"What a Blessing!" - a study of Psalm 103

INTRODUCTION

This psalm outlines the great blessings we receive from God.

And also expresses how the people of God naturally respond to all this in worship.
If ever we feel unloved, or unable to worship, we should read this psalm.

There’s great relevance for us here, because, the more we examine such blessings, the more they can seem to apply to our lives; so then, the more ready we are to launch ourselves into worship.

BLESSING THE LORD

Because we feel blessed, we in turn “bless” the Lord.

This is often translated “praise” the Lord, but what is meant … is probably a bit of a deeper response to God than just ‘praise’. To ‘praise’ is to say … that thing was simply good … we like it; whereas to “bless” means that this was good for me in my journey of faith – it means that this thing really impacted on me … it had great personal significance. So, as I have been blessed, I will “bless” the Lord.

And, as we have been blessed, we will together “bless” the Lord. This is because the blessing we have received individually … is likely to go way beyond just me, it will likely impact my family and community broadly, and also advance the kingdom of God.

So, we enter a rousing chorus of “Bless the Lord”. We really ‘give it up’ for God, from deep within, with everything we have … or as the psalmist says, with, “all that is within me”. We “bless” the Lord, with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength – and with all the activity of our life.

THE BENEFITS

Why do we “bless” or ‘praise’ the Lord … particularly (v 2b)??

According to this psalmist, because of all his “BENEFITS” to us (v.3-7):

1. Forgiveness (v 3a) – because of the misuse of our freewill, making the wrong decisions and choices, we hurt others and ourselves, and generally depart from God’s path. Because of a preference toward self-interest, we can also neglect certain activities or people that we should’ve given a higher priority to. To use the religious word, we ‘sin’. But as we regret this sin, and confess this sin (which simply means owning up to it and taking responsibility for it), and as we determine to take a better direction, God’s forgiveness kicks in. This forgiveness is complete, it wipes the slate clean, it removes guilt and shame, and opens a new future. There will also be the need to forgive ourselves, as God forgives us, if we are to be fully released. And sometimes, as part of this process, we will need to do some apologising to other people, with some acts of recompense, to show our sincerity. God’s intention is for these past sins to no longer affect or influence our future. This forgiveness has been called ‘amazing’ or ‘extraordinary’. For some it is just too hard to believe! It certainly goes against the grain of getting what we deserve.

Why … given the damage done by our sin … does God want to forgive us??

At least three reasons:

(i)                  Because God loves us, each of us, so much, that he wants to have a relationship with us, unencumbered by the sin that separates; a relationship that will endure and mature into eternity

(ii)                Because God understands who we are – God doesn’t necessarily like all we do, but understands completely … our frailty, our vulnerability, our instability, our need of God; even though God has high ideals for our lives, he understands our weaknesses and immaturity. For God designed us, and created us, so can NOT easily reject us, nor give up on us – verse 14 – “For [God] knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust”. This idea originates in Genesis 2:7 – “then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being”. God knows us inside out – even better than we know ourselves. [This is why life is about discovering ourselves as we discover God.] God knows his children intimately. God fully understands the implications of giving us freewill. Even though we are all made in God’s likeness, we were also made with human limitations. If anyone ever thinks that God doesn’t understand, then we can reflect on God entering the affairs of the world in the person of Jesus, who, we read in Hebrews, was tempted in every way (Heb. 2:17-8, 4:15).

(iii)              Because God wants to see us unleashed spiritually, develop fruit and be gifted by the Holy Spirit, and reach the potential we were born with. God wants to delight in us, and sees others come to know him through us.

Verses 8 to 14 actually give us a description of how God feels about us, despite seeing all our behaviour. This is not to lessen the depth of the problem, for ‘sin’ will always be a serious problem; but rather, this is to highlight God’s solution! To say that God is “slow to anger”, means that our negative activity IS prone to raise an angry reaction in God. We read some stories in the Bible where God is shown to be very angry. After all, look at what sin and evil have wreaked in God’s world! However, thankfully, we read here, that God’s anger is always tempered with understanding.

In the face of our everyday actions, there is mercy, grace (or favour), and steadfast love (v 8), as well as true fatherly (or parental) compassion (v 13). God looks at our sin through the filter of his (very expansive) steadfast love – not looking to punish, but rather to reform (v 9-11). And because those “transgressions” can be so far dismissed and removed from us (“as far as the east is from the west” – v 12), that the difference made in our lives can be extraordinary.

And then later (in verse 17) we are reassured that this love in the present, in the psalmist’s experience, will still be available generation after generation. For those of us living under great weight, or great concern for following generations … this is all seriously good news!!

We often want to act contrary to God, and hang on to our grievances and bitterness, and sometimes even want to see retribution; or we hang on to our own guilt and shame; and, in effect, we think forgiveness is irrational or unattainable … but this is not how it is with God!

God is willing to bear the weight of the sin of all humanity … because of his love for me! There is a cost for sin, and we know how that price was paid.

What a blessing – bless the Lord!!

2^nd BENEFIT & MORE

2. Healing (v 3b) – this is healing according to God’s view of our needs, God’s best timing, God’s big picture view of life. Sometimes the need for healing that we feel, is not the area in which God wants to work. God is bringing healing somewhere else. Sometimes the journey we go on with suffering, brings us along to become the person God would have us be, the person we were created to be. Sometimes we don’t understand what God is doing, but we need to trust that God is doing whatever is best, and that this should be described in terms of our ‘healing’. Sometimes a spiritual work of healing needs to precede any physical or emotional improvement. So, sometimes we are being healed, but we don’t quite see it yet. Sometimes our expectations are so fixed in one area of life, we don’t see God working in another area. Sometimes God is using medical science and our local doctor to heal us. Sometimes we get miraculous healing. Often it is a combination of both. As our life is open to God, God is always doing some form of healing! What a blessing!

3. Redemption (v 4a) – this is about something that was lost (or had been taken away) … being brought back into the fold. Here a life that could be thriving, finds itself in one deep “pit”. A rescue mission is required. In the New Testament, we hear the parables of the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost son … all being desperately sought and joyfully found. Ultimately, it will be Jesus, through his sacrifice on the cross, who will redeem us. He will pay the ultimate price to bring us back to God. In this way, the damage caused by sin is not ignored, the impact of evil is not underestimated; but rather a one-off act of love … opens up a new future – the new creation. We are drawn out of the dark ‘pit’ – into the light of a new day! This psalmist, long before the time of Jesus, knew the lengths God would go to … out of his deep love and compassion for humanity. Being taken up from the ‘pit’ … pictures a major change in our outlook and destiny – both in this life and beyond. What a blessing!

4. Crowning our life with good (v 4b-5) – such that our youth is restored and that we can soar like an eagle again. If not in body, certainly in mind and spirit. This is like the New Testament concept of being ‘born again’. Whereas we had been boxed in by negativity, we now break loose with new purpose for living. The steadfast love and mercy we have received, are now the dynamics in which we live. Suddenly we have a ministry to our family and neighbours, community and world. Everything that once felt dark and heavy, now feels hopeful and light-filled. What a blessing!

ONE FURTHER (SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT) BENEFIT

5. Working toward justice for the oppressed (v 6-7) – it may not look like it at times, but God is seeking justice for the oppressed. The example that can easily be drawn upon is God bringing his enslaved people out of Egypt towards a ‘land of new promise’. But God needed a ‘buy in’ … by those he was calling into action – people like Moses … who had to stand up and lead. So, when it comes to defeating injustice, and bringing forward “vindication and righteousness”, God seeks to enlist people from his faithful community to partner and participate in such liberation. The “benefit” is … that no one goes alone in fighting injustice – that God goes before, and with, all those who step up to make a difference. So even though justice can seem distant, we can, through faith, sense that it is still within our grasp (E M Blaiklock).

What if we don’t always feel like we are being lifted up on eagle’s wings (like in verse 5)? Sometimes we don’t feel we are being restored to our youth (even just in spirit)?? Or, sometimes we don’t feel part of anything significant that is changing the world for the better??? Why is it that our lives (at times) don’t seem to be working out? We don't feel forgiven or redeemed!

The answer is back somewhere in verse 2!?! Can you see it there – it is important?! We can “forget” … we can fail to remember God’s “benefits”!

We need to recall the exodus that Moses and Joshua led! The psalmist may have raised this example, because the people of Israel did often forget; and then began grumbling, lost their sense of gratitude, and started wandering around pointlessly.We need to go over in our minds what God has done for us! We need to bring encouragement to our own minds, based on our good memories.

And we need to get into the habit of worshipping God, and NOT being easily dissuaded from

doing so regularly. For worship is NOT ONLY a response to God’s blessing, but a practice and a discipline that helps us not to forget! Worship helps us remember, and encourage each other in our remembering.

We have decision-making power over whether we will offer or withhold worship. To withdraw … actually leads first to forgetfulness, and then quickly to ‘thanklessness’ – and ultimately forsaking the true God for other alternatives.

Like the psalmist, we sometimes have to rouse ourselves and shake off apathy and gloom and get into worship.So often people stay away from worship, because they don’t feel they can; but this is completely self-defeating, for it takes you out of the place of remembering … remembering why it is that you CAN worship God.

A 'CONDITIONAL' CLAUSE

We say that God’s love is ‘unconditional’, and I would certainly agree in principle. However, in this psalm there are at least four conditional (or ‘if’) clauses: in verse 11, verse 13, verse 17, and verse 18!? … “toward those who fear him”, “for those who fear him”, “on those who fear him”. According to these verses, God’s love and compassion operate for those who “fear” him. God’s steadfast love is available to all people at all times, however it only really comes into operation or works effectively when the relationship is mutual.

We should say that the word usually translated “fear” in these verses really means to “revere, honour, admire and obey” … all rolled into one. This all makes sense through the fourth conditional clause in verse 18 … “to those who keep his covenant, and REMEMBER to do his commandments”. God’s steadfast love is available to all people at all times, however it only really comes into operation or works effectively when the relationship is mutual.

CONCLUSION

[This is about being prepared to fully love God in return for his “benefits”, building a mutually loving relationship, where following God’s ways are the most natural thing of all – expressly seen in the commandment that sums up all the social and ethical law (and the prophets as well) i.e. “love your neighbour”.]

As we take on board the significance of God’s broad “benefits”, coming out of God’s steadfast love and understanding compassion; as we REMEMBER (not forget) how this has gone well for us, and are thus drawn into worship – “Bless the Lord, O my soul” … with all that we have; and if we don’t neglect our side of this mutually loving relationship … in terms of God’s very reasonable commandments – then we are singing and praying and ministering with the whole universe … all creation – bearing witness to God’s glory and greatness!

What a blessing!

In this we add our own unique experience of God’s great “benefits”, with our particular voice completing the whole.

What a blessing! What a blessing this is!!

"A Good Day" (Mark 10:46-52)

This was a good day for Bartimaeus!

This was the day he moved from darkness to light … in more ways than one!!

Bartimaeus started the day blind and begging, and finished it following Jesus.

Begging, of course, was the only way in which Bartimaeus would get to eat!

Such a man in those times were generally left to the own devices.

It all started when he was sitting by the roadside, on the right day, at the right time … when Jesus passed by.

And when Bartimaeus called out, despite all the other noise and confusion, Jesus heard him.

This was a good day!

What Bartimaeus asked for was “mercy”.

One wonders how often Bartimaeus had been denied mercy!?

“Jesus, have mercy on me” (v.47b)!

Bartimaeus must have heard good things about Jesus; perhaps about Jesus healing people along his way.

Bartimaeus had heard enough, that when he knew this was Jesus passing by … he called out.

Not only this, he was NOT dissuaded from doing so, by all these contrary negative voices!

As we see, the faith of Bartimaeus did not diminish because of any fear of the crowd.

He did not let discouragement get the better of him.

He was intensely aware of his need for God’s mercy to fall upon him;

He cried out even louder, and eventually went forward.

Here is a beautiful picture of someone throwing themselves humbly on the mercy of God,

with a complete trust for the outcome.

We read in verse 48, “Many sternly ordered him to be quiet”. What was their problem??

You would think that there would be some sort of understanding of this man’s plight!?

What was their problem??

• He was only an insignificant blind beggar – a potential nuisance!? They would give him the ‘cold shoulder’. He should be kept quiet.
• In these times they may have thought that sin lurked somewhere behind his blindness.
• He was interrupting important conversations (with important respectable people).
• They wanted Jesus just for themselves!? Pretty callous!
• Or, perhaps just wanting to keep Jesus in check or under some sort of control.
• Status reversal can be uncomfortable for some.
• Some level of embarrassment.

There have been many times in history where people try to keep the poor in their place; e.g. long queues at Centrelink, moving the homeless off the streets, putting people in detention.

If we look at the context and who was around, we could conclude that some of these contrary voices could actually have been Jesus’ disciples!

And, if that was the case, we would shake our heads!!

But perhaps, the point is for us to hear … the reminder … about what Jesus thinks is important:

• Previously, letting the little children come to him;
• Now, letting a poor blind man get to him.

Jesus wants the broken and vulnerable to be able to find him.

Jesus had already said those famous words, which spoke of reversals …

“The last shall be first and the first shall be last” (10:31).

This man may be blind, but the ‘Kingdom of God’ was at hand!

The disciples (and whoever else) eventually changed their tune.

They realised they were on the wrong side of history!

Jesus made sure they realised their responsibility – refer verse 49a – a serving ministry to others.

One could only imagine what might have happened to blind Bartimaeus,

if had have been ignored that day!!

Perhaps we encounter many broken people who have had their path to Jesus blocked in the past!

The disciples now said (v 49b) to Bartimaeus, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you”.

Belatedly, here are the words of reassurance and encouragement … that are needed …

… that open up the path to experience Jesus’ love. Jesus loves you!

This was a good day!

One might imagine Bartimaeus grappling around with some excitement, tripping here and there, trying to get to Jesus.

Maybe some people helped him over to Jesus.

But Bartimaeus did get his chance to express faith in Jesus.

He didn’t hesitate – he didn’t consider what other thing might need to be done first.

The mention that he threw off his “cloak” is significant – why??

Bartimaeus was tossing aside his security and his independence

• his “cloak” was not only about warmth,
• but would have also been what he put on the ground in front of him as he begged for money;
• money without which he would suffer and die.
• Bartimaeus was abandoning his security entirely, [and this was totally different to the ‘rich man’ (10:21-22) who couldn’t give up anything];
• Bartimaeus was now saying that he would be totally dependent on Jesus instead!
• he was throwing away his cloak … for his life was changing completely!!

And Jesus was quick to interpret this as faith worthy of salvation!!

Bartimaeus wouldn’t need that “cloak” anymore.

This was a good day for Bartimaeus!

Jesus granted Bartimaeus his sight, not only as an act of compassion and healing, not only to restore him to his community; but also to acknowledge someone moving out of darkness and being lost, into the light with new hope and purpose.

The greatest gift for Bartimaeus … was being “made well” (v 52) i.e. being saved – experiencing salvation.

This was all as a result of faith.

NOT by making oneself better, NOT by pretending to be good, NOT by following rules or rituals; but simply by faith!

But NOT faith in anything, NOT faith in himself;

Bartimaeus was “made well” i.e. saved, through faith IN JESUS.

For it would be Jesus, who would soon … in about a week’s time …

… go the whole way in sacrificing himself for Bartimaeus’ sins.

So, Bartimaeus now went off to do his own thing?!??

NO! Bartimaeus began following Jesus (v 52).

This is the natural and proper response to gaining salvation!!!

This would mean going where Jesus went and doing what Jesus did.

This would mean adopting the attitudes and priorities Jesus had.

This would mean speaking words and loving others like Jesus.

This would mean being part of the community of the Kingdom of God.

This would NOT mean going to the cross himself, as Jesus did literally - and for him, and for us;

But it would mean entering into that sort of sacrificial service …

… that Jesus describes as “taking up our cross” (and following him).

This was a good day for Bartimaeus!

This would be a good day for anybody!

So, this could be a good day for any of us too!

For here we are given a picture of what Jesus can do for us:

• He is as close and accessible as ever
• When Jesus hears our voice, and knows our faith, he responds with words to the effect …
• “What do you want me to do for you” (v 51)
• And Jesus will draw us from darkness to light, from brokenness to healing,
• From slavery to sin into freedom, from despair into hope.

 

This is an invitation to make today an even better day!

However, we may have to block out the alternative voices (that make way too much noise) – contrary voices from all sides!

• The ones who would decry commitment to Jesus
• The ones who say that we’re okay, we don’t need mercy
• The ones who would devalue Christian community
• The ones who would say we aren’t good enough or don’t count
• The ones that don’t want us to come in (and be part of something special)
• The ones that don’t want us to change
• Even our own voice … that may say that we don’t know enough (and shouldn’t take any further step).

Does any of this count, do any of these voices matter, as against Jesus’ voice … as against hearing Jesus say these wondrous words, “Your faith has made you well”!?!

We might just have to throw off our “cloak”, spring up, and come to Jesus!

Here is an invitation to do just that!!

William Barclay wrote (re this passage):

“Christianity begins with a personal reaction to Jesus, a reaction of love, an instinctive feeling that here is the one person who can meet our need”.

Amen – what a good day it is!!