Our Awesome God

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” - Psalm 103:1-5

          This Davidic Psalm lifts up the name of the Lord God and mentions a few of the many benefits of knowing Him. The crowning benefit of God’s grace is the forgiveness of sin. “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.” (Acts 13:38) Grace is undeserved favor. We are redeemed from the pit of hell by the blood Christ shed on the cross on Golgotha’s hill. Healing of our sicknesses and diseases is also promised to those who have placed their faith and trust in God. As we live for Him, God provides every good, constructive and wholesome thing that we are in need of. Our desires are important, but are secondary to our needs, which God has promised to provide. Charles Spurgeon declares in his commentary The Treasury of David: “Our good Lord bestows really good things, not vain toys and idle pleasures; and these he is always giving, so that from moment to moment he is satisfying our soul with good: shall we not be still praising him?” God knows all too well what our needs for survival are. He is our provider and sustainer. Nothing is unknown to God and there is nothing impossible for Him.

          David had a very long life. He stood on the lofty peaks of honor and in the valley of death below. He is more than qualified to extol the virtues of God and offer praise to Him as a result. To the naked eye of mortal man David would seem like a less than ideal example of a righteous man and yet he is referred to as the apple of God’s eye (Psalm 17:8). God knew the motivation of his heart and therefore knew he was a man after His own heart in spite of his sins. This should give each and every believer hope, for Jehovah is the God of the second chance. You are never too far from Him that He cannot draw you back to Himself. There is nothing you could ever do in your life that would keep God from loving you. This wonderful news should cause you to say in a loud, audible voice, “Praise be to God, Praise His Holy Name.” For He is a loving and kind God; “slow to anger, abounding in love” (Numbers 14:18; Exodus 34:6; Psalm 145:8). Praise be to our mighty and awesome God! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries