Reflect:
Psalm 103:11-12
“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
I love this psalm—it’s my favorite. It is probably right up there with the Twenty-Third Psalm for most people, and I suspect it has made your Top Ten, too!
David is on his game in this psalm; he’s in the sweet-spot of Divine favor, the blessing zone, if you will, as he calls up from his memory banks his Top Ten list of why it is so good to belong to God:
- Forgiveness—Psalm 103:3
- Healing—Psalm 103:3
- Redemption—Psalm 103:4
- Compassion—Psalm 103:4
- Satisfaction—Psalm 103:5
- Justice—Psalm 103:6
- Revelation—Psalm 103:7
- Patience—Psalm 103:8
- Mercy—Psalm 103:9-14
- Love—Psalm 103:17
No wonder David “bookends” this psalm with “praise the Lord, O my soul.” (Psalm 103:1, 22) What soul wouldn’t pour forth unfettered praise at the realization of all the undeserved and life sustaining blessings that God graciously gives!
Of course, these benefits aren’t given to just anybody—although they are available to everybody. There is a critical caveat found in Psalm 103:18:
To live under these Divine blessings requires covenant keeping.
God keeps his covenantal promises to bless only those who keep their covenantal promise to obey his laws. Still, though this is a conditional covenant, we get the far better deal, by miles. Even when we don’t always live up to our end of the bargain, God looks upon us through his eyes of compassion, sustains us by his mercy, forgives our repentance and patiently, lovingly, enduringly keeps us in his family.
All I can say to that is “praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits!” (Psalm 103:2)
So take some time to remember the benefits of belonging to God. My guess is, like David, you, too, will be singing a little soul music!
“He rides pleasantly enough whom the grace of God carries.” ~Thomas A` Kempis
Reflect & Apply: One of the greatest benefits of belonging to God is the removal of our sins when we confess them to him and repent of our sinful ways. Psalm 103:11-12 says God pardons our sins and removes them as far as the east is from the west — which, last time I checked, was a long way away. How great is the love of a God who would do that! How about offering up some soul music today — “bless the Lord, O my soul” — for God whose sin removal business is continually open for its best customers — you and me!
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