Saturday of Week Four

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits.”

—Psalm 103:1-2

When I was in high school, a Christian studies teacher asked me, “what was my favorite Psalm?” I replied, “The 103rd Psalm.” She asked me to memorize it, and I thought, why didn’t I choose a shorter Psalm. I memorized it, and I’m glad I did!

At times we go through tough patches in our lives—the loss of someone dear to us, or we feel overwhelmed by ordinary, mundane, everyday instances in life. Psalm 103 reminds us of who God is and all his many blessings: He forgives our shortcomings, he redeems us with his own sacrifice, he is full of love and compassion, he lifts us up when we are down, he doesn’t treat us as we deserve. He is full of grace and mercy. He remembers how we are formed; that we are made of dust. Our time here may be short, but his time is forever and in charge.

These words of the Psalmist give us support when we need it; they give us peace when life becomes cluttered. It reminds us that God, the great Creator of the Universe, has his loving arms wrapped around me.

Author: Pat McClung

Personal Reflection:

Read Psalm 103:1-2 three times. Each time, write down a word or two that sticks out to you, it can be the same word. Take a moment and reflect on those words. Allow them to carry into your day.

Daily Action:

Share Psalm 103:1-2 as a blessing with someone in a text, email, or note with a personal message that you were thinking of them.