Notes on Hope Devotional — Grateful, yet Grieving

Declaration of Delight

Psalm 103:1-5 (NIV)
Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Over the years, I’ve tried to memorize Scripture. From a Bible study I was previously in, I put this portion of Psalm 103 to memory. What I’ve discovered in being familiar with the passage is the pattern in how to praise God.

Out of “my inmost being” is where David, the author, begins his praise; from his soul, the place where his desires, emotions, and will reside. He is having an inner dialogue, telling his mind to recall, and not “forget all his benefits.”

At first glance, it reads like an ad for a supplement; “look at all the ways this is going to help you,” but instead of benefits for our bodies, this is a list of benefits for our soul. David offers a specific attribute of who God is and what He has done in each stanza:

Who forgives all your sins
Who heals all your diseases
Who redeems Your life from the pit
Who crowns You with love and compassion
Who satisfies your desires with good things

David is not just saying, “thank you for,” but is giving a detailed description of the specific gifts he has received from God; a declaration of delight over what God has done for him.

After writing the above text, my brain took an exit, and I discovered another view of these verses. If each phrase had a question mark at the end, we would read it differently:

Who forgives all your sins?
Who heals all your diseases?
Who redeems Your life from the pit?
Who crowns You with love and compassion?
Who satisfies your desires with good things?

We can unanimously agree on the answer with absolute certainty, along with David. It goes right back to the first verse, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name.” Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Praise You for forgiving, healing, redeeming, crowning, and satisfying us with good things. Thank You for being a God who continually gives us more of Who You are each day.
In Jesus Name, Amen.