God’s Saving Word: Mercy and Forgiveness
Introduction
Psalm 103: Concluding this month’s readings is a psalm that describes the many facets of God’s mercy and forgiveness. The psalm writer calls upon the entire universe to offer praise to the LORD.
Scripture Reading
The Love of God[a]
103 Praise the Lord, my soul!
All my being, praise his holy name!
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and do not forget how kind he is.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He keeps me from the grave
and blesses me with love and mercy.
5 He fills my life[b] with good things,
so that I stay young and strong like an eagle.
6 The Lord judges in favor of the oppressed
and gives them their rights.
7 He revealed his plans to Moses
and let the people of Israel see his mighty deeds.
8 The Lord is merciful and loving,
slow to become angry and full of constant love.
9 He does not keep on rebuking;
he is not angry forever.
10 He does not punish us as we deserve
or repay us according to our sins and wrongs.
11 As high as the sky is above the earth,
so great is his love for those who honor him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our sins from us.
13 As a father is kind to his children,
so the Lord is kind to those who honor him.
14 He knows what we are made of;
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for us, our life is like grass.
We grow and flourish like a wild flower;
16 then the wind blows on it, and it is gone—
no one sees it again.
17 But for those who honor the Lord, his love lasts forever,
and his goodness endures for all generations
18 of those who are true to his covenant
and who faithfully obey his commands.
19 The Lord placed his throne in heaven;
he is king over all.
20 Praise the Lord, you strong and mighty angels,
who obey his commands,
who listen to what he says.
21 Praise the Lord, all you heavenly powers,
you servants of his, who do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, all his creatures
in all the places he rules.
Praise the Lord, my soul!
Today’s Key Verse: Jonah 103:8
The LORD is merciful and loving, slow to become angry and full of constant love.
Reflect
Today’s reading is framed by its opening and closing verses (1,2, 20-22). How many times does the word “praise” appear? For what does the psalm writer praise the LORD (verses 3-5)? Reread verses 6-14. How is the LORD described? For what will you praise the LORD today?
Pray
Holy God, each day you bless me with your love and mercy. Your love lasts forever, and your goodness endures for all generations. I thank you, Lord God, for forgiving all my sins and filling my life with your kindness and constant love. With all my being, I praise your holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul!
And now, join us in praying for those serving in the military who are deployed to dangerous conflict zones around the world. Almighty God, your Word is bringing comfort and hope to those serving to protect life and liberty in dangerous places throughout the world. Thanks to the generous support of Bible-A-Month Partners, Bibles continue to be provided to the men and women who put themselves in harm’s way, bringing them a source of peace, comfort, and encouragement in even the most difficult battles and deepest sorrows. Your Word, Lord God, can be relied upon and is a source of strength. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Isaiah 40:1-17: The prophet Isaiah offers words of hope.