For those who have been memorizing on one of the other threads we are going to take the next 52 weeks and specifically memorize John MacArthur’s top 52 verses. You’ll notice over time these cover a wide range of doctrine as well as build a solid foundation for how a follower of Christ thinks and responds based on the Word of God. The first verse sets the stage for all other verses. I personally am looking forward to “musing” over verses I have not previously committed to memory. If you are spending most of your time being “amused” lets spend the next year being “mused-to be absorbed in thought” in God’s Word. I will give you a little context to the verse as that helps me memorize but feel free to do your own homework.
PSALM 103
Praise for the LORD’S Mercies.
A Psalm of David.
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Uncommon to a lot of the Psalms there is no context for Psalm 103. This as MacArthur states is True North for the Christian. This lays the foundation for those the Psalm describes “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.” This Psalm is a 3 part call to worship. Verses 1-5 are the 1st part, an internal call. Bless the Lord could be mistaken like when someone says “well bless the Lord”, I think they may perhaps miss the thrust of David’s call. In the Hebrew it literally means to kneel and or praise (בָרַךְ bârak, baw-rak´; a prim. root; to kneel; by impl. to bless God (as an act of adoration) (Strongs-Logos). We as humans were created for one purpose and that was to worship. You may be worshipping money, your work or even your children but make no mistake you are worshipping something. David’s call is to worship the Lord. Maybe this is why he is listed as a man after God’s heart, but regardless his point is bless the Lord, yes bless Him for all of His benefits, Yes He satisfies us and thankfully redeems us but for “FOR THOSE WHO FEAR” Him, we ultimately love Him as John says “because He first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). The constant theme through Scripture from Genesis 1 where God is revealed as our Creator you don’t get very far where in chapter 3:15 Jesus is revealed as our Redeemer. The Redemptive nature of God continues until the final day of Judgment where Jesus is revealed as the final Judge (Rev 19:11). God is our Creator, Redeemer and Judge and “THOSE WHO FEAR HIM” see Him as He is revealed in His Word through His Holy Spirit (see Rom 8:9 compared to 1 Cor 2:14). I could go on and on as to how we worship (1 Cor 10:31) Him in everything but suffice to say MacArthur’s first choice of Scripture reveals this internal worship has only one response “Bless the Lord, Oh my soul”.