Verse: Psalm 103:1-5
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his 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.
Thoughts
I had a conversation with a stranger at a store yesterday. He worked behind the counter, and I was waiting, so we started talking. We got onto the topic of how much we take for granted in life. I wonder if we were to do a count throughout the day of how many times we are grateful versus how many times we complain, which tally would be greater?
As we read this Psalm this morning, I am struck by the line, "forget not all his benefits." The Psalmist is speaking to his soul (which is also very interesting - that sometimes we need to remind ourselves to praise God!) and urging himself, rather than focus solely on all the problems, to praise God for all he has done in his life.
He is the God who forgives, the God who heals, the God who redeems, the God who lifts up, the God who loves, the God who satisfies, and the God who renews. Praise the Lord, my soul!
What "benefits" in your life are you taking for granted this morning? What benefits are you likely to "forget?"
This morning, can you pause what you are doing, and spend a little time in reflection? Can you take a moment to meditate on this verse? Can you pray through the people and the blessings in your life and thank God for them? Let's start our day with a purposeful moment of gratitude, and see how it changes our perspective throughout the rest of the day.
Prayer
See above.