May 19, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Psalms? Here’s today’s reading:
Psalms 102-103 (NIV)
A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.
1 Hear my prayer, Lord;
let my cry for help come to you.
2 Do not hide your face from me
when I am in distress.
Turn your ear to me;
Next: Jonah 1-2
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Back: Psalms 100-101
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Psalms 102 and 103
“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,”
Psalms 103:1-4 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.103.1-4.NIV
102:25 – 28 are reminiscent of Revelation 20 & 21. *God founded heaven an earth
*Material world will cease to exist, like a garment be changed, yet God remains forever
*God has no years, meaningless
*yet, God’s servants endure, and exist before God!
103:12 a memory verse…if God removes my sin and transgression an immeasurable distance away, ought I not to treat the forgiven sins, transgressions of others against me the same? Do not hold grudges. Don’t even bring them up.
Some have said to me, “Remember when I did this or that to you?” I am oft to reply, “Friend, I don’t remember what you are talking about.” Peace, gordy
Psalms 100-101
In Psalm 102 this person is overcome with sorrow and grief. He is pleading with God to hear him through the valleys that he is going through. It almost seems that God doesn`t hear him but in the end he acknowledges that God does hear his prayers. How often in times of our lives we have called out to God and it doesn`t seem like He even hears us. But He does indeed hear our prayers. He cares about each one of us. Sometimes He answers right away, sometimes the prayer is delayed, sometimes He answers the prayer in a different way, and sometimes not at all. He is always faithful to His being and to us. God is all knowing and sees our beginning to our end. He will answer prayer according to His will. He wants us to grow in character. He will not gives us everything as a spoiled child but will bring us through trials for our benefit to help us to rely on Him and to grow in Him. In Psalm 103 David praises and blesses the Lord. He proclaims God`s mercy, graciousness, slow to anger, forgiveness, toward all of us. Verse 10 [ He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.] Verse 12 [ As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions [ sin] from us.] Verse 14 [ For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.] How great is His love toward us that because of Jesus He doesn`t hold our pass sins against us. He created us from dust . We are nothing but dust and we are not worthy of Him. The sooner mankind realizes this the better for them. We as Christians had to humble ourselves before Him to come to Christ. But did we make Him Lord of our lives/ Is He first in our lives/ He needs to be first in every way . He should be glorified in everything that we do. Sometimes we keep relearning these things and take back control thinking we know better than God. How foolish of us for God knows everything. I was sharing in Awana`s tonight how when I first got saved that I was hiking in the mountains with the one who led me to Christ and my brother[ David] that Larry shared with me as we were looking at train. Larry shared that this is how God sees us the beginning and the end. So why be so foolish and to think that we know better than God. I have tried to follow Jesus over the years but often fail. Our lives must be continually surrendered to Him. I am not trying to preach but we should be looking to Jesus. How weak we are in ourselves but God is mighty and strong. God bless all.
Psalms 102-103
What juxtaposed Psalms that express the vagaries of situations we face offering confidence and assurance that whatever happens in this life…even those things that cut us to the core and leave little more than angst and sadness inside…we have a God who reigns above, a God who is aware and cares and is able to resolve things according to His will, and He is merciful to us in all our willfulness and brokenness. It is no wonder that every fiber of our being should praise Him and recognize Him for who He is and what He has done. What consolation is found in the Bible identifying with loss, rejection, and soul turmoil that leaves little satisfaction in what physical life offers. But in our soul can be hope. In our inner being can be the awareness of God’s presence and His still small voice comforting and assuring us. How great it is that life does not have to be good for our hearts to be gladdened. And yet when we recognize all His benefits and see what He has done to make us right with Him and forgive us for all the wrong we have done, how can we not have overcoming joy and peace. Then think about the people He often surrounds us with that do care…that have our back when others may be putting a knife in it..how glorious the Christian life can be. And all praise, worship and thanksgiving goes to Him for this way that He has orchestrated.
I love psalm 103 because it reveals truths about God that I need to be reminded of, especially when I am experiencing difficulties in my life. He forgives all our sin, he heals our illnesses, he redeems our life when it’s the pits, he loves us and has compassion for us when are struggling. He is slow to anger, full of love, he does not punish us for our sin – as far as the east is from the west, he has removed it from us. We are his children, and he lavishes his love and compassion upon us; we don’t have to earn it, he gives it to us for free. Thank you God!