Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
Psalm 103
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
6 The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. 7 He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. 9 He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. 10 He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. 11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. 12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. 13 The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. 14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. 15 Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. 16 The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children 18 of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! 19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. 20 Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. 21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! 22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord.
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
6 The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. 7 He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. 9 He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. 10 He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. 11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. 12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. 13 The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. 14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. 15 Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. 16 The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children 18 of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! 19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. 20 Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. 21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! 22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord.
Commentary:
To motivate his worship, he cites all the benefits that come to the faithful, in a series of participial clauses in verses 3–5. He begins by remembering that God forgives sin. Sin creates a barrier between humanity and a holy God, but God will forgive the sin of a contrite heart (Ps. 51:17). He can heal not only our spiritual state, but also our bodies. He is the divine healer. Indeed, the connection between forgiving sin and healing may indicate that the psalmist himself is thanking God for healing him from sickness that he believed was connected to his sin (a connection made explicit in Ps. 38:1–8; Brown 1995: 150). This sickness was serious, because God redeemed his life from the pit, the pit being a metaphor for the grave/underworld. But God does more than save him from death; he also crowns him with love (or loyalty; ḥesed) and compassion. These are God’s qualities promised to his covenant partners that explain why God does not simply abandon his people, even when they sin. God not only protects the psalmist from negative things like illness and death; he gives him good things as well. For instance, God not only allows the psalmist to survive death; he rejuvenates him. It is as if he is young again. An eagle was a symbol of strength and vitality (Isa. 40:31).
Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 15–16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014), 356.
Tremper Longman III, Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary, ed. David G. Firth, vol. 15–16, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2014), 356.
Questions:
David has to give his own soul a pep talk in Psalm 103, reminding himself of five massive benefits: Forgiveness, Healing, Redemption, Crowning, and Renewing/Filling.
- Look at those five benefits (Forgiveness, Healing, Redemption, Crowning, and Renewing/Filling). Which one feels the most difficult for you to truly accept or connect with right now?
- Amber tied this Psalm to the story of the Prodigal Son, pointing out that the Father didn't just forgive the boy; he ran to him and put sandals on his feet. Servants went barefoot, but sons wore sandals. The Father completely restored his identity. Why do we often live like spiritual slaves trying to earn our keep, rather than walking in the identity of a son or daughter who has been "crowned" with love and mercy?
- How does remembering that Jesus paid for these benefits with His own blood change the value you place on your life today?
Prayer Topics:
- Ask God to help you truly grasp the reality of your identity as a son or daughter who has been crowned with love and mercy, rather than a slave trying to earn your keep.
- Pray for a deeper revelation of the cross, asking the Holy Spirit to show you where you have taken His costly benefits of forgiveness and redemption for granted.
- Thank God that He doesn't just stop at forgiving your sins, but completely restores your standing, fills your life with goodness, and renews your weary heart.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
6. Is the Bible God's word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
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