Loved
Opening Prayer
I praise You, O Lord, King of Heaven, my Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer. Truly, there is no God like You.
Read PSALM 103:1-22
[1] Of David. Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. [2] Praise the LORD, O 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] As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes 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, O my soul. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What are some of "benefits" from God given here?Paul yesterday: “how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is” (Eph. 3:18). This psalm: “for his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth” (11; NLT). Both struggle with the inadequacy of language to communicate the reality of God’s love. Like Paul, this psalm speaks of God’s love in terms of experience rather than intellectual knowledge. It is connected to being rescued from a pit (4). Does that resonate with anything you’ve experienced? Does God’s being compassionate and gracious (8) ring any bells for you? Does his taking our sins far from us (11,12) strike any chords? What has God’s constancy through generations (17) shown you of his faithfulness?
For Paul writing to the Romans and the Ephesians, for David writing this psalm, God’s love was real, prompting an outpouring of praise. It is by immersing ourselves in that love and allowing it to seep into the depths of our beings that we, too, can have the same experience. Then, our lips and hearts may well break out in a psalm of praise like this one!
Apply
Highlight every instance of the word “love” in this psalm. Mark “F” for forgiveness and “C” for compassion.
Closing prayer
Loving Lord, may I never forget all the many benefits to me, and never forget to praise You for them, either.
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