Psalm 103:1

Psalm 103:1

Praise the Lord, my soul

I like the footnotes in my Study Bible that refer to this Psalm as a “salvation-history psalm”. It comprises 22 verses of recollection and praise for all that the Lord has done for His people. In it we will find familiar phrases and texts that exalt the Lord for His reign, not just for Israel or for individuals but also over the whole world! The Psalm reminds us that we are sinners who are worthy of His judgements, but it also tells us that the Lord God has compassion on His children, and He is slow to anger. 

David wrote these words, of course he did, who else could know the heart and mind of the Lord and pen such delightful words? We are about to gain an understanding of the nature and character of God, rarely revealed elsewhere, it’s a Psalm you will never want to end, that will refresh us on our journey, so let’s enjoy it together.

 

V1        Sometimes, in the midst of the gloom of life we have to stop and take stock. Things that are happening internationally, the crises that the world faces, the personal challenges and problems that just never seem to go away; all of it can be overwhelming. Many people stagger and fall under the load of it all or, alternatively, they seek solutions in a bottle of wine or whatever panacea they prefer. Our souls can be troublesome places, emotions and frenzied minds churn with anxieties and fears, it becomes a job to focus on the important stuff, everywhere we look there’s just difficulty and suffering. I could go on, but you get the picture! For those who know and love the Lord, who are called to be His children, there is a solution that the world cannot begin to understand. We are encouraged here to stop still, take stock and then speak to our souls! “Soul, Praise the Lord. In fact, I command every part of me to Praise the Lord! Body, soul and spirit stop your fretting and your fear and Praise the Lord!” 

This is the whole point of personal and corporate praise, that we take time out to give our souls respite, to turn our eyes away from the world and its problems and focus them on Yeshua, the solution to our woes. How privileged we are to have this amazing outlet for our human personalities where we are able to turn attention away from ourselves, away from our troubles and fix our eyes on the One who is greater and wiser and mightier and superior to it all. What a relief! “Praise the Lord, my soul.”

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