Praise God from whom all blessings flow (Ps 103:1-7)

We are about to enter a time of year where people begin to stock of what they have and begin to show thankfulness

Psalm 103 should serve as a constant reminder as to why we should be thankful to our Lord all year round

Overview information“…There is too much in the Psalm, for a thousand

pens to write, it is one of those all-comprehending Scriptures which is a Bible in itself, and it might alone almost suffice for the hymn-book of the church. (BibleStudyTools.com)

“Dr Kyle Yates said of this Psalm, ‘No cloud appears on the horizon, no jarring sounds, no word of complaint is heard, no note of sadness in the music comes to weaken the glad recital of praise.’ How can one outline a sunrise or analyze a baby’s smile or diagram a mother’s love? The task of outlining this psalm is comparable.” (Crabtree: Zondervan’s Pastor’s Annual 2012 p 136)

It is observable that no petition occurs throughout the entire compass of these twenty-two verses. Not a single word of supplication is in the whole Psalm addressed to the Most High. Prayer, fervent, heartfelt prayer, had doubtless been previously offered on the part of the Psalmist, and answered by his God…” (John Stevenson, in "Gratitude: an Exposition of the Hundred and Third Psalm," 1856.)

Let us prayerfully consider the thoughts of David as we strive to gain a greater understanding of this psalm

“To ere is human, to forgive is divine” (Alexander Pope) “That God is a merciful God - that he has declared his

willingness to pardon sin - that he has devised and revealed a way by which this can be done, and that he has actually done it in our own case, is the most important matter for which we should praise him...” (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible)

“it is the first he is thankful for: this is rightly ascribed to God; for none can forgive sins but he; and what he forgives are not mere infirmities, peccadillos, the lesser sins of life; but "iniquities", grosser sins, unrighteousnesses, impieties, the most enormous crimes, sins of a crimson and scarlet die; yea, "all" of them, though they are many, more than the hairs of a man's head; he abundantly pardons, multiplies pardons, as sins are multiplied, and leaves none unforgiven…” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow (Ps 103:1-7)

God forgives: Who forgives all your iniquities, (vs. 3)

“It is applicable to all forms of sickness; or in this place it may refer to some particular diseases with which David had been afflicted. We have several allusions in the Psalms to times when the authors of the psalms were afflicted with sickness. So in the Psalms of David. ..(Barnes’ Notes)

David affirms that God “heals all [our] diseases” (v. 3b). In order to correctly understand the blessing here promised, several things must be placed in perspective. First, the passage is not intended to suggest that God’s child can expect perpetual healing from every illness, so that he will never die. Physical death is a punishment which results from humanity’s involvement in sin (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12); it is a divine appointment (Heb. 9:27)… (Gill’s Exposition)

“Who redeemeth thy life from destruction - That is, who saves it from death when exposed to danger, or when attacked by disease. The word "destruction" or "corruption" here is equivalent to the grave, since it is there that the body returns to corruption.” (Barnes’ Notes)

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction,.... Not from temporal destruction, to which the natural life is subject, through diseases, dangerous occurrences, and the malice of enemies; to be delivered from which is a blessing, and for which God is to be praised; but from eternal destruction, the destruction of the body and soul in hell;” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)

“The verb “redeems” is related to the Hebrew noun goel, literally “a kinsman with the right to buy back.” That concept would be fulfilled ultimately in Christ, our “kinsman”… who paid the price of redemption by the shedding of his blood. (Christian Courier online)

“Who crowneth thee - The idea here is not merely that God is the source of these blessings, but that there is something of beauty, of dignity, of honor, as in the conferring of a crown or garland on anyone. (Barnes’ Notes)

“"crowning" with these denotes an application and enjoyment of them, the great plenty and abundance of them, a being surrounded and loaded with them; as also the honour that goes along with them, which makes those that have them great and glorious, rich and honourable; as well as preservation and protection by them; these encompassing about as a crown the head, and as a shield the body;” (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)

“The ‘God-shaped vacuum’ in every person is never satisfied until it is satisfied in God. Ask the soul who has hungered and thirsted after righteousness, and he will tell you the God alone satisfies the longing heart. Much of life’s restlessness is the result of spiritual hunger and thirst. The table of the Lord is spread with, not only good things, but with abundant good things.” (Crabtree P 137)

“The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment - That is, "justice." He sees that justice is done to the oppressed. He is on their side. His law, his commands, his judicial decisions, his providential interpositions, are in their favor. This does not mean that it will he done at once; or that there will never be any delay; or that they may not suffer even for a long time…(Barnes’ Notes)

“The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. Not only for the Israelites oppressed by the Egyptians, though the psalmist might have them in his view, by what follows; for whom the Lord did justice, by delivering them out of the hands of their oppressors, and by punishing Pharaoh and his people, and bringing down judgments upon them, both in Egypt and at the Red sea; but for all other oppressed ones in common, the poor, the widow, and the fatherless…(Gill’s Exposition)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow (Ps 103:1-7)God executes righteousness and judgment: The LORD executes

righteousnessAnd justice for all who are oppressed. (v. 6)

“He made known his ways unto Moses - This is another ground of praise - that God had "revealed his will;" that this had been done in an indubitable manner to Moses; and that these revelations had been recorded by him for the instruction and guidance of his people. (Barnes’ Notes)

“He made known his ways unto Moses,.... The ways in which he himself walks, the steps and methods which he has taken to show forth his glory; his way in creation, and the order of it, as in Genesis 1:1, for though, by the light of nature, it might be known that God created all things; yet, without a revelation from him, it could never have been known in what manner he made them…(Gill’s Exposition)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow (Ps 103:1-7) God reveals His way to people: He made known His ways

to Moses,His acts to the children of Israel. (v. 7)

After a careful review of the 103rd Psalm it is very clear why we should be thankful to the LordGod forgivesGod healsGod redeemsGod crowns God satisfiesGod executes righteousness and judgmentGod reveals His ways to His people