Benefits

Psalm 103:1–13 ESV

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not 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 so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness 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 chide, 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 high as the heavens are 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 does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

I tried a stint as a car salesman in the early 2000’s. I worked for Vern Eide Honda. From which I learned some important lessons. For one, it was important to listen to my customers. I met people looking at vehicles for a variety of reasons. They needed to tell me what their wants and needs and were so I could help them. If someone was looking for certain color, that’s what I looked for. Most of the time people came looking for something within their budget, it was important to know the inventory so I could help them fit a new vehicle into it. Still others other’s were most interested in features - they wanted a 4 wheel drive, they were looking for airbags, or a sun roof. If you’ve sold anything, you know that you don’t sell stuff as much as you sell benefits to people looking to solve problems.

Benefits - (Hebrew) payment, or repayment for something owed, to deal

Psalm 102:23 “He has broken my strength in midcourse”

repayment: vs 10 “He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.”

Just like knowing God’s name last week, knowing God’s payment to us is based more upon who he is then we are. If we were negotiating here we would have to note that God has all of the power. Our hands are tied. But what we get doesn’t match what we give back to God on our best day. I don’t say out of shame, and I don’t point it out to shame you.

Its just the way God is. generous.

God made us to be friends with him and to care for what he made. He doesn’t need us, per say. He wants us. He is completely self sufficient, he doesn’t need our love, and he doesn’t suffer from a lack of attention. If he were that way God could be manipulated. If he could be manipulated. That means human beings would be able to control God he would not be all powerful and he were not all powerful than than he would cease to be good. God made you because he wanted you. God sent his son as a sacrifice for our sin because he loves us. Think of all of the things you’ve wanted in life that didn’t love you back. Relationships that seemed promising because we thought we’d be happier, that thing we had to buy which put us deeper in debt, the times when we’ve walked away from God in order to have it our way.

But David, the author encourages himself. He knows that God knows about the relationships, how much debt we’re in, or how rebellious we are. He has given God sin, God gives forgiveness. We as humans are prone to disease, yet most of us look to God for healing, we wonder and reason, and hope for some sort of relief from our suffering, he gives us redemption, through Jesus Christ. Oh bless the Lord, O my soul, he doesn’t given me what I deserve. He sets a crown of love and mercy upon your head, like his princess or his prince. Oh bless the Lord, oh my soul, he gives you what is good to preserve you and make life sweet once in a while.

And listen to this, the Lord is working on your behalf, to see you get the dignity you were meant to have. How do we know this? He’s done it is the in the past, He is shown his mighty acts to the people of Israel. Praise the Lord, bless his name. It says he is merciful and gracious, he is slow to anger. He doesn’t fly off the handle in a fit of rage. yes he wants us to love him back. When we fail, he gets angry, but only because he loves us. He expects to follow the rules, because the made them to protect us. they are safeguards. So you don’t have to walk defeated, and hopeless. When we see what we’ve done. we say we are sorry, he moves on . he doesn’t bring up the past, he knows that we are frail. That we are vulnerable. He doesn’t expect perfection on our side of Heaven. Just like you and I know our kids are in the process of growing and learning, and you would treat your children with loving consideration . God shows those who know him as God compassion, for he knows our frame and remembers where we came from, that we are dust.

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, don’t forget what God has done for you.

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, don’t forget how God is with you

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, don’t forget that God has already given you a hope and future.

We have to remember to Bless the Lord for these things. They are more than mere thoughts or feelings. I sold cars because I needed something called a paycheck. That’s why pushy car salesman exist. But he is anything but that. He waits for us to realize our wants and needs are, and to see that he alone has the answer to whatever they are. In fact, he is the answer, he doesn’t just offer us benefits, he is our benefit. Bless the Lord O, Let everything in your soul say - Bless his holy name!

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ps 103:10). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.