Praise, Psalm 103, 18 August 2024
Psalm 103: Praise
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
College First Church of God
August 18, 2024
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: The praise we lavish on the LORD should far exceed that of human heroes.
Who is the first person you think of when I mention the word…hero? Turn to your neighbor and tell them. A week ago, I joined millions around the world watching hundreds of athletic heroes at the closing ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics. Although I didn’t watch much of the games, I was fascinated by their locale having visited Paris two months ago (where we saw most everything setup for the Olympics).
I’ve witnessed great applause, fanfare, and attention given athletes, whether it was at the 1996 games in Atlanta, the NCAA national championship game at Ford Field, or NFL games.
Others have made heroes out of musicians. I’ve been to concerts in arenas and stadiums and heard the deafening roar of the crowd while people sang and played instruments.
I think we’d all agree that teachers and first responders are everyday heroes who don’t get enough recognition (though my son used to play with a remarkable set of toys called Rescue Heroes which my grandchildren now enjoy!).
But the praise we lavish on the LORD should far exceed that of human heroes.
As we continue our series in the book of Psalms, our text today, Psalm 103, is another written by King David, perhaps the most powerful man of his day, yet he knows Who deserves all glory, honor, and praise.
Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (Psalm 103:1)
I love how David sings to his soul! Have you ever spoken to your soul? It’s not uncommon for people to talk to themselves, but speaking to your soul? This is more than a chat, though. He’s telling all of his inmost being to praise the holy name of the LORD.
Notice the word LORD is in all caps. It’s not an accident. It’s a special word, the most special word in the Hebrew language. It’s so special Jews will not speak it aloud for fear of mispronouncing or profaning it in some way. I was once talking about it with a Messianic Jewish friend of mine and I said, “Is it pronounced Yahweh?” He said softly, “That’s very close!”
We live in a world where seemingly nothing is sacred, but God’s Name is holy. David tells himself to praise the LORD. The Hebrew for that is familiar to all of us…hallelujah!
It’s not enough to know about God.
It’s not even enough to love God.
The scriptures repeatedly tell us to,
‘Love the Lord your God…with all your soul…”
(Deuteronomy 6:5, 11:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27)
and with all of our heart, mind, and strength. God wants it all, because God gave His all…His only son, Jesus. You can’t be a part-time lover of God. Following Jesus is not something you do for an hour a week. He wants all of us, 24/7/365 (and a quarter!).
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits— (Psalm 103:2)
The same Hebrew word for praise in verse one, barakh, is repeated here in verse two (yes, it’s the same word used to name a former US president, with origins in Swahili and borrowed from Arabic). It can mean praise but also blessing or bless. Bless the LORD. Praise the LORD. Don’t forget his benefits. What benefits?
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:3-5)
How can you resist that? This is our God, family! For some of us, this is old news, and familiarity breeds contempt. We need to pause and be reminded of who it is we praise. For others, this is the gospel, good news, fresh and exciting news to be forgiven, to be loved, to be seen, to be known. For me, this never gets old, especially in a word always enticing me to worry and fear. And, yes, as I age, I love the idea of my youth being renewed like the eagle’s!
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed. (Psalm 103:6)
I love this promise, especially in a world filled with injustice, with more slaves globally than ever in human history, with millions of people living under oppressive governments and systems. We can’t always see it, but God is working righteousness. Things would be much worse without Him!
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel: (Psalm 103:7)
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalm 103:8)
Here’s another statement repeated throughout the scriptures, including Exodus, Numbers, Nehemiah, Joel, Jonah, Nahum, and elsewhere in the Psalms. When you see repetition in the Bible, take notice. It’s not accidental. It’s there for emphasis.
Were your parents slow to anger and abounding in love?
Is your boss slow to anger and abounding in love?
Doesn’t that sound good? That’s our God! I want to zero in on another Hebrew word here, the one translated love. The original word is hesed. Love hardly does it justice. It’s goodness, kindness, devotion, favor, loyalty, mercy, or unchanging love. It is steadfast and devout love. This isn’t just candy heart valentine kind of love.
God is madly in love with you! There’s more.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:9-10)
I’m going better than I deserve, and if you are a follower of Jesus, the same is true for you. Are you a spiritual seeker? I challenge you to take a faith-filled risk and surrender to Jesus. Experience the thrill of forgiveness. Discover the reality of peace, meaning, and purpose. Encounter the wonder of a relationship with the Creator of the universe.
King David continues with a text we briefly examined last Sunday, highlighting the true and lasting cleansing and forgiveness available to us.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:11-12)
There’s even more!
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13-14)
Let me add He is a good father. I know father is not a positive image for some of you, tragically, but God is good. All the time. When God rescued His people out of Egyptian slavery, He called Israel His “firstborn son” in. Exodus 4:22. Gentiles have been adopted into His family through Jesus, so even if you’re not Jewish, these promises apply to us, too.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more. (Psalm 103:15-16)
Life is so fragile. I have a friend in Toledo whose son was playing basketball last week and was shot and killed by a random drive-by. My heart breaks for this man, preparing to bury his 15-year-old son. None of us know our expiration date. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you?
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’S love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts. (Psalm 103:17-18)
Are you catching all of this?
19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalm 103:19)
If anyone knew about thrones and kingdoms, it was King David, the author of this song.
So What?
Psalm 103 ends by answering this simple question.
20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, my soul. (Psalm 103:20-22)
Praise the LORD.
Bless the LORD.
Honor the LORD.
Sing to the LORD.
Worship the LORD.
Pay attention to the LORD.
Jesus is greater than any athlete, actor, rock star, rescue hero, teacher, scientist, or political leader. He is the ultimate GOAT: the greatest of all time. He deserves more than applause and admiration. He deserves our lives!
Love the LORD with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind, and all of your strength.
Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!
Restoring Your Soul: Psalms
College First Church of God
August 18, 2024
Series Big Idea: The Psalms are filled with passionate expressions of the soul.
Big Idea: The praise we lavish on the LORD should far exceed that of human heroes.
Who is the first person you think of when I mention the word…hero? Turn to your neighbor and tell them. A week ago, I joined millions around the world watching hundreds of athletic heroes at the closing ceremonies of the 2024 Olympics. Although I didn’t watch much of the games, I was fascinated by their locale having visited Paris two months ago (where we saw most everything setup for the Olympics).
I’ve witnessed great applause, fanfare, and attention given athletes, whether it was at the 1996 games in Atlanta, the NCAA national championship game at Ford Field, or NFL games.
Others have made heroes out of musicians. I’ve been to concerts in arenas and stadiums and heard the deafening roar of the crowd while people sang and played instruments.
I think we’d all agree that teachers and first responders are everyday heroes who don’t get enough recognition (though my son used to play with a remarkable set of toys called Rescue Heroes which my grandchildren now enjoy!).
But the praise we lavish on the LORD should far exceed that of human heroes.
As we continue our series in the book of Psalms, our text today, Psalm 103, is another written by King David, perhaps the most powerful man of his day, yet he knows Who deserves all glory, honor, and praise.
Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (Psalm 103:1)
I love how David sings to his soul! Have you ever spoken to your soul? It’s not uncommon for people to talk to themselves, but speaking to your soul? This is more than a chat, though. He’s telling all of his inmost being to praise the holy name of the LORD.
Notice the word LORD is in all caps. It’s not an accident. It’s a special word, the most special word in the Hebrew language. It’s so special Jews will not speak it aloud for fear of mispronouncing or profaning it in some way. I was once talking about it with a Messianic Jewish friend of mine and I said, “Is it pronounced Yahweh?” He said softly, “That’s very close!”
We live in a world where seemingly nothing is sacred, but God’s Name is holy. David tells himself to praise the LORD. The Hebrew for that is familiar to all of us…hallelujah!
It’s not enough to know about God.
It’s not even enough to love God.
The scriptures repeatedly tell us to,
‘Love the Lord your God…with all your soul…”
(Deuteronomy 6:5, 11:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27)
and with all of our heart, mind, and strength. God wants it all, because God gave His all…His only son, Jesus. You can’t be a part-time lover of God. Following Jesus is not something you do for an hour a week. He wants all of us, 24/7/365 (and a quarter!).
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits— (Psalm 103:2)
The same Hebrew word for praise in verse one, barakh, is repeated here in verse two (yes, it’s the same word used to name a former US president, with origins in Swahili and borrowed from Arabic). It can mean praise but also blessing or bless. Bless the LORD. Praise the LORD. Don’t forget his benefits. What benefits?
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:3-5)
How can you resist that? This is our God, family! For some of us, this is old news, and familiarity breeds contempt. We need to pause and be reminded of who it is we praise. For others, this is the gospel, good news, fresh and exciting news to be forgiven, to be loved, to be seen, to be known. For me, this never gets old, especially in a word always enticing me to worry and fear. And, yes, as I age, I love the idea of my youth being renewed like the eagle’s!
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed. (Psalm 103:6)
I love this promise, especially in a world filled with injustice, with more slaves globally than ever in human history, with millions of people living under oppressive governments and systems. We can’t always see it, but God is working righteousness. Things would be much worse without Him!
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel: (Psalm 103:7)
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalm 103:8)
Here’s another statement repeated throughout the scriptures, including Exodus, Numbers, Nehemiah, Joel, Jonah, Nahum, and elsewhere in the Psalms. When you see repetition in the Bible, take notice. It’s not accidental. It’s there for emphasis.
Were your parents slow to anger and abounding in love?
Is your boss slow to anger and abounding in love?
Doesn’t that sound good? That’s our God! I want to zero in on another Hebrew word here, the one translated love. The original word is hesed. Love hardly does it justice. It’s goodness, kindness, devotion, favor, loyalty, mercy, or unchanging love. It is steadfast and devout love. This isn’t just candy heart valentine kind of love.
God is madly in love with you! There’s more.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:9-10)
I’m going better than I deserve, and if you are a follower of Jesus, the same is true for you. Are you a spiritual seeker? I challenge you to take a faith-filled risk and surrender to Jesus. Experience the thrill of forgiveness. Discover the reality of peace, meaning, and purpose. Encounter the wonder of a relationship with the Creator of the universe.
King David continues with a text we briefly examined last Sunday, highlighting the true and lasting cleansing and forgiveness available to us.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:11-12)
There’s even more!
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13-14)
Let me add He is a good father. I know father is not a positive image for some of you, tragically, but God is good. All the time. When God rescued His people out of Egyptian slavery, He called Israel His “firstborn son” in. Exodus 4:22. Gentiles have been adopted into His family through Jesus, so even if you’re not Jewish, these promises apply to us, too.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more. (Psalm 103:15-16)
Life is so fragile. I have a friend in Toledo whose son was playing basketball last week and was shot and killed by a random drive-by. My heart breaks for this man, preparing to bury his 15-year-old son. None of us know our expiration date. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you?
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’S love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts. (Psalm 103:17-18)
Are you catching all of this?
19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalm 103:19)
If anyone knew about thrones and kingdoms, it was King David, the author of this song.
So What?
Psalm 103 ends by answering this simple question.
20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, my soul. (Psalm 103:20-22)
Praise the LORD.
Bless the LORD.
Honor the LORD.
Sing to the LORD.
Worship the LORD.
Pay attention to the LORD.
Jesus is greater than any athlete, actor, rock star, rescue hero, teacher, scientist, or political leader. He is the ultimate GOAT: the greatest of all time. He deserves more than applause and admiration. He deserves our lives!
Love the LORD with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind, and all of your strength.
Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!