1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
Psalm 103:1-5 (NIV)
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Have you ever had such a strong emotion that it seemed like it was coming from the core of your being? Your whole body seems to be overcome by this emotion. It feels like you can sense it in your skin and body parts. You might even tell someone that you feel like you are going to burst with the emotion.
The writer of today’s psalm expresses a desire to have such an emotion. Specifically, a desire to praise the Lord with a level of emotion that comes from the core of being. A list of reasons then accompanies the desire; reasons that should never be forgotten.
This is a good reminder for each of us. We have more than sufficient reason to offer praise to the Lord. The reasons listed in this psalm apply to each of us. There are other reasons not listed here which we could, and should, add. Our praise should not just be half-hearted but consume our very being.
Take a moment right now to recall all which the Lord has done and is doing for you. Then after reviewing that list, determine the level of praise which befits the list. Finally, offer such praise to the Lord.
