Worldly influences will diminish a Christian’s thoughts of God to the lowest, faithless levels if permitted. And God’s Word is the strongest medicine to remedy this condition, by lifting the believer’s soul toward a heavenly appreciation of Yahweh.
Psalm 103 catalogues for us a rainbow view of Jehovah’s supernal nature, lifting your understanding of God to higher levels. Psalms 103:1 begins; “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!” First and foremost, the Psalmist speaks of the one and only true God, creator of all that exists, both visible and invisible. He is the Lord (Yahweh), unparalleled, with no equal, and beyond challenge. His holiness is beyond human measure, causing even the cleanest of human thoughts to appear dark and questionable.
Mankind’s only correct response to the Lord is for “all that is within me (to) bless His holy name.” No matter how you view your inner being; soul, spirit, emotion, or intellect, the entire inner person is to respond to the Lord with a humble attitude of thanks.
How to bless
To bless the Lord begins with acknowledging His innate and eternal holiness. Yahweh’s purity cannot be measured or evaluated by inconsistent human values or feelings. His holiness is beyond human compare, deeper than your emotional capacity, and broader than your imagination can dream. He is the Lord of all Lords, Yahweh! You and I know Him through “His Son (Jesus), whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:2-3).
Therefore, the children of God “forget not all His benefits” (Psa 103:2). These benefits are not just the things which we experience and consider beneficial to us. No, these are the awe inspiring characteristics of the Lord’s nature which we observe in Scripture and in the universe. These benefits are the qualities which uniquely make God who He is, and distinguish Him from us.
You and I do well to keep the holy qualities of God in our thinking. He is not like us, and we are not like Him when holiness is considered. Mankind is always attempting to bring the Lord down to their simplistic and sinful level, while lifting humanity up to appear cleaner and more righteous than what they really are.
Perspective is everything
As you read Psalm 103, notice how the author, King David, speaks from the perspective of being a believing child of God. However, the unbeliever who lives indifferent to Yahweh’s holiness is simply not capable of thinking this way. The many layers of self-centred thinking prevent the unbeliever from identifying with such a majestic Lord as Yahweh. The Christian however, when looking at the Lord, responds by everything within them praising the greatness of God and bowing in surrender to Him.
Why, because it’s only the Lord “Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies“ (Psa 103:3-4). Notice the diseases He heals are the sicknesses of sin. What a breath-taking view of Jehovah? He is concerned with the most critical part of your life, your sin. So He deals with it, as only a completely holy God could do. “He (God) has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).
Today, have larger than life thoughts of God. Believe Him, live Him, share Him, and enjoy Him.