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Author: Paul Beckman, from the Word of Life in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Chief End of Humans

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame;[a] he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!” (Psalm 103)

When we began this series of reflections, I said that the Psalms are a kind of instruction book on how to express ourselves to the Lord as his disciples. Among those expressions, the most common is that of praise, which involves a good deal of singing, shouting, hand-clapping, dancing, inspired silence, and all manner of telling about God and what he has done.

In Psalm 103, the writer reveals the scope of praise in a marvelous way. The first verses are profoundly intimate saying that the Lord “forgives all your iniquity, … heals all your diseases, … crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, [and] satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's” (Psalm 103:3-5). The Psalmist exhorts his own soul to bless the Lord – and not only his soul, but everything that is within him. His worship is not superficial or routine, but something that encompasses his whole being.

The next long section of the Psalm provides a myriad of reasons why we worship. Much of this is a litany of personal blessings that the Lord brings into our lives. He forgives our sins, he shows us kindness and mercy, he provides for us physically and spiritually. God has done many wonders for all his people. He rescued them and protected them from harm, he taught them his ways and his truth, he covered them with grace that they don’t deserve.

But God’s greatness isn’t limited to those who follow him. It extends to the entire world. His throne exerts its influence over every nation that exists, whether they know it or not.

Seeing who God is and what he’s done, the Psalmist raises a grand call to all creatures to join in worship. He enjoins heaven and earth, angels and humans and whatever exists in every place and time to glorify the Lord. In the midst of his fervor, he comes back to where he began: Let my inmost being praise the Lord.

After all, praising the Lord is what we’re made for, today and for eternity.

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.