Recently I have been thinking about how I sometimes struggle with how I should worship when I don’t feel like it which I don’t think I am alone in. There are times when I have difficulty with the idea that we are supposed to worship the Lord all the time. Honestly, there are times when my desire is weak and I am easily distracted. Many times when I am in this place I find myself running in circles trying to conjure up a desire from within to worship God, only to find that it is just not working. And most often I end up focusing more and more on myself and becoming discouraged.
I know that in this time I have a lot to learn from David in the 103rd Psalm where he is probably dealing with the same thing. It starts out with the confusing statement “Bless the Lord oh my soul”. What? And then he repeats it. “Bless the Lord oh my soul”. What does this mean? I didn’t get it for the longest time until a friend of mine pointed out to me that David is reasoning with his own soul, in a sense praying to his own soul. What does that mean? He is using his mind and thinking about, meditating on why he should praise the Lord, but in the processes interacting with his own soul.
What is his interaction based on? It is based on Lord; who He is, what his character and heart is like. Note how specific David is here and how he thinks of specific examples of God’s character and goodness (often shown in His actions). I find that what David is saying is very powerful. I believe that it is because of David’s deep love for God’s law, or words. This psalm is rich with God’s promises and actions, which I find to be incomparable with the blanket statements that I often come up with on my own. In the words of David himself “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does he prospers.”
I love the end of this psalm. I think it is a powerful metaphor which helps to also capture the result of David reasoning with his own soul. His faith is strengthened and his worship is made real and deep. It is not narcissistic, or self-centered, but is connected with the living God of all history and present.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget 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 as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD works vindication 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 accuse, 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 the heavens are high 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 he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.
As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish 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 bidding, obedient to his spoken word.
Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will.
Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul.
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