“Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name! Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits—Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy.”
Psalm 103:1-4 AMP
Grace Perspective:
This Psalm is written by King David, most likely in his later years, as he had lived long enough to see the sinfulness of sin and the preciousness of grace. Age often brings clarity, showing the destructive power of sin and magnifying the cost of forgiveness.
David reminds those in Christ to gratefully praise the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul because of His mighty work within us. He calls us to remember all the blessings the Lord pours out on His children. Forgiveness of sin, redemption from Hell, ongoing healing from the corruption of sin, loving-kindness, and tender mercy. Remembering the goodness and kindness God pours out upon us should move our hearts to sing of His glory.
We need this reminder because the chaos of life can cloud our memory and make our hearts grow cold in worshipping our Savior. Reading David’s words helps fan the flames of praise as we look back on all the Lord has done to bring us out of the pit. I pray that as you read this passage, your heart will sing a new song of praise to the One who saved you from the pit of corruption and gives dignity and grace to those who call on His name.
A Touch of Grace:
Where were you when God brought you out of the pit of destruction?
What benefits has God given you?
Grace Application:
The benefits of grace are innumerable; however, David gives us a few to ponder in these verses. Those who seek the Lord for forgiveness have all their sin pardoned. Once we have received the forgiveness Christ generously offers, we have access to the throne of grace. We can draw near to our Savior at any time, bringing our joys, sorrows, questions, and praise.
God heals us from the disease of our soul – sin, through the ongoing process of sanctification. We are cleansed of sin when we receive Christ’s forgiveness. However, we need daily grace to help break the power sin holds over our flesh. Sanctification is the process that God uses to make us more like Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:18) Each day God uses the circumstances in our lives to refine, teach, and mold us as we “press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.” (Philippians 3:12) Sanctification will continue to do its work in us until we are finally home with our Savior and see Him face to face.
God saves us from the pit of destruction, Hell, where there is no grace, no mercy, no compassion, no love – only the full knowledge of who God is and the agony that comes from rejecting His love. Redeeming grace spares us from an eternity of unrelenting torment.
Mercy and grace save us from an eternity of pain and suffering. Instead of Hell, God gives us “an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit—that they may be called oaks of righteousness [lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3)
The older I become, the more conscious I am of how wicked my heart is apart from Christ and how the precious blood of my Savior has redeemed me from Hell. Reading David’s words stirs my cooling heart. Remembering all the blessings God continually pours out on me brings notes of joy, awakening my soul to sing of His goodness and grace. The Savior whose steadfast love never fails and whose grace never ends redeemed me from Hell! May my heart sing continually of His glory and grace…will you join me in a song of praise?
Prayer:
Gracious Father, I come to You in the precious name of Jesus Christ. You are worthy of all praise, glory, and honor for all eternity. Forgive me for allowing my heart to grow cold towards praising You. Help me to quickly remember Your goodness, grace, and mercy so that my soul never forgets the innumerable benefits You continually pour out on Your children. Help me sing a new song each day, Lord, as Your sanctification prepares my heart for Heaven. Help me be a bold witness for the healing power of grace so that others will see You and desire to know Jesus as Savior. Amen.
**Today, as you read this, I pray each of you will know for sure you are in Christ Jesus. If you have any doubts, please call out to God so that all doubt is erased. Today is a good day to be assured of Salvation in Christ Jesus. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at graceisdawning@gmail.com**