Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Ps 103.1 and following. Indeed, like David, let us invite our souls to bless God and discern His innumerable benefits. Alas! we are inclined to keep an up-to-date list of all that we lack, rather than the benefits we have received. How ungrateful and inconsistent we are! Does it ever happen to us, for example, at mealtime, to complain about the food… for which we have just given thanks to the Lord the moment before?
Above all His gifts, our souls have reason to continually thank God for the forgiveness of our sins (verse 3). If He had given us back according to what they deserved, an eternal punishment would have been our part (verse 10). But now He has kept these sins away to infinity (verse 12), thrown them behind His back (Isaiah 38:15-19), cleared like snow (Isaiah 1:16-20), dissipated them like a cloud (Isaiah 44:21-23), thrown into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18-20), and He will never remember them again (Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 10:16-17). To “those who fear Him,” God’s goodness is limitless (verses 11, 13, 17; Isaiah 55:7–9). Fearing Him no longer means fearing His wrath. It is the disposition of mind of those who have come to know His compassion and mercy (verse 8; Ps 130:1-4) and always draw new reasons for blessing Him.
Psalms 103-106 form another small collection. This is apparent from their content; and the fact that only the first of these psalms bears a suscription confirms it : They celebrate magnificently the power of God in resurrection, the grace that forgives and restores. Psalm 103 celebrates this grace and power in the very person of the psalmist. He reminds us that all his sins have been forgiven, and that he is led into the kingdom by the sure and tender hand of his heavenly Father. Psalm 104 considers Creation in the same light. God’s providence is above all else, already now. But in the end, creation will experience the effect of His power in resurrection, and thus will again, as before, be the object of divine delights. And if now she sighs and is in labor, then she will be freed. Psalms 105, 106 and 107 celebrate the same thing with regard to Israel. Psalm 105 considers Israel, the object of God’s blessing, until it is brought to Canaan, and then placed under the law; Psalm 106 notes the bankruptcy of all this, Israel bringing ruin and death upon itself; and then Psalm 107 presents the grace and power of God in resurrection, bringing Israel out of its state of death to show it its mercy and make this people, dead but returned to life, lost but regained, a monument of its goodness.
It is true that there will be different ranks and different glories, but everything will be on the basis of the resurrection, that is, the new creation. When Jesus preached, he also healed. The same was true of the apostles and disciples he sent. Infirmities and diseases disappeared from place to place on his way, and the grateful voice of the recovered health was heard in the villages and cities of Israel. As in the past when He led His people out of Egypt, He was “the Lord who heals you” (Exodus 15:26). He himself drove them. For forty years their feet did not swell – Caleb’s strength had the same vigor and freshness as when he had set out – testimony of what would have been the part of the whole congregation, if they had been obedient. Similarly, when the reign comes, the lame will jump like the deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing with joy. Such will again be the works of the Son of David (Isaiah 35; Matt. 12). Then will begin the feast of tabernacles for the earthly people, who will enjoy happiness and health in their dwellings (after their long leprosy, their flesh will become again like the flesh of a young boy); and in the higher sphere of the heavenly places, the sons of the resurrection will shine in spiritual bodies, bodies of glory, according to the operation of this power of Christ to subjugate himself even all things.
Indeed, the resurrection – or redemption – (for, in principle, they are one) is God’s great purpose from the beginning. Without faith in the resurrection, the “power of God” is not known (Matt. 22:29), and God Himself remains ignored (1 Cor. 15:34). Creation only leads to the knowledge of God, it is only his antechamber; It took place for the sake of redemption; and redemption is not a thought after creation. For according to God’s counsel before the foundation of the world, everything was to be on the ground of redemption. This is shown to us by the ordinance of the Jubilee (Lev. 25). And this is what the man of God, the forgiven and approved sinner, celebrates in this magnificent series of psalms; as we have said, he rejoices in the deployment towards him, towards creation and towards Israel, of this power in redemption or resurrection – admiring him everywhere in the glorious scene that his soul contemplates. For thepurpose of the Spirit in these psalms being moral, not historical – to establish the righteousness of Jehovah in his ways toward Israel, and the guilt of Israel’s conduct toward Jehovah – the psalmist, in Ps. 104 and 106, does not record the events to which he refers in their strict order. For example, he mentions the plague of darkness before that of flies, and he speaks of the rebellion of Core before talking about the golden calf. This is quite natural, and we would probably do so if we pursued, as here the psalmist, a moral and not historical goal in the relationship of facts.
Having thus considered these psalms as a whole, we leave them to the study of the saints; yet we think that a careful examination of each one would confirm this general impression: It is a precious subject of meditation that they offer to the renewed understanding. In Psalm 103, a poor sinner stands in spirit before the golden altar (that is, in the full assurance of salvation), presenting the incense of praise; and from this blessed place, he passes again and anticipates in turn the past and future acts of the same Lord who, in all His works and ways, has thus blessed him, either in creation itself or in the midst of His people. And in fact, what alone can give us the ability to enter into the intelligence of the divine ways is to know their power in our soul, as is the case here. For the believer is a “kind of firstfruit” (James 1). He is already reconciled, as all things will soon be (Col. 1). God acts in grace, or resurrection, and the sinner who enjoys forgiveness is therefore the only one who is fully God’s prophet – the only one who can fully enjoy Him or proclaim who He is. “Know God, if you want to taste His works.” It is worth repeating that part of Psalms 105 and 106 was sung when the ark was brought to Zion in 1 Chr. 16; this beautiful hymn borrows its words from several psalms including Psalm 96. For this occasion, represented in type the time of Israel’s future joy; and these psalms are songs of praise well suited to this time.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
Bless the Lord:
· Temporal and spiritual blessings, promised
Ex 23:25 You will serve Jehovah your God, and He will bless your bread and waters, and I will keep sickness away from your midst. Ps 81:17 I would feed him with the best wheat, and I would satiate him with the honey of the rock. Mt 6:33 Seek first the kingdom and righteousness of God; and all these things will be given to you above. Luke 18:30 no longer receives much more in this century, and in the coming century, eternal life.
· Glorifying God, the duty to
-By praise Ps 22:24 You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All of you, Jacob’s posterity, glorify him! Tremble before him, all of you, posterity of Israel!
-Through the good works Mt 5:16 May your light shine before men in this way, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
-Bearing fruit Jn 15:8 If you bear much fruit, this is how my Father will be glorified, and you will be my disciples.
-Through spiritual unity Rom 15:6 so that all together, with one mouth, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-By a complete consecration 1 Cor 6.20 Because you have been redeemed at a great price. So, glorify God in your body and mind, which belong to God.
· Justice divine
Dt 32:4 He is the rock; his works are perfect, for all his ways are just; He is a faithful God without iniquity, He is just and upright. Ps 103:6 Jehovah does justice, He gives right to all the oppressed. Pr 16:11 The righteous weight and scale are to the Lord; All the weights of the bag are his work. Jn 5:30 I cannot do anything with myself: according to what I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek not my will, but the will of the one who sent me. Rom 2:2 We know, in fact, that God’s judgment against those who commit such things is according to the truth.
· Works of God, wonderful, general references
Ps 19:2 The heavens tell of the glory of God, and the expanse manifests the work of his hands. Ps 111:4 He left the memory of his wonders, The Lord is merciful and compassionate. Ps 139:14 I praise you for being such a wonderful creature. Your works are admirable, and my soul recognizes it well. Rev 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the lamb, saying: Your works are great and admirable, Lord God Almighty! Your ways are just and true, king of the nations!
From all the above, we note that the resurrection – the glorious light that illuminates God’s ways and counsel, and eternal witness of His love and power – thus being the theme of this collection, we can say, “Whoever is wise will take heed of these things and understand the goodness of Jehovah.” For it is the Spirit of Christ who leads the praises we find there, and his praise will begin with the Lord in the great congregation; but it is in the name of Israel that the Psalm is spoken. Israel possesses forgiveness and mercy through the tender compassions of Jehovah. As far as man is concerned, his days are like grass; the people too have been like grass and parched (Isa 40:6-8),) but the goodness of Jehovah is always and always upon those who fear Him, upon those who obey Him. Thus, everything is attributed to grace – at the same time as to fidelity- according to the very nature and name of the Lord; but it is for those who obey, for the faithful residue. Now Jehovah recognizes them with love and tender compassion; all their sins are entirely distant from them; the throne of Jehovah is prepared in heaven: the only way to ensure blessing! Now his kingdom has dominion over everything. It is not only a question of The rights of Jehovah, but his reign is established de facto. This Psalm is the song of praise of Israel following the intervention of the Lord, of which the previous Psalms spoke. Matthew 9:1-6 points to Jesus as the Lord who now, in the end, heals all of Israel, according to verse 3 of our Psalm. The more we come to know Scripture thoroughly, the clearer and clearer the truth that, while being the Son of man, Christ is the Jehovah of the Old Testament, appears clear and clear. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow ” the reminder of Jehovah’s faithfulness to the patriarchs and Israel.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.