Bless the Lord, O my soul

Psalm 103, A Psalm of David.

103:1-5.

1. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3. who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4. who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5. who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Bless – exalt, glorify, praise, lift up his name.

Bless the Lord, bless his name, it is holy and revered.

Bless him from the soul, with all that is in you

Bless him for his benefits, do not forget any of them.

He forgives our iniquities.

• Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
• We went astray; he found us. We sinned; he saved us. Jesus the Lamb slain to take away the sins of the world, substituted himself in our place, so that we may gladly say “Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

He heals our diseases.

• Exodus 15:26 …for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
• The Lord is our healer, which includes healing in the temporal physical realm. When rejoicing in “the Lord our Healer,” we often set our sights far too low – only hoping God will heal us of one disease now so we can wait for the next one to come along. One day he will remove us from all sickness, sorrow, and sighing (Revelation 21:4).

He redeems our lives from destruction.

• Psalm 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
• Not only does he buy us out of slavery, he sets us free. Not only does he deliver us from the pit, he sets our feet on a solid rock. He establishes us with life, and that more abundantly (John 10:10).

He crowns us with his mercy and kindness.

• Psalm 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
• His lovingkindness and tender mercies are many, rich, and free. He does not just free us, but he crowns us (like kings) with riches right on top! According to these, he blots out our transgressions and crowns our days by turning from them and to that which is good, seating us with him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:4-6).

He satisfies our mouths with good things.

• James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
• He satisfies our mouths; he feeds us our daily bread. We open our mouths; he fills them. He will feed with the finest, even “honey out of the rock” (Psalm 81:10, 16). We can trust him, for he does not change.

…the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting…

… his kingdom ruleth over all…

Bless the Lord … O my soul.