# 2 2021 Dev. Psalm 103:8. Compassion! Read all of Psalm 103. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
Psalm 103:8 “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”
Ps. 101 starts a new series of 10 Psalms This series is like a Psalm within the Psalms. The series is complementary from front to back: Ps. 101 corresponds with 110 and 102 with 109 and so on. Psalm 103 is a hymn by David about God’s love and compassion toward His people. This is a Psalm familiar to many of us as the closing to a communion service. The Ps. is divided into three sections, v. 6 and v.19 transition to the next section.
Vs. 1-5 praises the Lord for “all his benefits… forgives all your sins… heals all your diseases… redeems your life… love and compassion… good things… youth is renewed.” This is a message for all time but particularly needed at this time. This is a message meant for all people everywhere but applies for those who praise the Lord. Praising God seems less and less today as people forget the source of our freedom, our health, and our well being. Pray for a revival!
V. 6 is the transition to section two: “the Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.” Vs.7-18 describes God’s righteousness, justice and God’s love. These verses are a great source of comfort at that time and in our time today. We all have fallen short of the will and precepts of God but when we seek His face, God is “compassionate, abounding in love, he will not always accuse.” Vs. 11-12 shows us God’s great compassion: “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” This is a great source of comfort for us and the example as well.
Vs.13-18 moves us into a more personal concept of God’s love; “as a father has compassion on his children”. But there is a condition, “compassion on those who fear him.” The Lord is our creator, He knows our failures, our weakness and the shortness of our lives. Vs.17-18 is an issue that should concern us and comfort us at the same time: “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”
The transition, v. 19, is the call to praise God: “The Lord has established his throne in heaven and his Kingdom rules over all.” Praise the Lord in heaven, praise him “you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord all his works.” And last but not least: “Praise the Lord, my soul.” This is what it comes down to: are you praising God for all of his gifts to us, even at this time? In this New Year, me and my house will praise the Lord!
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