wonders of God displayed before our eyes we can be praising God, for the work of his hands. When we take a breath, we can praise God for all his benefits. He is the breath of life within our lungs. How can we not praise him for he has forgiven all our sin, he does not count it against us. That is big, that is really big, and how can we not continually praise him because of his forgiveness, because of Jesus. This life as a believer is not some hum drum, ho hum life. Our life is filled with the benefits of the LORD. That means exciting, exuberant praise filled living. We can also praise him because one of the benefits of the LORD is that he heals all our diseases. Wait a second, then why are we sick, why do we have some aches and pains, or something wrong in the inside? If God heals all, not some, of our diseases than how come we are not always healed? Maybe we just don’t believe it. Maybe we get so involved in life that we forget to praise him, really praise his holy name, and truly be involved in actively praising him and looking to him for all things. He says he heals us and maybe we just see that as healing our soul, or a spiritual healing. Sin is a disease and it is one that is terminal, death is the result. But because we are in Jesus our sin is no longer terminal, it has been forgiven, healed, cured, and we are going to live forever. O Death, where is your sting? It is gone, thrown out and has no hold on us at all. He redeemed us from the pit, the pit of death. If that is not enough he then crowns us with love and compassion. And if that is not enough, he also satisfies us with good things, so that our life, our youth is renewed as the eagles. We are continually in our youth with the strength of youth in our bones, in our heart and mind.

Isa 40:31

31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

NIV

 So then praise the LORD O my soul and all that is within me, Praise his holy name.