Counting Our Blessings

Psalm 103 Counting Our Blessings

David wants us too:-

I. Eulogize the Attributes of God

1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Before we can thank God for His blessings we must thank Him for His Being;

Bless his holy name - embraces every attribute of the person and nature of our God.

A. W. Tozer “I fell down to worship’ (Rev. 22:8) …

Sometimes he would lie on the floor until he saw the beauty and the glory of the Trinity.

“bless” means “to kneel before another in praise and adoration.”

II. Itemize the Benefits of God

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

We are to itemize both the personal, as well as the national, benefits of our God.

Consider first: - The Personal Blessings - There is the Personal Blessing of :-

1) Absolution - 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;

Ps. 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

This blessing is basic to all other blessings. Without forgiveness nothing else can follow.

2) Restoration - who healeth all thy diseases;

Psalm 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

The thought is mainly of moral defilement; - John says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1John1:9

Forgiveness is absolution; cleansing is restoration.

3) Elevation - 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;

literally, “Who saves, or rescues, thy life from the pit”.

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Paul says Eph. 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

4) Coronation - 4 who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Rev. 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Rom. 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

5) Satisfaction -

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Isa. 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

The National Blessings - There is the National Blessing of:-

1) God’s Justice 6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

When He brought them out of bondage, through the wilderness and into the Promised Land 2) God’s Mercy - 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

THERE IS THE MERCY OF :-

A) GOD’S PATIENCE 9 HE WILL NOT ALWAYS CHIDE: NEITHER WILL HE KEEP HIS ANGER FOR EVER.

10 HE HATH NOT DEALT WITH US AFTER OUR SINS; NOR REWARDED US ACCORDING TO OUR INIQUITIES.

But for the longsuffering and patience of God, every nation under heaven would have been annihilated. God, in wrath, remembers mercy and waits patiently for nations to repent.

B) GOD’S PARDON 11 FOR AS THE HEAVEN IS HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH, SO GREAT IS HIS MERCY TOWARD THEM THAT FEAR HIM. 12 AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST, SO FAR HATH HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US.

“Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34).

C) GOD’S PITY 13 LIKE AS A FATHER PITIETH HIS CHILDREN, SO THE LORD PITIETH THEM THAT FEAR HIM

The Frailty of Life:

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

The Brevity of Life:

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

The Destiny of Life:

17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;