“Bless the LORD, my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, my soul,
And do not forget any of His benefits
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
~~Psalm 103:1-2; 5~~
“Bless the Lord oh my soul”. The Psalmist wrote this phrase in the imperative tense, indicating that it’s a command. We must also note that it’s written in the 2nd person, meaning that the writer is talking to himself. The Hebrew word for “bless” is <barak> and it means: to kneel. The implication of <barak> is that to “bless the Lord” is an act of adoration done on bended knees.
As I ponder the definition and parsing information above, I see that the writer of this Psalm is engaging in “self-talk” – Positive. Godly. Self-talk. That’s not exactly the way I would describe my self-talk. How about you? I’ve been guilty of, for instance, arriving at the grocery store, realizing I forgot my list, and breathing out a disgusted sigh while muttering, “You idiot!”. Or perhaps you can relate having one of those days when everything you pick up ends up on the floor, and you growl, “Why don’t you just throw everything on the floor right out the gate, you klutz! It’s gonna end up there anyway!” No, that’s not the kind of “self-talk” this Psalmist is engaging in.
As I PAUSE TO PONDER this phrase, it’s proving to be a real “attitude realignment” for me. It’s like God is saying to me..
“Karen, bless the Lord! Look at all the blessings He has given you! Don’t forget any of God’s benefits! And that’s an ORDER!!!”
In addition to the attitude alignment, another thought came to me. “If I blessed the Lord with all that is in me” there wouldn’t be a lot of time and energy for any other thoughts or emotions that bring me down and take me off track spiritually?
Wow…and ouch. I have a choice. Bless the Lord…or bemoan my circumstances…oh my…
WE’RE FACED WITH A CHOICE
Bless the Lord, or bemoan our circumstances.
After the second time commanding himself to “bless the Lord”, the Psalmist then charged himself, “DO NOT FORGET any of God’s benefits”. At the end of the blog post, I’ve listed the 15 benefits mentioned in this Psalm for you to check out, but let me share the one that really impacted me.
“He satisfies your years with good things”. In the Hebrew language, the word “satisfies” is two-faceted. It means “to satisfy” (to make happy : to gratify to the full : to put an end to doubt or uncertainty) and “to enrich” (to make rich or richer especially by the addition or increase of some desirable quality, attribute, or ingredient : to add beauty to : adorn : to enhance the taste of : to make a soil more fertile). If you know me at all, you know my mind is going faster right now than my chubby little fingers can type.
- If I am gratified to the full, I wouldn’t be searching for other things to fill a void in my life that only Jesus can fill.
- God can put an end to doubt and uncertainty. James 1:5 says, “But if any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given him.”
- God, through the power of His Spirit, makes my life richer by enabling me to bear the fruit of His Spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).
- I serve a God who adds beauty to my life (“…[He] bestows a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair…”–Isaiah 61:3).
- When it comes to the word “adorn”, 1 Peter 5:4 says “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory”.
- Considering all the benefits He has given, God utters the challenge, “Taste and see that the Lord is good…!”, Psalm 34:8.
- “To make a soil more fertile” brings to mind how our hearts are the soil for the seeds of truth to be planted in, and God is able “to create in us a pure heart” and” renew a steadfast spirit within us” so those seeds of truth will grow and flourish, Psalm 51:10.
How cool is THAT?!!! You know, before we move on to the last phrase, I have to share that the Spirit brought to mind a couple questions that “pinched” a little. We know that God gives us so many good things, but…
- Do I focus on the Giver instead of the gift?
- Do I even recognize the good things He gives?
Oh Lord, forgive me for being so self-absorbed and spiritually bratty.
As I moved on to the last phrase of this passage, I broke it down into two parts. The first part, “my youth will be renewed…“, made me think of the carefree attitude of young people. They are free of the worries and the cares of adulthood that weigh us down. That’s what God wants for us; and the path to that mindset is to “not forget God’s benefits” and to “bless the Lord” from the deepest part of myself.
The next part of that phrase is “…like an eagle“. Think of an eagle, riding the currents of the wind, far above all that is happening on the earth. The fact that it’s soaring high above the earth doesn’t change what is happening on the earth, but it places the eagle above it, soaring – doing what God created it to do. As I think that through, I see that perhaps the “current or wind” I’m to soar on could be likened to the power of the Spirit, lifting us above our circumstances by reminding us “not to forget any of God’s benefits”. Just wow.
If I am focused on remembering His benefits, I can’t also be focused on the worries of today or tomorrow. Man, the Spirit used this verse, that I have read many times before, to speak to me in a fresh new way that it never had before. Oh how I love His Word.
My prayer for you is ~~ Bless! Don’t forget!
And soar, sister. SOAR!!!!!
The List of Benefits Mentioned in this Psalm:
- He pardons all your guilt
- He heals all your diseases
- He redeems your life from the pit
- He crowns you with favor and compassion
- He satisfies your years with good things –your youth is renewed like an eagle
- He performs righteous deeds
- He takes up for the oppressed
- He reveals His ways to us
- He is compassionate and gracious
- He is slow to anger and abounding in mercy
- Any anger He feels toward us is short lived if we fear Him
- He removes our sins from us
- He is mindful that we are just dust
- His mercy is everlasting
- He rules forever and is sovereign