If it has been a while since you have read Psalm 103 I would like to recommend it for your devotion today. Read it slowly. This has to be one of the richest lists of blessings we can find anywhere. Allow me to list some of them.
Verse 2 – Forget not His benefits. In order to not forget, one has to know them. We receive so many benefits every day that we don’t even know about. How often does our angel intervene to protect us?
Verse 3 – He heals our diseases. Ah, I wish that were always true. How often have we had loved ones die an early death. This must be referring to our resurrected bodies spoken of in I Corinthians 15.
Verse 4 – He redeems us from eternal destruction. He crowns us with mercy and loving kindness.
Verse 5 – He fills our mouths with good things. He renews our youth like eagles. I’m not sure what that means. But it’s a nice sounding metaphor.
Verse 6 – He executes judgment for the oppressed. Obviously this happens in heaven because a lot of good people get bad deals.
Verses 7 through 10 – He is merciful and slow to anger and doesn’t pay us what our sins have earned.
Verse 11 – His mercy is as high as heaven is above earth. Wow.
Verse 12 – He puts our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Glad it doesn’t say north from south since they meet at the poles.It is obvious the psalmist didn’t write this as a theological treatise but as a song for us to enjoy and to fill our days with happiness as we contemplate how fortunate we are to have such a loving God.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 22, 2010
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org