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6/11 Reading Portions: Deuteronomy 16; Psalm 103; Isaiah 43; Revelation 13
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Psalm 103:1
IMAGINE
This psalm was written by David. Certainly, there were times when David’s soul didn’t bless the LORD with all that was within him. He was a sinner. Although he was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14), David committed adultery (2 Sam 11:3-4), attempted to cover up the affair with a lie (2 Sam 11:5-13), and finally commanded the murder of the woman’s husband (2 Sam 14-26). In this, David displeased the Lord (2 Sam 11:27).
Imagine, since we are all descendants of fallen Adam, no one has blessed the Lord with every fiber of his or her being every single moment of every day. We can’t even do it with those to whom we are closest in this life— husbands must confess their failure in loving their wives constantly and without fail; wives, likewise, in submitting to their husbands; parents, also, in nurturing children; children, too, in disobedience to parents (this covers everyone).
David was a prophet, however. This psalm prophetically speaks of Jesus. The Holy Spirit will sometimes give our souls glimpses of the truth of Christ’s sinless perfection. Yet it is rare to consider that there was nothing displeasing whatsoever to the heavenly Father about His holy Son. Jesus blessed God every moment of every day with every breath He took. Imagine, God’s infinite and eternal pleasure was ever and always upon Christ. Such intimate union between Father and Son made the wrath poured out on Jesus heartbreaking for both Father and Son. Jesus so perfectly satisfied the blessing of God, and so thoroughly vindicated the justice of God by His atoning sacrifice, that when we trust in Christ by faith, our transgressions are removed from God’s sight (Psa 103:12). This truth is so amazing; it causes us to rise, indeed, to bless the Lord with all that is within us!
“Bless the Lord,” I’ve cried, “O, Soul of mine!”
For worthy is the Lamb:
In whom alone righteousness did shine,
Seal’d by His nail-pierc’d hand.
