Song of a redeemed one by the Redeemer’s side

David’s heart is full and warm, and becomes a fountain sending forth blessing to God. He is moved profoundly on remembering the benefits that have accrued to him from the ministry of the Messiah to come, and through the grace of God.

He lists a five-fold catalogue of benefits he had received, which includes forgiveness, healing, redemption, crowning and satisfaction. These all refer to the several aspects of salvation. The great theme throughout is the forgiveness of sins, and their removal to the opposite points of the compass. Though we are from the dust, and as such, frail, yet His pity and mercy has been exercised towards us. We are also assured that the righteousness made over to us is also promised to our children’s children. We can join the angels, the hosts, His ministers, and bless His great Name.

Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Recommended Tune: Crediton

Psalm 103

¹O thou my soul, bless God the LORD;
And all that in me is
Be stirred up his holy name
To magnify and bless.

²Bless, O my soul, the LORD thy God,
And not forgetful be
Of all his gracious benefits
He hath bestow’d on thee.

³All thine iniquities who doth
Most graciously forgive:
Who thy diseases all and pains
Doth heal, and thee relieve.

⁴Who doth redeem thy life, that thou
To death may’st not go down;
Who thee with loving-kindness doth
And tender mercies crown:

⁵Who with abundance of good things
Doth satisfy thy mouth;
So that, ev’n as the eagle’s age,
Renewed is thy youth.

⁶GOD righteous judgment executes
For all oppressed ones.
⁷His ways to Moses, he his acts
Made known to Isr’el’s sons.

⁸The LORD our God is merciful,
And he is gracious,
Long-suffering, and slow to wrath,
In mercy plenteous.

⁹He will not chide continually,
Nor keep his anger still.
¹⁰With us he dealt not as we sinn’d,
Nor did requite our ill.

¹¹For as the heaven in its height
The earth surmounteth far;
So great to those that do him fear
His tender mercies are:

¹²As far as east is distant from
The west, so far hath he
From us removed, in his love,
All our iniquity.

¹³Such pity as a father hath
Unto his children dear;
Like pity shows the LORD to such
As worship him in fear.

¹⁴For he remembers we are dust,
And he our frame well knows.
¹⁵Frail man, his days are like the grass,
As flow’r in field he grows:

¹⁶For over it the wind doth pass,
And it away is gone;
And of the place where once it was
It shall no more be known.

¹⁷But unto them that do him fear
GOD’s mercy never ends;
And to their children’s children still
His righteousness extends:

¹⁸To such as keep his covenant,
And mindful are alway
Of his most just commandements,
That they may them obey.

¹⁹The LORD prepared hath his throne
In heavens firm to stand;
And ev’ry thing that being hath
His kingdom doth command.

²⁰O ye his angels, that excel
In strength, bless ye the LORD;
Ye who obey what he commands,
And hearken to his word.

²¹O bless and magnify the LORD,
Ye glorious hosts of his;
Ye ministers, that do fulfil
Whate’er his pleasure is.

²²O bless the LORD, all ye his works,
Wherewith the world is stor’d
In his dominions ev’ry where.
My soul, bless thou the LORD.