How would you describe the “good life”? Do you live the “good life”?
Psalm 103 is considered to be a psalm of David – but did David live the “good life”? He at least wanted to live the good life. The good thing about what David wrote is that it was guided by the Holy Spirit (2 Sam. 23:2). That means that what he wrote was better, higher, and more inspired than the way he lived.
What is the good life? Let us meditate this morning on Psalm 103…
Weiser says (657): “This psalm is one of the finest blossoms on the tree of biblical faith. Its roots reach deep down to where the most powerful springs of biblical piety flow, and by the noble and serene tones in which it praises the grace of God, it has enriched both poetry and life in the course of the centuries.”
THE GOOD LIFE REVOLVES AROUND WORSHIP TO GOD – 103:1-2:
Please observe how many times David tells himself to “bless” the Lord – verses 1, 2. In worship, David says, “Don’t forget His benefits…” Notice also that David calls on “all that is within me” (verse 1b) to bless the Lord. Worship should involve our whole being.
THE GOOD LIFE RELFECTS ON THE BLESSINGS GOD GIVES – 103:3-5
As David comes into the presence of God in worship, his heart is flooded with thoughts about the greatness and nature of God…
Here is how David describes God: He pardons your sins; He heals your diseases; He redeems your life from the “pit”; He crowns you with loving-kindness and compassion; He satisfies your years with good things…
THE GOOD LIFE DEPENDS ON GOD – 103:6-14
Remember – He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. Remember how things went well with Israel when they depended on God? The Lord is compassionate & gracious, slow to anger & abounding in loving-kindness. Remember, it was the making of the golden calf in the background when God said this!
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In verses 11-13, David gives three pictures of God’s complete forgiveness…
Thinking about the forgiveness He extends, they are as far from us as “east is from the west”.
Why? The great thing is that God knows us – He knows our frame and is mindful that we are dust.
THE GOOD LIFE RECOGNIZES THE FRAGILITY OF LIFE – 103:15-18
Our days are like grass & flowers of the field. One day, we flourish… But the wind can dry us out and one day, no one will even remember who we are.
But, in contrast with that, the loving-kindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to those who “fear” Him. That is, to those who “keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them.”
THE GOOD LIFE REVOLVES AROUND WORSHIP TO GOD – 103:19-22
The Lord created everything and is Lord of everything – verse 19. We call on the angels to worship (bless) God. Ought we to do the same? We call on the hosts of the earth to worship (bless) God. We call on all the works of His hands to worship (bless) God – everywhere they are found.
That’s why our life – to be a good life – must also worship the Lord!
Paul Holland
