Psalm 103
The book of Psalms gives us such great insight into the deep emotions felt by David. It allows us to see how his soul felt when he walked through the valley of the shadow of death. It helps us to vividly see what he thought about as he stared into the firmament and the heavens and saw God’s glory. Have you ever considered what was in the heart of this godly man as he worshiped? Psalm 103 gives at least eighteen reasons he approached God with a heart filled with awe and reverence.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul.”
The psalm begins with the words, “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” The Hebrew word for bless literally means to kneel, and when applied to us and our God, it specifically indicates an act of adoration toward Him. David came before God with his soul kneeling toward the Almighty. If you asked David why he worshiped God, he could give you the following reasons.
Reasons to Kneel Before God
1. He forgives all my iniquities and heals me (v. 3).
2. He redeems my life from destruction (v. 4).
3. He crowns me with lovingkindness and mercy (v. 4).
4. He satisfies my mouth with good things (v. 5).
5. He renews me (v. 5).
6. He executes righteousness and justice for all (v. 6).
7. He made known His ways and actions (v. 7).
8. He is merciful and gracious to me (v. 8).
9. He is slow to anger and abounding in mercy to me (v. 8).
10. He does not strive always with me or stay angry (v. 9).
11. He does not deal with me according to my sins (v. 10).
12. He does not punish me according to my iniquities (v. 10).
13. His mercy is great toward me (v. 11).
14. He has removed my transgressions from me as far as the east is from the west (v. 12).
15. He shows His compassion and pity to me like a loving father shows pity to his children (v. 13).
16. He knows my frame and remembers that I am dust (v. 14).
17. Man is like grass, the flower of the field, wind blows and it is gone and forgotten, but His mercy toward me is from everlasting to everlasting (v. 16).
18. His righteousness reaches me and even to my grandchildren (v. 17).
As the psalm ends, David calls upon all the angels to bless Him, to kneel as an act of adoration toward God. He calls upon all the armies of heaven and the heavenly servants to bless Jehovah. He looks at all that God has done and calls upon all His works which manifest His power to bless him. The man after God’s own heart then turns inward and calls upon himself to kneel before God. In doing this, he calls upon you. “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”