Psalms 103:2

Then comes the burst of praise from Psalms 103, 104, 105 — all praise from earth. When God has done it, there is nothing left to do but light the incense of praise and send it back up to God who has done it. David could praise, not about David, but about God. I have done nothing, he would say, nothing but failure; but you have done it all. "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name." When we can speak of nothing else, we can speak of God.

The psalmist calls on his soul, with all its powers, to praise Jehovah — the eternal, unchangeable, covenant God. Love showing itself in "all His benefits" wakes the soul to praise Him. Yet even in the middle of its joy, the soul sees how weak and changeable the creature is. It has had abundant proof of this, set against His faithfulness: "forget not all His benefits."

Forgetting is one of the dangers on a disciple's path. How quickly Israel forgot the hardships of Egypt and their great deliverance! They started grumbling and crying, "we shall die in the wilderness". But are we not in the same danger? We quickly forget the answered prayers of yesterday. We forget the help found in personal need or in shared trials. And we dishonour our Lord through "little faith". May we not join in the prayer of David, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (Ps. 103:2)?

In Psalm 103 he blesses Jehovah as the Forgiver and Healer of His people. In Psalm 104 he blesses Him as the glorious Creator. In Psalm 105 he blesses Him as faithful to His covenant with the fathers, and to His promises.

His first words to the paralysed man were not words of healing but of pardon. Had their spiritual sight been clear, they would have recognised that Psalm 103:3 had come true before their eyes: "who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases". Every tongue would then have exclaimed, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."

This psalm shows it beautifully. Unhindered praise will rise from the hearts of those redeemed and blessed in the millennium. The psalmist calls on his own soul to bless the Lord, and all that is within him. Being so greatly blessed then, how could they ever forget His benefits? And how can we today forget the great blessing with which God has blessed the Church of God? Sadly, we know our own memories are too short about these things.

To trust in prosperity, in earthly riches, is a danger for most believers, if not all. How much greater the folly of trusting them now, when our true riches are shown to be heavenly and not earthly! To boast of spiritual gifts and attainments as if we had gained them by our own skill offends the Lord even more. He alone gives as it pleases Him. It is to put God's blessings and favours in the place of God Himself. If the perishable things of this life are His gift, how much more the spiritual and eternal! Forget not all His benefits, but bless the Lord.