December – 16 – Love and Worship God

Sunday School Lesson

December 16

Love and Worship God

 

Devotional Reading: Psalm 86:1–7

Background Scripture: Psalm 103:1–17a, 21, 22

 

Psalm 103:1–17a, 21, 22

 

1.Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

 

2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

 

3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

 

4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

 

5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 

6. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

 

7. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

 

8. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

 

9. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

 

10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

 

11. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

 

12. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

 

13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

 

14. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

 

15. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

 

16. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the placethereof shall know it no more.

 

17.a But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him.

 

21. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

 

22. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

 

Key Verse

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

—Psalm 103:12

 

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

 

1. Give the reasons for praising the Lord found in today’s text from Psalm 103.

 

2. Tell how these reasons apply to Christians living under Jesus’ new covenant.

 

3. Compose a psalm to the Lord, combining an acknowledgment of the Lord’s character with an awareness of the blessings He has given.

 

HOW TO SAY IT

Babylon	Bab-uh-lun.
Colossians	Kuh-losh-unz.
Ecclesiastes	Ik-leez-ee-as-teez.
Hosea	Ho-zay-uh.
Immanuel	Ih-man-you-el.
Micah	My-kuh.
parallelism	pair-uh-le-li-zum.
paralytic	pair-uh-li-tik.
Sinai	Sigh-nye or Sigh-nay-eye.

Introduction

1. Praying It Upward

Sometimes when a person is the recipient of a kind deed, the individual will talk about “paying it forward.” The idea is that anyone who has been helped should “forward” that kindness to someone else. This way of thinking is meant to counter a self-centered, “me first” frame of mind.

The principle of paying it forward can be drawn from certain biblical passages. When sending His disciples to preach and do miracles in His name, Jesus said, “Freely ye have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8; compare Romans 15:25–27).

Scripture also encourages the practice of “praying it upward,” of acknowledging that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Offering praise to the Lord does not mean ignoring the needs of others around us; if anything, it encourages us to bless others as we have been blessed and to thus “pay forward” the goodness we have received from God.

The Bible includes dozens of commands to praise the Lord. The book of Psalms witnesses many such imperatives and a variety of expressions of praise to God. One such is the source of today’s lesson text.

 

1. Lesson Context

The book of Psalms has often been described as “Israel’s hymnal.” It is replete with expressions of emotions directed to God. These range from praise (as in today’s passage from Psalm 103) to extreme frustration and anger at how God appears to be addressing (or not addressing) the problems of a broken world. Often there is disappointment and confusion expressed over how God’s own covenant people are being mistreated while evildoers seem to suffer no consequences in doing as they please (see Psalms 73 and 74). No sentiment seems to be off-limits in the Psalms. This makes the book of immense value to God’s people when they pray.

The above factors and others have resulted in Bible scholars noting various types of Psalms. These include hymns, psalms of thanksgiving, laments, royal psalms, wisdom psalms, and messianic psalms. Certainly some of these can overlap, so one must be careful not to be too rigid with such classifications. A writer can go from lament to praise in the same brief psalm (as in Psalm 13).

Like any hymnal, the book of Psalms includes contributions by different authors and covers a wide span of time. The oldest psalm is by Moses (Psalm 90), and there is at least one psalm that comes out of the setting of the captivity of God’s people in Babylon (Psalm 137). These two benchmarks are separated by approximately 900 years.

About half of the psalms are attributed to King David, known as the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1). Today’s passage from Psalm 103 is one of those psalms. While some psalms include a superscription that provides the setting (example: Psalm 51), there is no such background given for Psalm 103. It simply notes the association with David.

 

1. Opening Exhortation

(Psalm 103:1–5)

1. Reasons to Praise (vv. 1, 2)
2. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

 

The word bless is used in Scripture both of what God does for people and what they offer up to Him. God’s blessings are His gifts to His people, what the psalmist (David) calls “his “benefits” (Psalm 103:2, next). The people’s blessing of God is expressed in praise of Him and gratitude for those benefits. Indeed, the Psalms often use the words bless and praise rather interchangeably, as parallel thoughts (examples: Psalms 34:1; 104:35; 145:2).

David’s blessing of the Lord is not a casual, half-hearted sentiment. It comes from his very soul. In the Old Testament, the word soul is often used to signify a person’s being or essence. The frequently used device in Hebrew poetry known as parallelism, in which the second line of a verse repeats the thought of the first line—sometimes in reverse order—highlights this meaning. We saw this earlier as an example in lesson 1:

 

An individual’s soul is therefore all that is within that person. In a sense, David is talking to himself, encouraging remembrance of the Lord’s goodness. Similar “soul talk” is found in Psalm 42:5, 11. A person’s name represents that individual’s character or uniqueness. God’s holiness is one of His most prominent qualities (examples: Leviticus 19:2; Joshua 24:19; Psalm 99:3, 5, 9; Isaiah 6:1–3; Revelation 4:8; 15:4).

 

What Do You Think? In what ways can the church keep God’s name holy?   Digging Deeper What will be your part in helping it do so?

2. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

 

One’s offering of praise to God is closely linked with remembering all He has done. Thus David expresses the desire not to forget all the blessings the Lord provides. Moses urged the Israelites who were on the verge of entering the promised land to remember the Lord’s goodness. He also warned them of the high price that would accompany forgetfulness (Deuteronomy 8:10–20). Israel’s track record in this matter is hardly exemplary (see Psalm 106).

 

1. Remembrance of Blessings (vv. 3–5)
2. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.

 

Here David specifies some of the Lord’s blessings. They are both spiritual (the forgiveness of iniquities) and physical (the healing of diseases) in nature. As Immanuel (“God with us”; compare Isaiah 7:14), Jesus demonstrated His power both to forgive sins and heal diseases, as in the case of the paralytic brought to Jesus (Mark 2:1–12).

 

What Do You Think? How can Sunday school classes do better at ensuring the prayer time focuses just as much, if not more, on spiritual issues as it does on bodily health?   Digging Deeper As a result of doing an online Bible search of the phrase “pray for,” what changes do you need to make in your own prayer life?

4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

 

David describes God’s power to change our circumstances from the worst to the best—to be treated as royalty as we are crowned with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Christians can give thanks for the redemption provided by Jesus’ death and resurrection; His work has left death itself destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26).

 

5a. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things.

 

David focuses on the material blessings (good things) that only the Lord can provide. The Lord as provider is a theme repeated often in the Psalms (examples: Psalms 103:5; 104:28; 145:16).

 

5b. So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Compare Isaiah 40:29–31.

1. God’s Character

(Psalm 103:6–17a)

1. Righteous (vv. 6, 7)
2. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

 

David now calls attention to the Lord’s compassion toward the oppressed. The Lord has always been passionate that righteousness and judgment (in terms of a just judgment) be carried out on behalf of those who are often mistreated or overlooked because of their powerless status. The Lord makes clear how compassionate He is toward groups such as widows and orphans (Deuteronomy 24:17–22; compare Exodus 23:3, 6, 9).

His people, however, do not always demonstrate such compassion, which is why the Scriptures (both Old and New Testament) highlight the necessity of seeing such people, or anyone in need, as God sees them (Isaiah 1:17, 23; Jeremiah 7:1–7; Matthew 25:31–46; James 1:27).

 

What Do You Think? In what ways can believers stand up for the oppressed today?   Digging Deeper What will be your part in doing so?

7. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

 

Within pagan religions, the worshippers are often left groping and guessing what the deities desire. There is no concept of revealed truth. In contrast, the Lord has not left His covenant people in such uncertainty. He has revealed His will for all people through the words of Holy Scripture.

Moses told the Israelites “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29). God’s acts on behalf of His people cannot be duplicated by any other god, for there is no other god.

 

1. Gracious (vv. 8–12)
2. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

 

This verse proclaims one of the most important statements of faith within the Old Testament. It was first revealed to Moses when the Lord permitted him to see a portion of His glory on Mount Sinai and “proclaimed the name of the Lord” before him (Exodus 34:5–7). It is highlighted, with minor variations, at various places within the Old Testament (Numbers 14:17–19; Nehemiah 9:16, 17; Psalms 86:15; 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2).

 

What Do You Think? What are some ways the church can extend God’s graciousness to others?   Digging Deeper What will be your part in doing so?

9a. He will not always chide.

The word translated chide comes from a Hebrew word that indicates accusing or bringing a case to court (Hosea 4:1–4; Micah 6:1, 2). That happens when human sin reaches a critical point and must be confronted. But God delights most of all in showing grace, as the previous verse notes. Satan is the one who carries the reputation of being “the accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:10).

 

9b. Neither will he keep his anger for ever.

 

God does not let His anger smolder or allow it to control His entire perspective and temperament, as is often the case with human anger. God’s anger is not like human anger, which is often uncontrolled, irrational, and guided by highly questionable motives. “The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). God’s wrath, by contrast, is a holy, righteous response to human sin. He alone knows when and how to administer it. But it is clear to David (and to all those in Scripture who know God in an intimate way) that God’s mercy and grace are what make Him worth “blessing” with all one’s soul.

 

10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

 

The clearest evidence of God’s mercy is in the way He deals with human sin. If He were to treat us as we deserve, based on our sins, then our plight would be hopeless. “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalm 130:3, 4).

 

Abundant Mercy

I heard a loud crash from the bedroom where my daughter was playing. It sounded like a waterfall of knickknacks, all of them breaking on their way down. I ran to the bedroom to see what had happened.

Entering the room, I saw my daughter standing in front of a pile of rubble that had once been ceramic figurines, picture frames, and handmade art projects. The shelf they had been on lay on top of them.

“I don’t know what happened, Mom! It just fell off the wall!” my daughter exclaimed. We began the clean-up process and managed to salvage quite a few of the most favored objects. I told her that accidents happen, and we went back to our separate activities.

A few minutes later, my daughter emerged from her room, a penitent look on her face. “I have to tell you something. It didn’t just fall off the wall,” she said. “I was jumping, and I knocked it down.” She looked down in embarrassment.

While I was shocked and unhappy that my daughter had lied to me earlier, her obvious shame went to my heart. She was penitent, and I could see that she regretted her lie. We talked about why lying is wrong and how it can destroy relationships. Then I forgave her.

The psalmist (David) says that God’s anger does not last forever. He is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy,” and He has not “rewarded us according to our iniquities.” Do you forgive as God forgives you? See the next two verses.

—L. M. W.

 

11, 12. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Our knowledge of the vastness of the heavens is far, far greater than it was in David’s time. Yet his words are still true: their height cannot provide an adequate means of measuring the extent of the Lord’s mercy to those who fear Him.

In measuring how far the east is from the west, some have observed that a person could begin at a certain point and travel south to the South Pole then north to the North Pole, then travel south again to the original starting point. However, a person could travel around the world many times going east, reaching the starting point repeatedly without ever moving in any direction but east. Thus we can speak of a North Pole and a South Pole but not of an East Pole or a West Pole, since there is no place at which east meets west. God’s intention is that our sins be removed so that we never “meet” them again.

 

1. Compassionate (vv. 13–17a)
2. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

 

The knowledge of God as a father is more clearly revealed in the New Testament because of the fuller revelation of God provided by Jesus. But God as father is not totally foreign to the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 32:6; Psalm 89:26). Fathers who read a verse such as this must ask themselves how much sympathy they consistently demonstrate toward their children. Or do they “provoke” their children “to anger,” which Paul warns fathers not to do (Colossians 3:21)?

 

14. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

 

As Creator, God knows how we are put together. The Hebrew verb from which frame comes is used in Genesis 2:7 to describe how God “formed” man from dust. From our perspective that fact may cause us to reflect on our unworthiness and inadequacy. God sees it as a reason for sympathy and patience.

 

15, 16. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

 

These verses also comment on the transitory nature of human existence. As we age, we tend to recognize our limitations, and we sense how quickly time has passed. But even young people should acknowledge the truth of David’s words and “remember now [their] Creator in the days of [their] youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

 

17a. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him.

 

In contrast with humanity’s temporary, fleeting existence, the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him. This echoes the previous “limitless” language of verses 11 and 12. Rather than dwell on the frailty of human beings, David finds his delight in exalting the faithfulness of God.

 

Prairie Grass

We moved to our new home in the Midwest in the month of June, just as the prairies surrounding our town became green and lush. Every day on my drive to work, I passed field after field of green grass dotted with yellow and purple flowers. When the wind passed over it, the grass waved in the current, resembling a green ocean tossing gently in the wind. A few times I felt compelled to stop my car and roll down the window just to watch this unique beauty.

We had lived there a few years when we heard about huge wildfires sweeping across Kansas, south of our home in Nebraska. Although the fires never came close to us, we learned that they affected more than 651,000 acres of land, destroying pastureland and killing thousands of cattle, not to mention consuming homes and taking people’s lives in the process. Reports say that high winds fed the flames, spreading them quickly in grass that served as tinder after an extremely dry and warm winter.

These fires, the largest in the history of Kansas, remind us that the beautiful grasses and flowers are only temporary. Psalm 103:15–17 compares our days with that of the grass or the flowers of the field. We flourish for a time, but the wind passes over us, and we are gone. In contrast, “The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him.”

—L. M. W.

What Do You Think? How should Psalm 103:15, 16 change your priorities?   Digging Deeper How does your answer change, if at all, when Psalm 103:15, 16 is considered alongside Psalm 90:12?

III. Closing Exhortation

(Psalm 103:21, 22)

1. To the Hosts of Heaven (v. 21)
2. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

 

As the psalm nears its conclusion, David returns to his original command to bless … the Lord. In so doing, David calls on all of God’s hosts to do so. Angels are called on to do so in Psalm 103:20 (not in today’s text). This may be another instance of parallelism, where one expression is synonymous with the other. One may think of the “multitude of the heavenly host” that assembled to praise God on the night of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:13).

On the other hand, it may be that these hosts are the starry hosts, or celestial bodies (Deuteronomy 4:19). Such were created as the Lord’s ministers, or servants, to do His bidding, as indicated when He created them (Genesis 1:14–18).

 

1. To Every Place on Earth (v. 22)
2. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.

 

David concludes with a call to the entire creation to join him in his adoration of the Lord. Clearly he does not want to perform a solo! At the same time, praise is something intensely personal for David, and he never grows tired of expressing it. He ends the psalm with the same enthusiasm he had at the beginning.

 

Conclusion

1. What’s Your Story?

As you think about God’s blessings in your own life, what comes to mind? What’s your story?

What psalm, poem, or testimony could you compose to “bless the Lord”?

No doubt every one of us could point to circumstances, whether in another country, our own nation, our city or county, or our personal lives, that reflect how badly broken by sin this world continues to be. David, the author of Psalm 103, certainly experienced much heartache and sorrow during his lifetime—much of it due to his own choices to disobey God.

It may seem hard to believe that we are in the midst of another Christmas season and approaching the end of another year. If you have a calendar on the wall somewhere in your home, flip back to January of this year. Go through each month and think about the blessings you have received. (You may want to write them down or keep a record of them electronically.) Consider, as David did, both the spiritual and material blessings given by the Lord. Thank Him for the circumstances and the people He brought into your life—even during the hard times, those situations that were not on your schedule or even in your mind when the year began. And take time to “bless the Lord.”

Some of the brokenness resulting from the curse of sin will not be fully eliminated until Jesus returns and “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1) are established for eternity. At that time, all diseases of all varieties will be done away with for good. Until then we—like Paul, whose thorn in the flesh remained despite his prayers that it be removed—must trust God’s grace to be sufficient and trust that He will use us to bear witness of His power even in the throes of our pain (2 Corinthians 12:7–10). There is no excuse not to bless the Lord!

 

1. Prayer

Father, may we bless and magnify Your name! We praise You for the grace You have shown to us, especially now during this season of remembering the wondrous gift placed in the manger in Bethlehem. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

 

1. Thought to Remember

Learn to speak the language of blessing and praise.

 

 

Kid’s Corner

Benefits of Believing

December 16, 2018

Psalms 103:1-22

 

Psalms 103:1-22

(Psalms 103:1) A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

The Psalm identifies David, the King of Israel, as the author. David addresses the LORD (Jehovah, Yahweh) by name: no other god compares to the LORD and the LORD alone is worthy of worship. The soul can be identified as the intellectual or reasonable part of a person that on the basis of the truths he knew about the LORD motivated David to make the commitment that his whole being and personality, his whole self, should bless (honor, praise, glorify, worship, love, thank, make happy) the LORD. The LORD, the LORD’s name, the LORD’s character and being is holy, is pure, is set apart from all the LORD has created. The LORD always (and never fails) to reason, choose, and act in righteous love: love always motivates the LORD to do always do what is right, what is according to the moral law, what is best for all concerned. David’s Psalm inspires all believers in the LORD to worship as David did.

(Psalms 103:2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;

For emphasis, David says once more that from the center of his being and personhood, his soul has chosen to think and act always in ways that will please the LORD and bring the LORD the most joy (not just during official times of temple worship). David prays to the LORD to glorify and magnify the LORD by enumerating all the benefits that can flow from faith and trust in the LORD and from the obedience that flows from love for the LORD. By listing some of the benefits that flow from being a loving and obedient child of the LORD, David hopes to never forget the benefits of knowing the LORD as his heavenly Father.

(Psalms 103:3) Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;

The first benefit David listed was forgiveness. Without the LORD’s forgiveness, David could not have a relationship with the LORD, and neither can we. The LORD forgives iniquity (sinful, disobedient, evil, wicked, thoughts, behaviors, and practices that have sometimes enslaved us, dishonored God, and hurt others). The LORD will forgive ALL of our unholy, rebellious, wicked thoughts and deeds. Though many of our past choices and practices now seem abhorrent to us (and were certainly abhorrent to our holy God) one benefit of faith in God (now after His coming, faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior) is God’s forgiveness of all our sins. When He walked on the earth as a man, the Lord Jesus Christ healed many diseases with a word, for He is God. The LORD (from the New Testament we know is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) can heal any and all diseases—by miracles and sometimes through doctors and medicines. Jesus made a medicine out of mud that He used when He put mud on the eyes of a blind man to restore his vision. Today, sometimes Jesus heals a disease by taking one of those who believe in Him to be with Him in heaven, as He took one of the thieves dying on a cross beside him to be with Him in paradise that very day.

(Psalms 103:4) Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Sometimes, Jesus delivers those who believe in Him from death—from what some say should have brought death from an accident, a disease, a disaster, or the act of another person (such as in a war or by some other violent act). Certainly, the LORD will crown all who trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior with the steadfast love and mercy that motivates God to give us so many blessings and benefits in this life and in the life to come. Others with discerning eyes can see the results of the steadfast love and mercy of God in our lives, just as we can see the crown on a king or queen.

(Psalms 103:5) Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

The LORD always does good to us and only good. The LORD will sometimes discipline us as believers, and in doing so He does good and expresses His deep love for us—the LORD disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). Through reasonable discipline, the LORD renews our relationship with Him and helps us in our relationships with others. By doing us good in many ways, the LORD enables us to do what we could never do in our own strength—so much so that we can feel like the eagles who soar to great heights to achieve God’s purposes.

(Psalms 103:6) The LORD performs righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed.

David recognized the sad fact of oppression in this world that many suffer. He knew that his ancestors had been oppressed in Egypt during 400 years of slavery. During that 400 years, many had died from unimaginable horrors, but those with faith in the LORD received mercy, righteousness, and justice through the LORD’s presence with them and unimagined blessings in eternity. Through Moses, the LORD gave righteousness and justice to those who followed Moses out of Egypt to Mount Sinai, where God gave them the Law that would work righteousness and justice among them when the people of Israel obeyed the LORD, but only those who believed and trusted in the LORD entered the Promised Land.

(Psalms 103:7) He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel.

The LORD spoke to Moses and told him what to do to free His people from slavery under Pharaoh. He spoke to Moses and gave him the Law that He wrote on tablets of stone to teach His people right ways of living. Through Moses’s leadership, the LORD acted in behalf of His people and worked miracles that defeated the gods of Egypt and led His people to believe in the LORD. Despite their complaints, the LORD met all their needs of food and water as they wandered in the wilderness. No wonder David prayed, “Bless the LORD, O my soul!”

(Psalms 103:8) The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

When the people of Israel complained against Moses and the LORD’s leading and provisions, the LORD was far more merciful and gracious than they deserved: grace is unmerited favor. The LORD became angry with them, but the LORD was mercifully slow to become angry. The LORD abounded in steadfast love for His people, love that influenced Him to exercise patience toward them and continue to do good to them, love that would discipline them and lead many of them to return to faith and trust in the LORD.

(Psalms 103:9) He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.

After His people have sinned, by grace the LORD will not continually admonish, rebuke, or remind them of their past evil deeds. The LORD will give us exactly the discipline we need if we do not repent of our sins and return to obeying the LORD. When we sin, we anger the LORD, but the LORD does not remain angry with us (or hold a grudge against us) forever. The LORD will not express His anger against us to hurt us for the sake of hurting us or to “get even” with us. The LORD will express His anger against us for our own good as an expression of His mercy, righteousness, and justice, to lead us back to faith in Him, to lead us to change our ways.

(Psalms 103:10) He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

The LORD will deal with us in lovingkindness according to His holy and loving character instead of dealing with us according to our sins and iniquities. The LORD’s lovingkindness toward those who have rebelled against Him and have done evil stands in sharp contrast to the ways our fallen human nature sometimes leads us against those who have offended us. The LORD deals with us to make us better people, more loving people, and loyal followers of the LORD. If the LORD repaid us according to our iniquities and sins, we could never stand before Him without guilt and at peace with Him and within ourselves.

(Psalms 103:11) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

To grant us assurance of the LORD’s gracious love and to give us peace within ourselves and with Him, the LORD tells us through David that His unfailing love is as high as the heavens above the earth. Even with modern space probes, scientists have never reached the limits of the heavens. The love of the LORD has no limits toward those who fear Him. God’s steadfast love for those who reverence His name and honor His Law of Love is immeasurably great and beyond our comprehension. We praise the LORD for Who He is, for what He does, and for what He requires of those who love Him.

(Psalms 103:12) As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

The LORD removes the true moral guilt of those who return to Him and reverence His Name. Through faith in Jesus Christ, the LORD has provided the Way to give us the complete forgiveness we need. The LORD will absolutely and totally remove the trespasses and sins of those who repent of their sins and trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The LORD saved the Old Testament saints, such as David, by grace through their faith that the LORD would send the Redeemer as He promised. With a believing heart, even when suffering, Job proclaimed, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25). In sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world, the LORD sent the Redeemer He promised.

(Psalms 103:13) Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

David compared the compassion of the LORD to the compassion of a truly loving father among the people of God. But some people never know the love and compassion of a father until they come to know God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ. The LORD shows the compassion of a true Father to those who fear or reverence Him, to those who honor the LORD as their heavenly Father instead of living in obstinate rebellion and sin against the LORD and His commandments. Apart from the grace of God, those living apart from the LORD will not recognize His love for them as their Creator and Lord.

(Psalms 103:14) For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.

One reason the LORD shows compassion toward us is the LORD created us from the dust of the ground and the LORD knows our bodies will return to the dust of the ground. The LORD knows the inclinations of our hearts. Our inclinations may be evil only continually as most were in the days of Noah. We are imperfect human beings; our heart inclinations may be to love, to seek, and to serve the LORD at all times, even though we are sometimes overcome by temptations from the world, our flesh, and the devil leading to sin, sorrow, repentance, and a return to obedience.

(Psalms 103:15) As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

Most grass soon turns from green to brown and many beautiful flowers are seasonal. David knew and wanted to remind us that everyone will die someday. We are mortal and no matter how long we may live in good health, whether living for the LORD or living in sin for ourselves, we will die (prior to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ). Our lives will seem too short to us no matter how long we may live, so let us resolve to spend every day in the service of our loving Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the One who suffered and died for us.

(Psalms 103:16) When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.

In Psalm 90:12, Moses prayed for us: “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” David’s Psalm encourages us to number our days. David wanted us to get wisdom from our observations and thinking about how many days we might live. The older we get the fewer days we will have to live in this world, so we need to make each moment count for God, knowing that He loves us and wants us to love Him and trust Him and spend eternity with Him after our body dies.

(Psalms 103:17) But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,

People pass away from a life on earth and go to reside with the LORD or in a place apart from the LORD. The steadfast love of the LORD will never pass away and will remain forever with those who seek to obey the LORD in everything; that is, those who fear Him. Those the LORD has graciously saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ love the LORD and want to express their gratitude and love for the LORD by serving Him and obeying Him now and throughout eternity. In John 14:15, Jesus expressly declared: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” When we trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, that makes a difference in how we live and talk; therefore, even our children’s children will come to know God’s righteousness (the right and loving ways of living) as children of God.

(Psalms 103:18) To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them.

The teaching of David in this psalm is almost identical to the teaching of Jesus Christ. David lived and served the LORD under the Old Covenant. Jesus Christ made a New Covenant in His blood: Jesus suffered and died for us making it possible for our righteous LORD to mercifully and justly forgive us for our sins when we put our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and forgiveness. Having trusted in Jesus, our Heavenly Father adopts us as His children into His family, and in response we keep the New Covenant and obey the commands of Jesus. And when we fail, we still trust in Jesus.

(Psalms 103:19) The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.

After considering the limited lifespan of people on the earth, we learn the great difference between God and ourselves. We derive immeasurable assurance from knowing the fact that the LORD and His steadfast love for us will never end. Furthermore, the LORD rules over all creation, so nothing can separate us from the LORD and His love. The LORD is King and the LORD established an eternal kingdom, and when we come in faith to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we become loyal subjects of our great King, the King of the universe, whose kingdom will never end, and whose Name we will sing praises to forever and ever.

(Psalms 103:20) Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word!

The LORD is wonderful in all He says and does, in Who the LORD is as revealed in the Bible, in nature, and within us; therefore, we want to do His bidding, obey His word, and bring Him great happiness. As we read the Bible, we learn how to bring joy to the LORD. Furthermore, David calls the angels of the LORD, who are great in might and holy splendor, to use the abilities God gave them to do the word of the LORD and obey every command the LORD gives them.

(Psalms 103:21) Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.

The LORD’s hosts include the armies of the LORD in His heavenly kingdom. The LORD’s armies enabled the people of Israel to escape from slavery in Egypt, defeat their enemies, enter the Promised Land, and inhabit the cities of those the LORD dispossessed. The angels that serve us and meet our needs as the LORD commands them do His will and bring Him and us happiness. In Hebrews 1:14 we read this about the angels of God: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?” All intelligent beings have good reasons to love, serve, and worship the LORD.

(Psalms 103:22) Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His dominion; Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Every being, every plant, animal, bird, fish, and other works of the LORD owe their existence to the LORD. Every work of the LORD is magnificent and reveals something of the nature and character of the LORD. Everything the LORD has created should obey, honor and bring joy to the LORD as the LORD enables them. For all these reasons and more, the LORD blesses us, and we bless the LORD. The LORD is worthy to be praised.

 

Benefits of Believing

December 16, 2018

Psalms 103:1-22

 

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalms 103:1-2).

 

In Psalms 103, David answers at least three questions. First, “Who blesses the LORD and makes God happy and joyful?” David answers: “Those who enjoy the benefits the LORD has given them.” Second, “What are some of the benefits the LORD has bestowed on those who make the LORD rejoice?” David answers: “These benefits include forgiveness for all our iniquity (He does not deal with us according to our sins), the healing of all our diseases (in this life or in eternity), righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed, redemption from the pit (from the grave and destruction), extra strength in old age, the crown of God’s steadfast love and mercy, and God’s daily gifts of mercy, grace, patience, and love (for He knows we are but dust).” Third, “How can anyone receive these benefits from the LORD and enjoy a mutually happy relationship with God forever?” David answers: “Those who benefit in these and other ways are those who fear or deeply reverence the LORD, keep his covenant, and remember to do his commandments.” You may ask, “But what about me today?” In Jeremiah 31:31, Jeremiah prophesied, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” Jesus came and made this new covenant in His blood and declared: “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John 14:21).

 

Thinking Further

Benefits of Believing

December 16, 2018

Psalms 103:1-22

Name ___________________________

 

1. What are some ways you can bless the LORD?

 

 

2. What are some of the benefits people can receive from trusting in God?

 

 

3. What does the LORD expect from His people?

 

 

4. Does the LORD ever get angry with people because of their sins? Explain your answer.

 

 

5. How great is the LORD’s steadfast love toward those who fear Him?

 

Questions for Discussion and Thinking Further

 

1. What are some ways you can bless the LORD? Remember and thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed on me. Love and obey God. Praise and worship God in prayer and song. Read the Bible to learn more about God and His will for me. Receive His gift of eternal life by believing in His Son, Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior.

 

2. What are some of the benefits people can receive from trusting in God? Forgiveness for sins. Having our iniquities forgotten as though we had never sinned. Having our diseases healed. Living forever in heaven with the LORD and all who love Him too. His bestowal of love and mercy on me. Giving me good things. Freeing me from oppression, from slavery to sin and satan. His steadfast love is great toward me. He removes my transgressions so far from me that they can never be found. He is my heavenly Father and He shows me the compassion of a heavenly Father. He will bless my children and my children’s children. He rules over all.

 

3. What does the LORD expect from His people? Obedience, awe, fear or reverence for Him, keeping His covenant (the New Covenant since the coming of Jesus Christ), remembering to do His commandments.

 

4. Does the LORD ever get angry with people because of their sins? Explain your answer. Yes. But the LORD is slow to get angry and His acting in anger toward His people is to discipline or correct their behavior because of the LORD’s abounding steadfast love for those who obey Him and trust in Him.

 

5. How great is the LORD’s steadfast love toward those who fear Him? (Psalms 103:11) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.

 

 

Word Search

Benefits of Believing

December 16, 2018

Psalms 103:1-22

Name __________________________

 

M H W D U B E X L P Q J M R C

S K B M N X W S S E L B X N T

U F O R G I V E S K T A P A R

S D A Y C R E M C M O S C M C

E Y I L Z L D W L U L X L E T

J P U V J C Q T M A J Q G H R

S C J K A H I C E I P N R M C

T F S E O D V H Z W H B A G K

E H Y D Y I C L O V E F C H R

A P L X U R E D E E M S I V T

D K O E J G Y W Z O U L O S O

F L H G Y F H R N B A E U H W

A G Y L U O S Z L O D V S X D

S Q Z M K I N I Q U I T Y N A

T S T I F E N E B H L O R D G

 

David

Bless

LORD

Soul

Holy

Name

Benefits

Forgives

Iniquity

Heals

Redeems

Steadfast

Love

Mercy

Gracious

 

 

True and False Test

Benefits of Believing

December 16, 2018

Psalms 103:1-22

Name __________________________

Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.

 

1. David calls us to bless the LORD with our souls and all that is within us. True or False

 

2. When we bless the LORD, we need to remember all the benefits we have received and will receive from trusting in the LORD. True or False

 

3. The LORD will repay us according to our iniquities but forgive all our transgressions. True or False

 

4. The LORD is slow to anger and abounds in steadfast love. True or False

 

5. God moves our transgressions from the east to the west. True or False

 

6. Like a father shows compassion, the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him. True or False

 

7. Believers in the LORD should keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. True or False

 

8. Like the angels, we should do the LORD’s word, obey His voice, and do His will. True or False

 

9. God’s kingdom rules over almost everything. True or False

 

10. God remembers that we are nothing but sawdust. True or False

 

 

True and False Test Answers

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. True
9. False

10.False

 

 

Prayer

Father, may we bless and magnify Your name! We praise You for the grace You have shown to us, especially now during this season of remembering the wondrous gift placed in the manger in Bethlehem. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.