I don’t love a lot about Facebook these days, but I often log in to check my Memories section. I posted pretty frequently (probably too frequently!) when my kids were little, and it’s fun to screenshot the funny things they said and send them to those same kids who are now teens. I’m grateful for these glimpses into the past that help me remember those precious moments.
This month we’ll be walking through Psalm 103. In this psalm, David calls himself—and all the people of God—to bless the Lord and remember all His benefits. In these first five verses, David lists several benefits he wanted us to remember:
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:1-5)
God forgives. This forgiveness is complete—He forgives all your iniquity. We’ll dig into the details of this gracious forgiveness next week!
God heals. While God often heals our physical diseases, the healing the psalmist probably had in mind here is our spiritual healing from the disease of sin. As 1 Peter 2:24 says, “[Christ] himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
God redeems. When you were in the pit of guilt, shame, and death, the Lord was the one who rescued you.
God surrounds you with steadfast love and mercy. “Crown” means to encircle or surround. The steadfast love and mercy of God surrounds you today.
God satisfies you and sustains you. God’s goodness fills us up and fuels us for the Christian life.
When we remember who God is and what He’s done for us, it leads us to trust Him more deeply and praise Him as He deserves. And unlike my toddlers who’ve grown into teens, God never changes. As we remember, we can depend on His unchanging character to be the same for us today and every day.
No matter what you face this week, remember the benefits you’ve received from the Lord.
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Psalm 103: is my Confirmation verse. I love Matt Redman’s song, 10,000 Reasons. I have given my heart to Christ our Lord and Savior. I have put my trust in Him.