INTRO...

It is good to stop, look around, look back, and take inventory of our lives: activities/time, our finances, our physical health, relationships…and January is a great time to do that. A time to look back and look forward to a new year || I think hearts, souls, spiritual health is also something that is good to reflect on, look back, remember, look forward with some effort to grow and work on our hearts and spiritual life. As I jump into 2025, I want to be reminded again of the work of God in my life (in the past and what might be in the future).

1. We Bless the LORD WITH OUR SOULS, with EVERYTHING…
[PS 103:1-2]

David did not mean this in the sense that a greater person gives a blessing to a lesser person. God is infinitely greater than man, and man could never give a blessing to God. David meant this in the sense that it blesses and honors God when His creatures praise Him and thank Him appropriately. || David called upon his soul to bless God. It was as if David looked at his soul and understood that it was not praising God enough. He called his soul to do more. || David understood that true worship was something deeply inward, of the soul. It is not just about outward forms or expressions, but also about something real from the soul. || David also understood that worship had to be more than superficial; it had to be offered as completely as possible. He wanted everything within to praise God. He set his heart in tune as well as setting his instruments in tune.

2. We Bless the LORD because He REDEEMS us…[PS 103:3-5]

- FORGIVES OUR SINS
When the magnitude of our sin and the righteousness of God are understood, this forgiveness is a staggering reason for praising and honoring God.
- HEALS OUR DISEASES
Another great benefit is God’s care for our bodies. He brings healing to us in this life through both natural and miraculous ways. He promises ultimate healing for all His people in the age to come.
- REDEEMS OUR LIFE FROM DESTRUCTION
Many of us know and have experienced the powerful blessing of God’s rescue from sure destruction. But there are many things that we are spared that we may never know about
- CROWNS US WITH LOVINGKINDNESS AND TENDER MERCIES
God’s greatness goes beyond sparing us from sin, disease, or trouble. Through God’s blessing, we are crowned with His great love and mercy.
- SATISFIES US WITH GOOD THINGS
The result of God’s work, both in what He saves us from and what He saves us into, will bring true satisfaction to our lives. This is different from mere pleasure or entertainment; God wants to bring true satisfaction to our lives from good things. This satisfaction becomes a source of strength and energy to us

3. We Bless the LORD because the LORD IS RIGHTEOUS and JUST towards us…[PS 103:6-7]

- The LORD executes righteousness and justice: In the previous section, David described the greatness of God in His work to the individual. Yet God also shows His greatness in bringing righteousness and justice to societies.
- He made known His ways: Another aspect of God’s greatness is His self-revelation. God could be content to hide Himself, but instead He wanted to make known His way and His acts to us…

4. We Bless the LORD because the LORD IS GRACIOUS to us…
[PS 103:8-10]

- The LORD is merciful and gracious: In the previous lines, David described the righteousness and justice of God. Those aspects of God’s character are true, but so also are His mercy and graciousness. His anger comes, but slowly and after much mercy has been shown.
- Abounding in mercy: David’s statements remind us of God’s revelation of Himself to Moses in [Exodus 34:6] “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth”.
- He has not dealt with us according to our sins: David knew the slow anger and abounding mercy of God personally. He knew that his sins (and the sins of his people) deserved much greater judgment or discipline than they had received.

5. We Bless the LORD because the LORD has GRACIOUSLY FORGIVEN us…[PS 103:11-12]

- For as the heavens are high above the earth: This is a description of the abounding mercy of God. The distance from the earth to the heavens measures the greatness of His mercy toward those who fear Him. By instinct, we often think of God’s mercy as less than it really is.
- As far as the east is from the west: This is a description of the great forgiveness of God. We have no idea if David knew the shape of the earth, but the Holy Spirit who inspired David to write this did, and the nature of the earth and our way of describing directions makes this statement particularly inspiring. || As far as the east is from the west is much greater than saying as far as the north is from the south, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. If you travel north on a globe, you begin to travel south as soon as you go over the North Pole. But if you travel east, you will continue east forever. Given the true shape of the earth, east and west never meet – and this is how far God has removed our sins from us!

6. We Bless the LORD because the LORD has shown GREAT SYMPATHY toward us…[PS 103:13-14]

- The LORD pities those who fear Him: David continues to describe the abounding mercy and goodness of God. The way that a good father cares for and even pities his children in their frailty and weakness, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. || We think of a loving father dealing with his tired children. He does not demand more of them than they can perform, but with care takes into account their weaknesses. He comforts them and measures his expectations according to his wisdom and compassion…He pities our childish ignorance…He pities our childish weakness…He pities our childish foolishness…He pities our childish stumbles and falls…He pities the pain of His children…He pities the child when another has wronged him…He pities the fears of His children.

[Spurgeon]…“It is in the present tense, and carries the idea of continuity: at this very moment he is now pitying them that fear him. Though he knows your trials will work for your good, yet he pities you. Though he knows that there is sin in you, which, perhaps, may require this rough discipline ere you be sanctified, yet he pities you. Though he can hear the music of heaven, the songs and glees that will ultimately come of your present sighs and griefs, yet still he pities those groans and wails of yours.”

- For He knows our frame: “frame” and “dust” point back to God’s forming us back in Genesis. The pity and compassion of God toward those who fear Him are rooted in His knowledge and understanding of our inherent weakness and frailty, he made us and knows it full well. || This pity and remembrance were turned to empathy at the incarnation. God Himself added humanity to His deity and experienced our frame and our dust-like weakness. What before He knew by observation, He submitted to know by experience. Which is still mind blowing

7. We Bless the LORD because he is ETERNAL and expresses ETERNAL STEADFAST LOVE…[PS 103:15-18]

- But the STEADFAST LOVE of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting: This is true of God’s mercy and of God Himself, the source of mercy. His hesed – covenant love, loyal kindness – endures from all ages to all ages. Those who fear Him receive the benefit of this everlasting mercy, as do their children’s children. [CONDITIONAL ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM]

8. We Bless the LORD because he has AUTHORITY OVER ALL CREATION…[PS 103:19-22]

- The LORD has established His throne in heaven: David celebrated God’s secure reign from heaven. God is enthroned in heaven, beyond the troubles and corruptions of earth. It is established, and will never be moved.
- And His kingdom rules over all: An eternal contrast is made between the Ruler and the ruled. There is no aspect of the universe that is not under His reign.
- Bless the LORD, you His angels: David began the psalm by telling his own soul to bless the Lord, but he knew the praise and honor to God should go beyond what he could give. It should extend all the way to the angels, and David boldly told them to also bless the LORD.
- Who excel in strength, who do His word: The angels are strong and obedient, but even they should bless the LORD, giving Him praise and honor.
- Bless the LORD, all you His hosts: The angels also make up God’s hosts: His heavenly army under His command who do His pleasure. As God’s soldiers, they should give Him the honor and praise due to Him.
- Bless the LORD, all His works: David extended the call to honor and praise God further than the angels to all of God’s works, in all places of His dominion.
- Bless the LORD, O my soul: David ended the psalm as he began it, with a call to his own soul to bless God, giving Him the honor and praise due to Him. After the many reasons given in Psalm 103, David had more reasons to bless the LORD at the end of the psalm.

So…as we read over these truths, what has sparked worship of the Lord from your soul?

- He redeems us…forgives, heals, loving kindness, tender mercies
- He has revealed himself to us
- He is gracious, merciful, and doesn’t give us what we deserve in our sin
- He has forgiven us (high as heaven/east to west)
- He has shown great sympathy towards us (pity)
- HIs steadfast (covenant) love endures forever
- He is truly greater than anyone or anything and has allowed us to be his children

RESPOND, REFLECT & COMMUNION

I would like to give you a chance to respond to God…
—> LETS TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK HIM, RESPOND TO HIM…
—> WHAT IS JESUS SAYING TO YOU TODAY?
—> WHAT IS JESUS ASKING YOU TO DO?