“Praise the Lord”
Bless the LORD, O my soul. —Psalm 103:2
Read Psalm 103
Today we wish to meditate on what it means to praise the Lord. David calls us to participate in this activity – can we count you in?
David praises the Lord because He is so worthy. He forgives His people their sins and heals all their diseases. He delivers them from destruction and showers them with loving kindness and tender mercies (v.4). When an eagle becomes old, it begins to molt and sheds its feathers, after which it receives new ones and be-comes “young” again. In a similar way the Lord can renew our lives as well. Is He not worthy of all praise and honour? The Lord is good to all, but especially to the House of Israel (vv.6,7), to which He has revealed Himself in a special way. The Lord is good towards this world, but especially to those who receive His Word. The Lord is ready to forgive and has compassion in our sorrow (vv.13,14). How often do we not read that the Lord Jesus was moved with compassion?
The life of a human being is as a flower of the field (vv.15,16). Middle Eastern people understood this illustration; daily they saw a flower in bloom one moment, only to fade when the hot desert wind passed over it. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting (v.17). Bless the Lord! In what way do you bless the Lord?
Why does the Lord require this?