FRAMEWORKS:
Psa 103: A Call to Praise the Lord who is worthy
Of
David.
[Preliminary
Comments: David stirs himself up to praise the Lord,
who is worthy because of all He does. The Lord's activity is declared
[v.3-7] and the nature & extent of His love [v.8-14,17,18]
Mankind may be frail and transient [v.15,16] but the Lord is the
eternal ruler over all things [v.19] and so the psalmist concludes
with a call to all to praise the Lord [v.20-22]. A psalm of the
greatness of the Lord and a call to praise Him.]
v.1,2
David challenges himself to praise the Lord for all His goodness
v.1
Praise
the Lord,
my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy
name.
v.2
Praise
the Lord,
my soul,
and forget not all his benefits –
v.3-7
He lists the things the Lord does
v.3
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
v.4
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and
compassion,
v.5
who
satisfies
your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed
like the eagle's.
v.6
The
Lord works
righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
v.7
He
made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
v.8-10
The Lord's nature
v.8
the
Lord
is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
v.9 He
will not always accuse,
nor will he harbour his anger for ever;
v.10
he
does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
v.11,12
The extent of His love and forgiveness
v.11
For
as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear
him;
v.12
as
far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions
from us.
v.13,14
His compassion & understanding
v.13
As
a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who
fear him;
v.14
for
he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
v.15,16
The frailty of mankind
v.15
The
life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
v.16
the
wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
v.17,18
Again the extent of the Lord's love [& conditions to receive
it]
v.17
But
from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord 's love is with those who
fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's
children –
v.18
with
those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
v.19
The Lord's sovereign rule
v.19
The
Lord
has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
v.20-22
A Call to heaven & earth (& himself) to praise the Lord
v.20
Praise the Lord,
you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
v.21
Praise the Lord,
all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
v.22
Praise
the Lord,
all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise
the Lord,
my soul.
[Additional
Comments: Note all the things the psalmist says about
the Lord that make Him worthy of our praise.]
Continue
to Psa 104