From start to finish, Psalm 103 reminds me that I can count on God’s lovingkindness. He forgives, redeems, crowns, fills, gives, and does all He does out of a deep love for me. That makes me want to praise Him with all that I am. It had the same effect upon David, a man truly after God’s own heart.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
The Lord gives righteousness
and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!
The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.
Praise the Lord, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!
Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the Lord. (NLT)
How can I read Psalm 103 and not understand the extent of God’s love for me? If I don’t read it with all that I am, I can do just that. All that I am is His, and that means the good and the bad. Love accepts both, and no one loves as God does. He is love and knowing that enables me to see Him and me in the light of His Son’s precious love. David knew the Messiah’s love would come one day. He couldn’t wait, so he sought God’s heart in a brazen way. His psalms are beautiful witnesses to intimacy he sought and found.
God has armies of angels at His command. He made the heavens and rules over everything, but lovingkindness is His greatest strength. His Son’s precious love redefined power and changed the world. David was a man after God’s own heart, and his pursuit paid off. He found love where most found fear. His awe of God inspired this, and many other, beautiful songs of praise that make me want to love God the way he did. That’s the best witness of all!
journeywithgigi 