In Layman's Terms . . . Just Over the Top!

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You ever read Psalm 103? It is an amazing, amazing psalm! Note how David begins this particular psalm,

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!” (Psalm 103:1 – NKJV)

I have been taking in this psalm for some time lately and I must say, I am so humbled down by it. Holy Scripture that speaks to my very “soul,” and bringing me to a point of just no words to say in reply except,

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

I’m telling you this must be our response to the content of what David writes here. For the one who knows Christ, who has drank of the Spirit of God and all He pours into us through the Scriptures, this particular compilation of words, divine words, is truly remarkable.

I say “remarkable” because I’m just a finite man who is so short on what seems the proper words to describe my responses to my God when I read His Word.

But this beginning verse, this does it for me! Yes, this is my response Father, to You whose has given me Words that causes my “soul” to rejoice and praise You!

And why do we respond in such a manner? Because “the LORD,” Yaweh, the Creator who we have, and continue to do in our flesh, neglected so terribly, His blessings to us are, in laymen’s terms, “over the top!”

Forsaking the desire to go on and on and on . . . let me just note from this psalm what I’m talking about. Note if you will,

“. . . His benefits” (Psalm 103:2b – NKJV)

He . . .

“forgives all your iniquities”
“heals all your diseases”
“redeems your life from destruction”
“crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies”
“satisfies your mouth with good things” (Psalm 103:3-5 – NKJV)

Did you know that Psalm 103 has been the impetus for hymn after hymn? And is it any surprise? Early on, Henry Lyte, based on Psalm 103, penned the words that became the great hymn, “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven.” Another hymn, “My Soul Now Praise Your Maker,” one going back to the days of the Great Reformation. Later Joachim Neander penned, “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.” Issac Watts also used this psalm as an impetus for one of his hymns . . . and there is more. “It is Well with My Soul” finds if origin in Psalm 103 as well as the modern hymn, “10,000 Reasons,” and again . . . there is more. Someone has said that Psalm 103 may be the source for more hymns than any other Scripture text.

And should this be of any surprise to us, as we further read that “the LORD,”

“has . . . removed our transgressions from us . . . as far as the east is from the west”
“has not dealt with us according to our sins”
“nor punished us according to our iniquities”
“pities those who fear Him”
“remembers that we are dust”

David brings his psalm, one centered on the worship of Yaweh (“LORD”), to its end with the words by which he began it, after recording all these “over the top” blessings . . .

“Bless the LORD . . . Bless the LORD . . . Bless the LORD . . . Bless the LORD, O my soul!” (Psalm 103:20-22 – NKJV)

This my fellow believers, is a psalm of worship, prompting to worship those who love God. And it is loaded with that which causes the believer to say, “Bless the LORD, O my soul.” It is a psalm that is, as I attempt to put a period on this devo, to this laymen . . . just over the top!