Forgiven, Redeemed…
Opening Prayer
“With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise his holy name” (Psa. 103:1, CEV).
Read Psalm 103
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Why not take each of the verses of this psalm and use them as meditations throughout the day? Here are a few thoughts to start.Whether you are feeling full of praise like David, or burdened and sad, listen to God’s quiet words of promise here in this psalm.
God has forgiven and redeemed us. This is transforming our lives in ways which we and others can’t miss (4,5). He has removed our sin and guilt “as far as the east is from the west” (12). We are forgiven!
God’s compassion and love are for everyone, with a special bias for those who suffer injustice and are oppressed (6). How do our lives reflect this love?
God knows us (14). Our lives here are dusty and short (14–16)! Yet for those who love him,
seek to follow him and obey him, he gives eternal significance. We are safe in his everlasting love (17,18,21).
God reigns. We serve him with “his heavenly hosts” (21,22). There’s a bigger picture, which
sometimes we don’t see.
Apply
Go even further than meditating on this one psalm today and start a daily gratitude journal.
Closing prayer
“Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul” (Psa. 103:22).
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