It is easy to tell others what to do. It is much harder to tell your own tongue what to say, your eyes what to turn from, and your feet not to go on a specific path. Yet David speaks directly to his soul with these words: "Bless the Lord, O my soul," (Psalm 103: 22).
With these words he began this Psalm, and with these same words he brings this Psalm to its close. In between he tells us why God must be blest. Actually he tells all creation to bless God. He writes: "Bless the Lord, ye angels that excel... Bless the Lord all ye His hosts; ye ministers of His. Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion." Psalm 103:20-22
In verse 19 he told us why all creatures must bless Him. He wrote: "His kingdom ruleth over all. Here also we have the reason why he already in verse one had said, "Bless His holy name." His name is God Over All! He rules and owns all things. Not only does He deserve to be blest, but He must be blest by all creation. The thinking, willing creatures, men and angels, must do so; and through them and their use of the other creatures which He gives to them, God must be blest.
Take hold of that truth today and put it into practice more fully every day the rest of your life. Bless His name by saying in your actions as well as with your mouth that He is the one Who "ruleth over all" and is above all creation. Bless Him as God and as God alone.
Sing our versification, but live that way as well:
Established in the highest heavens
The Lord has set His throne,
And over all His kingdom rules, For He is God alone.
Bless ye the Lord, all ye His works
In His dominion broad,
And, never ceasing, O my soul,
Bless thou the Lord thy God.
Created in the image of God man stands between God and the whole earthly creation and is able to speak to God. He must use it all in the consciousness that it is God's and is given so that through man's soul it may return to God. Every morning tell your soul to bless Him through the whole day that is before you.
Read: Psalm 148
Psalter versification: 279:1, 4
(Words and Music of the Psalter)
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
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Song for Meditation: Psalter number 217
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Isaiah 62:6-12 ; Isaiah 63 ; Isaiah 64 ; Isaiah 65
Philippians 2:19-30 ; Philippians 3:1-3
Psalm 73:1-28
Proverbs 24:13-14
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Quote for Reflection:
“Our Lord is doing the best thing for His Kingdom in going away. It was in the highest degree expedient that He should go, and that we should each one receive the Spirit. There is a blessed unity between Christ the King and the commonest soldier in the ranks. He has not taken His heart from us, nor His care from us, nor His interest from us: He is bound up heart and soul with His people, and their holy warfare, and this is the evidence of it, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (Rev. 22:12) -C. Spurgeon
