Praise The Goodness Of God
Click on the link to hear CeCe Winans singing “Goodness Of God”
“‘Cause all my life You have been faithful. And all my life You have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, Oh I will sing of the goodness of God.”
These are lyrics from the song “Goodness Of God”. In our study this week (Psalm 103:1-14), we see the same praise from David, both for what God had done for him and for all that God does for His children. I pray that when you reflect back, you will see the goodness of God operating prominently in your life…and that you would praise Him for it! Amen
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)
The psalmist (David) praised the LORD from the bottom of his soul, for all of the many mercies that the LORD had blessed him with. Mercies including forgiveness, healing, redemption, love, compassion, renewed strength and overall good things that had satisfied him.
The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:6-10)
David recalled the covenant that the LORD made with Moses. He noted the LORD’s attributes of righteousness and justice to aid the oppressed. But also His compassion, grace, patience and love toward His covenant people. And because of His love, compassion and grace, the LORD doesn’t always charge us with our sins or remain angry with us for them. He doesn’t treat us the way the way we deserve according to His law, or repay us for the wrong that we have done against Him.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:11-14)
David observed that the LORD’s love and compassion for His children is so great and so expansive, that He separates us from our sins by forgiving us. The LORD’s love and compassion to forgive us are informed by His intimate knowledge and understanding of us. The LORD is external (from everlasting to everlasting) but He knows that we are frail and finite.
Like David, we can praise God for His goodness and mercy toward us. We receive so many blessings from Him. Like Jeremiah, we can praise God that He even gives us brand new mercies each morning! The Law would have had us condemned, but praise be to God that He forgave us, He redeemed us and He restored us… forever. Let us never forget the LORD’s great mercies toward us…. And let us forever praise the goodness of God!
Blessings, Rev. Glenn
“Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” ~ Lamentations 3:22-23
