Psalm 103:1-12
1 Praise the LORD, my soul;
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.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Reflection
Out in the desert at the top of Mt. Sinai, Moses brought forth another set of stone tablets as commanded by God. The first set had been destroyed because of the Israelite’s disobedience and rebellion. But once again, the LORD came down in a cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding love and faithfulness.” (Exodus 34:4-7) At that very moment, God revealed Himself, His ways and His nature. The fact that God even gave them a second chance to receive the laws was a divine testament of His compassion and grace. Not condemnation or judgment, God revealed that He is slow to anger and abounding in faithful love. For the many generations afterwards including us, through this Psalm, we are reminded of His gracious ways in dealing with us. In compassion and grace, He heals, rescues and loves us in the most intimate and personal way. This is who He is. Because of Him, we are who we are.
Responding to the Transmitted Message
Let’s praise the Lord for his love and mercy – for He treated us not as we deserved but gave us unmerited favor to live in Him. Let’s thank Him for the compassion and grace He shows us.
