Day 183

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Read: Psalms 102-104

Like Job, the author of Psalm 102 struggles with unexplained suffering. He grieves because of personal problems and the problems of Zion (his “church”). He compares the brevity of life and God’s eternity. This comparison is applied to Christ in Hebrews 1. May our concerns be not only for ourselves but also for the welfare of the church for which Christ died. Let us face these concerns in faith, knowing that Christ has come to bring victory for his people.

Psalms 103 and 104 are joined by the fact that they both begin and end with the words “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Psalm 103 echoes earlier Scriptures and in turn is echoed in Isaiah and Jeremiah. Its repeated use of the words “steadfast love” reminds us that God is faithful to his covenant from generation to generation. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. He is the God of church history and he is our God today. This Psalm inspired Henry F. Lyte’s hymn, “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven.”

The structure of Psalm 104 parallels that of Genesis 1 very closely. It tells of the events of the days of creation in order and in some cases returns again to that sequence. It inspired Robert Grant’s “O Worship the King” and William Kethe’s “My Soul, Praise the Lord.” May it inspire us to worship and praise God as he should be praised.

PRAYER
Father, we worship and praise you for the greatness of your creation and your salvation in Christ. Amen.