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Commentary by Clyde M. Miller Questions by John C. Sewell

All God's Benefits

Psalm 103:1-22

Landmark Publications, Inc., 1045 Maynor Street, Nashville, TN 37216, U.S.A., John C. Sewell, Ph.D., Editor.

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All God's Benefits

Commentary

by

Clyde M. Miller

Text: Psalm 103:1-22, Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases; he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion. He satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust, he flourishes like a flower of the field, the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children─with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do




his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul. NIV Introduction: I. Psalm 103 is a praise hymn, as indicated by 1a, 2a, 20a, 21a and 22a,b.

A. Psalm 103:1-2; 20-22, Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul. NIV

II. Many have noted that Psalm 103 and 104 begin and end in the same way (see the introduction to Ps. 105).

A. Psalm 103:1, Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. NIV

B. Psalm 104:1, Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. NIV

C. Psalm 103:22, Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul. NIV




D. Psalm 104:35, But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord. NIV E. This could indicate that the two psalms have one author, that one borrowed from the other, or that both were using expressions common to the worshipping community.

III. Personal exhortation is doubtless meant to kindle a spiritual awakening in the heart of each worshiper.

A. Man needs to give his best effort to God in worship and service.

IV. The shift from personal (1-5) to national (6-14) to universal (15-22) considerations shows that this is a community psalm.

A. Psalm 103:1-5, Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases; he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion. He satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's. NIV

B. Psalm 103:6-14, The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will be harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father




has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. NIV

C. Psalm 103:15-22, As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children─with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul. NIV

Commentary:

God's Benefits (1-5)

Psalm 103:1-5, Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases; he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion. He satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's. NIV Psalm 103:1-2, Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. NIV I. The psalmist exhorts himself to praise God with "his inmost being," that is, completely/sincerely (1b).




A. Then he introduces his desire to be inclusive by using the expression, "all his benefits" (2b).

1. His exhortation is not to forget all the divine blessings that come his way.

B. The word for "benefits" refers to blessings that manifest themselves in deeds and actions, as the relative clauses (Hebrew participial clauses) that follow indicate.

1. Though God's benefits cannot be enumerated or adequately praised (Ps. 40:5), it is well to keep them in mind as best we can.

a. Psalm 40:5, Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. NIV

Psalm 103:3, He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. NIV I. It must be recognized that the reception of these benefits is conditional.

A. God must will it so and man must meet whatever conditions God has stipulated. B. God wills to forgive all who come to Him in His appointed way (cf. Acts 2:21, 38-39; Rev. 22:17).

1. Acts 2:21, 38-39, And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the




name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off─for all whom the Lord our God will call." NIV

2. Revelation 22:17, The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whosoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. NIV

C. God sometimes chooses to heal our physical diseases, but in other cases, He chooses to let the problem remain while at the same time providing the strength of His grace to let the affliction serve God's good purpose (cf. 2 Cor. 12:1-10).

1. 2 Corinthian's 12:1-10, I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know─God knows. And I know that this man─ whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows─was caught up to Paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say. To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my




flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. NIV

Psalm 103:4, he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion. NIV I. The word for "pit", shachath, could be derived from the verb shacharth, "to go to ruin", in which case the noun would mean "destruction".

A. Or the noun could be derived from the verb shuach, "to sink down", and the noun would mean "a pit". B. The word "pit" is frequently used in conjunction with the word Sheol, meaning the grave or the realm of departed spirits (cf. Ps. 30:3, 9; 88:3-6).

1. Psalm 30:3,9, O Lord, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit. "What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?" NIV 2. Psalm 88:3-6, For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength. I am set apart with the dead, like




the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. NIV 3. Apparently, the psalmist means nothing more than that he has been delivered from a premature death.

II. God's "love and compassion" emphasize His loyalty to His covenant commitments and His compassion toward sinful, suffering man. Psalm 103:5, He satisfies my desires with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's. NIV I. The renewing of one's youth is the result of God's satisfying his "desires with good things".

A. The long life of the eagle and its ability for long flight provide a suitable metaphor for a vigorous and long life (cf. Isa. 40:31; Ex. 19:4; Deut. 32:10-12).

1. Isaiah 40:31, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. NIV

2. Exodus 19:4, You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. NIV

3. Deuteronomy 32:10-12, In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch




them and carries them on its pinions. The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him. NIV

God's Mercy (Ps. 103:6-14)

Psalm 103:6-14, The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. NIV Psalm 103:6, The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. NIV I. "Righteousness" is an excellent rendering of the Hebrew here in a context where "justice" is used in the forensic sense of a verdict in a court of law.

A. As frequently, the word refers here to the righteousness of God which manifests itself in His saving acts. 1. The literary covenant lawsuit is involved here. 2. Deliverance from oppression is intended.

Psalm 103:7, He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel; NIV




I. "Ways" and "deeds", in the present context, refer to the marvelous ways in which God manifested His character and will by delivering and protecting Israel.

A. Revelation through saving acts is the primary meaning of the name Yahweh (Jehovah, or Lord, cf. Ex. 3:13-15; RSV note).

1. Exodus 3:13-15, Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers─the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob─has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation. NIV

Psalm 103:8, The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. NIV I. This verse reflects God's portrayal of Himself to Moses in the wilderness (Ex. 34:6).

A. Exodus 34:6, And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. NIV

II. God's grace, mercy, and love are explicitly set forth here as throughout the Old Testament and New Testament.




Psalm 103:9, He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; NIV I. "Accuse" translates a Hebrew word which means "contend", and, like the key terms in Ps. 103:6, was at home in the law court.

A. Psalm 103:6, The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. NIV

B. It means to try a case in court.

1. God does not keep one on trial forever.

Psalm 103:10, He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. NIV I. The thought of verse nine is extended by emphasizing that God does not deal with the penitent sinner on a legal basis of acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty. II. "If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword" (Ps. 7:12), but when the sinner repents and strives to obey God (cf. Ps. 103:17-18), God freely forgives.

A. Psalm 7:12, If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow. NIV

B. Psalm 103:17-18, But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children─with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. NIV

Psalm 103:11-13, For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the




east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; NIV I. In emblematic parallelism, the psalmist in three figures vividly declares the completeness of forgiveness (Ps. 103:11-13).

A. First, as the distance from heaven to earth cannot be measured, so the "love" of God is immeasurable. B. Second, forgiveness is absolute, just as "the east" is completely removed "from the west". C. Third, God, the loving Father, "has compassion on his children". This compassion is undeserved.

Psalm 103:14, For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. NIV I. The physical frailty of man stands as a type of man's moral and spiritual weakness.

A. Though "every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward" (Heb. 2:2), God's justice is tempered with mercy for the penitent.

1. Hebrews 2:2, For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment. NIV

Man Compared with God (Ps. 103:15-18)

Psalm 103:15-16, As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. NIV




I. As the Oriental summer winds can wither the herbage of the field in just a few days, so man's life is brief. A. After one's death, one is soon forgotten. Psalm 103:17-18, But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children─with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. NIV I. But, God's love is forever present for "those who fear him" (17b) and "keep his covenant" (18a).

A. It may seem strange that two things which are not exact opposites should be so contrasted. B. The opposite of God's loyalty is man's disloyalty, but the latter is not considered.

1. The opposite of man's weakness is God's strength, but the latter is not considered. 2. The apparent inconsistency disappears when one understands that man's temporality is only an elaboration of Ps. 103:14, in which man's physical weakness is used as a type of his moral and spiritual weakness.

a. Psalm 103:14, For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. NIV

C. Man's moral weakness is the opposite of God's moral fidelity, His "steadfast love", RSV.




1. God's imputed righteousness manifested in forgiveness (cf. Rom 3:21-26; 4:20-25) is the opposite of man's unrighteousness or moral imperfection (cf. Ps. 130:3-4; 143:2).

a. Romans 3:21-26, But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished─he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies the man who has faith in Jesus. NIV

b. Romans 4:20-25, Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness─for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. NIV




c. Psalm 130:3-4, He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases; he redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion. NIV

d. Psalm 143:2, Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you. NIV

God's Universal Dominion (Ps. 103:19-22)

Note: The purpose of these verses is to show that God blesses all men, not just Israel; therefore, all creation should praise God. Psalm 103:19, The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. NIV I. God is frequently set forth as King of the universe (cf. Ps. 93:1-2; 95:3-5; 97:9).

A. Psalm 93:1-2, The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. NIV

B. Psalm 95:3-5, For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. NIV

C. Psalm 97:9, For you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. NIV




Psalm 103:20, Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. NIV I. The "angels" who are in the very presence of God and see His works should praise Him. A. "Mighty ones" is a synonymous expression of "angels".

B. "Who do his bidding" and "who obey his word" are synonymous.

Psalm 103:21, Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. NIV I. "Hosts" probably refers to the celestial bodies rather than to the angels (cf. Deut. 4:19).

A. Deuteronomy 4:19, And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars─all the heavenly array─do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. NIV

II. These heavenly bodies are frequently included in an invitation for the whole creation to praise God (cf. Ps. 96:11-13; 148:1-6).

A. Psalm 96:11-13, Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth. NIV




B. Psalm 148:1-6, Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. He set them in place forever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away. NIV

Psalm 103:22, Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul. NIV I. "Works" means created things. II. The psalm ends as it began, with the author's self-exhortation. EXCURSUS: A Note on Forgiveness The Old Testament declares that men were forgiven (Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31, 35, and do with this bull just as he did with the bull for the sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven. He shall burn all the fat on the altar as he burned the fat of the fellowship offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for the man's sin, and he will be forgiven. He shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar on top of the offerings made to the LORD by fire. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.; Leviticus 5:6, 10, 13, 16, 18, and, as a penalty for the sin he has committed, he must bring to the LORD a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the




priest shall make atonement for him for his sin. The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way and make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest, as in the case of the grain offering.' "He must make restitution for what he has failed to do in regard to the holy things, add a fifth of the value to that and give it all to the priest, who will make atonement for him with the ram as a guilt offering, and he will be forgiven. He is to bring to the priest as a guilt offering a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the wrong he has committed unintentionally, and he will be forgiven.; Leviticus 6:7, In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any of these things he did that made him guilty."; Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.; Isaiah 6:7, With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."; Isaiah 38:17, Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.; Micah 7:19, You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. NIV) David knew he was forgiven (2 Samuel 12:13, Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.; Psalm 31:1-5, In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of




your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. NIV) and Paul verifies David's conclusion (Romans 4:6-8, David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him." NIV). The New Testament nowhere contradicts this idea. It declares that animal sacrifices could not take away sin (Hebrews 10:1-4, The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. NIV), but it does not say that God by His free grace could not forgive sin or was not in fact forgiving it. Pious individuals in Old Testament days knew that sacrifices alone could not atone for sin (cf. Psalm 40:6-8, Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, "Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."; Psalm 50:12-15, 23, If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."; Psalm 51:16-17, You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.




The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.; Psalm 69:30-31, I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.; 1 Samuel 15:22-23, But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." NIV). Christ's blood cleansed those under the Old Covenant who were obedient and penitent, just as it cleanses those living today (Hebrews 9:15-17, For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. NIV). In His divine forbearance, God "passed over former sins" (Romans 3:25, God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—NIV); that is, he did not exact the penalty for sin upon the righteous, but waited until Christ could bear their sins. Jesus declared Abraham and Lazarus to be in a state of blessedness (Luke 16:19-25, "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw




Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. NIV). Scripture truth is consistent. Application: I. How wonderful it is to contemplate God's rich bounty bestowed on man! A. Forgiveness of sins is the greatest of all His gifts.

1. Verses 17 and 18 of the psalm clearly indicate that God's blessings are conditional.

a. Psalm 103:17-18, But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children─with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. NIV

B. Man should rejoice in the promises of God.

1. He should also carefully submit to God's conditions for receiving His blessings.




Questions

Psalm 103:1-22

(Questions based on NIV Text)

1. "__________________ the _______________, __________ my _________________; _________________ my _______________ ___________________, ________________ his ______________ ___________________. _________________ the ____________, O my __________________, and _____________________ not all His ___________________. Who ___________________ all your _________________ and __________________ ______________ your _____________________; who _______________________ your _________________ from the _____________________ and ________________________ you with __________________ and _____________________, who _______________________ your _____________________ with _______________ ____________ so that your ____________________ is _____________________ like the ________________________'s." 2. "The ______________ ______________ __________________ and ________________________ for ____________________ the _____________________________." 3. "He made ___________________ his ___________________ to _______________________, his ______________________ to the __________________ of __________________: The __________ is _________________________ and ______________________, ________________ to ________________, __________________ in _________________. He will not _______________________ _____________________, nor will he ______________________ his ___________________ _____________________; he does not __________________ us as our _______________ ____________ or _______________ us according to our ________________. For




as ______________ as the _______________ are _____________ the ________________, so _________________ is his _________ for those who _________________ him; as far as the __________. is from the ______________, so far has he ___________________ our ________________________ from ________________. As a _____________________ has ________________________ on his ______________________, so the ______________________ has _______________________ on those who _______________ him; for he __________________ how we are _________________, he ____________________ that we are _________________. As for ____________, his _________________ are like _____________, he ______________________ like a ___________________ of the _________________; the __________________ ______________ over it and it is ________________, and its __________________ __________________ it no more. But from __________________ to ____________________ the ______________'s ____________ is with those who _____________ him, and his________________ with their ___________________'s ___________________─ with those who ________________ his ______________________ and ____________________ to _____________ his _____________." 4. "The ____________ has _________________ his ___________ in _________________, and his ________________ ___________ over _____________." 5. "________________ the ____________, you his ___________, you _______________ ___________ who do his _____________, who _______________ his __________________. ____________ the _______________ all his __________________ ___________, you his ___________________ who do his __________________. ________________ the _______________, all his _____________ ________________________ in his ________________________. ________________ the _______________ O my ____________." 6. How do Psalms 103 and 104 begin and end?________________




____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. How can the similarities be accounted for?_________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. Psalm 103 is a ____________________ ________________that shifts from _____________________ to _____________________ to _________________________ considerations which shows that is a ____________________ _______________________ as well. 9. Benefits refers to _________________ that manifest themselves in ________________________ and _______________________. Though __________________'s ___________________ cannot be ________________________ or __________________________, it is well to keep them in _______________________________ as _____________________ we can. 10. It must be ____________________ that the _______________ of these _____________________ is _______________________. 11. _______________________ _________________________ to ___________________ all who ______________________ to him in His _____________________ _____________________. 12. ___________________ sometimes chooses to _____________




our ____________________ ________________________, but in __________________________ ________________________, He ______________________ to let the ________________________ ____________________ while at the same time _______________ the ____________________ of his _____________________ to let the ________________________ serve ____________________'s ________________________________. 13. How does 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 relate to question 12 above? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. To what does the word pit in verse 14 refer? _______________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. How is one's youth renewed? ___________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16. Define ways and deeds as used in verse 7. _________________




____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 17. "If a ____________________ does not __________________, ______________________ will _________________________ his ______________________", but when the ___________________ ____________________ and strives to ______________________ _______________________. ______________________________ ____________________________ _________________________. 18. By what three figures does the psalmist declare the completeness of God's forgiveness?_________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

19. The _______________________ _________________ of man stands as a type of man's ______________________________ and ______________________ _________________________. God's ________________________ is _______________________ with ________________________ for the _______________________. 20. As the ______________________ ______________________ ____________________ can ___________________________ the _______________________ of the _______________________ in just a _______________________ ______________________, so ________________________'s __________________________ is ______________________. After one's ____________________,




one is ________________________________. 21. The opposite of ____________________'s ________________ is _____________________'s _____________________________. ____________________'s _______________ ________________ is the opposite of _________________'s _____________________ ______________________, His ___________________________ _______________________________. 22. God's __________________ __________________manifested in ________________________________ is the opposite of man's ____________________ or ______________________________. 23. The _____________________ of these ___________________ (19-22) is to show that ___________________ _______________ ______________________ ___________________________, not just ______________________; therefore, ___________________ _________________ should ________________ _____________. 24. What does the Bible say about forgiveness of sins during the Old Testament era? _____________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 25. Based on what is said in Psalm 103, specify as many reasons as possible as to why all mankind should praise God's name. _______ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



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