Psalm 103: Praise Our Forgiving God!
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Psalm 103 is enthusiastic in its praise of God for His mercy and kindness.
“In it David praises God for blessings in his own life (vs. 1–5), tells of the loving-kindness God exercises toward His children generally (vs. 6–14), shows man’s dependence upon the mercy [of] God (vs. 15–18), and invites the whole creation to worship God (vs. 19–22).” “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (vv. 2–5).
From the time of Moses, God had shown mercy to Israel.
“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him” (vv. 12, 13).
Israel had not been treated as their sins required but rather with mercy and forgiveness (vv. 8–10). Although humankind is weak and our time on this earth is short, God “knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more” (vv. 14–16).
The fact we are frail, helpless beings brings forth all-encompassing compassion from our Creator. David ends his psalm by calling on all of creation to bless the Lord.
“Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word” (v. 20). David ends the psalm exactly as he started it: “Bless the LORD, O my soul” (v. 22). Knowing the entire universe is singing the praises of God, David adds his voice to the song! “From all that dwell below the skies / Let the Creator’s praise arise; / Let His almighty name be sung / Through every land, by every tongue.”
