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April 30th
Our Bible reading today is in Psalms 102,103,104.
Listen to Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s assessment of Ps. 103. “There is too much in this Psalm for a thousand pens to write. It is one of those all-comprehending Scriptures which is a Bible in itself. It might alone suffice for the hymnbook of the church.”
“As in the lofty Alps, some peaks rise far above others. So this Psalm seems to rise above all other Psalms”...not in Divine authorship...but perhaps in Divine inspiration to the hearts and voices Of God’s choir on earth.
Now to the text...The first part of the psalm is David rehearsing some personal mercies that he has received. The way he describes these mercies makes me want to believe that David wrote this song late in his life when appreciation for blessings from God comes from years of experiencing God’s good supply for everything he needed...body and soul!
But before the list of mercies, David speaks to his own heart and soul. “O bless the Lord, O My Soul...and all that is within me...bless His Holy Name!”
David was stirring up his own soul. He was speaking to himself as though he feared the cold clutches of “spiritual dullness” reaching out for him. He was exhorting himself as though “personal slipping away” from God’s fellowship.
Each of which can overcome us as well as David the Aged. Remember when a younger David and his 600 warriors came home to Ziklag only to find their homes burned down and their wives and children stolen by Philistine raiders?
Despair and fear overwhelmed all of these brave men. The Bible says that “David strengthened his own heart” in the Lord and courageously led his men to engage the raiders and take back their families.
Remember when a much younger David stood his ground against all preditors of his father's sheep? And with that same sling, the youthful shepherd became a warrior and champion over fear, intimidation, unbelief, and the giant Goliath.
Apparently David learned, from a young age, to “strengthen his heart in the Lord” and not in man and his clever ways. Apparently David’s “self speak” in today’s psalm was not new to his worship of the Lord.
“Soul...not just voice...but Soul bless and praise God. Sure use my voice to praise God. But He deserves all that is within me to praise and worship Him.
This is what I want from my innermost being...“Soul, use all the intelligence God has put in my mind to bless the Lord. Use all that I have learned from the Spirit...in and through Godly men and women in my life to praise the Lord.”
“Soul, use every determined resolve...every ounce of strength that God has given to me in my spirit and in my body to praise the Lord my God.”
“Soul, use every emotion...my gladness, my sadness, my happiness, my sorrow, my seriousness, and my playfulness...every God-given emotion displayed in smiles and grins and laughters...and also displayed in tears and solitude...to praise my God my Savior Jesus.”
“Bless the Lord O my soul...and all that is within me...BLESS His Holy Name.
David knew that his stirring his soul to worship was a “God thing”...but he couldn't just flip a switch to get to worthy worship of God...he must direct praise to the holiness of God’s Name...Adonai...Lord of all!!! Praise You Lord of all...me included!
So what are those mercies that David was praising God for?
Well, that’s the rest of the story...
Have a great day
