Bless the LORD

Bless the LORD, O my soul... -Ps. 103:1a

To bless the LORD means to give God thanks and praise. David uses the clause, "Bless the LORD, O my soul..." to prop up the first and last verse of this psalm like bookends. Everything between these two verses, then, is meant to explain why someone would deliberately go out of his way to bless the LORD. Here's a few reasons David gives: God forgives our sin (v. 3); He gives us good gifts to enjoy (v. 5a); He renews our vitality in life (v. 5b); He brings justice to the oppressed (v. 6); and He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love (v. 8)!

Seven times in this psalm, David exhorts himself, Israel, and all the created order to bless the LORD. Why seven? Well, first of all, we are so forgetful. We forget all that God has done for us. That's why David says "forget none of His benefits" (v. 2b). Secondly, in biblical theology, the number seven connotes the idea of completion. Think about the seven days of creation: "By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done" (Gen. 2.2). In other words, David is implying part of what it means for him to be complete is to bless the LORD. Just as God completed His work on the seventh day by resting, so David completes his life and work by blessing God.

I want to bless God for everything He has done for me. He forgives my sin. He gives me amazing gifts. He renews my vitality in life.

I want to bless God for who He is. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love.

Bless the LORD, O my soul...
Bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul...
Bless the LORD, you His angels...
Bless the LORD, all you His hosts...
Bless the LORD, all you works of His...
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
-Psalm 103