Psalm 103:3-5
With our iniquities forgiven, because Christ suffered the punishment which we deserve, and performed the works of love we failed to bring to God, we may and must bless God "Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercy; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:3-5).
And we can sing (PRC Psalter):
He heals thy sickness, soothes thy pain,
And ransoms from the grave.
He crowns thee with His grace and love,
And with His strength endued,
Thou mountest up with eagle's wings,
Thy joyous youth renewed.
Add it all up! Let the fact of it all sink deeply into your soul, and you will understand David's words in verse two, namely, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."
Do we really have to be exhorted to do this? Do we forget these benefits? Yes, that is the sad truth of the matter. We so often fail to see God's holy name. His name Savior is far out of our minds so often. We look rather upon Him as our servant. We are so eager to have Him serve us in healing our diseases, keeping our lives from destruction, making us taste His tender mercy, and in the twilight of our lives to have our youth renewed. That matter of the forgiveness of our sins is so often so far removed from our thoughts. The truth that He is our Savior in Christ and forgives our sins fails to make us bless His name.
Urgent and important then it is that we be exhorted to bless His name in our prayers, and not simply in them to ask for benefits. Did Jesus not teach us to begin our prayers with, "Hallowed be Thy name"? Is this not to control our prayers for bread?
Examine your prayers, and if they lack blessing His name, and contain only requests for things of this life, by all means, change them! Make it an important element in your prayers that you request the ability and desire to bless His name, and that your spiritual life be renewed so that you may soar high in blessing His name.
Read: Exodus 15
Psalter versification: #277:3,4
(Words and Music of the Psalter)
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
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Song for Meditation: Psalter #409
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Isaiah 41:17-29; Isaiah 42; Isaiah 43
Ephesians 2:1-22
Psalm 67:1-7
Proverbs 23:29-35
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Quote for Reflection:
On the expression “thine they were” in John 17:6 Rainsford writes: “’Thine they were, and thou gavest them me.’ He is not speaking of the heavens given to Him; of the earth given to Him; of the thrones, and dominions, and principalities, and powers, and crowns given to Him; but ‘Thine they were, and thou gavest them me.’ Given to Him to be His charge, doubt not He will take care of them; given in trust to Him, He will keep them, He will teach them, He will qualify them, He will clothe them, He will wash them, He will present them without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, to the everlasting praise of the glory of His love.”
Additional Info
- Date: 23-September
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.