All that is within me

“ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Psalms 103:1-5   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.

Psalms 104:1    Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

Psalms 146:1-2     Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

Psalms 57:7-11    My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody  Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.  For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalms 86:12-13     I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Note these comments on this Psalm from Charles Spurgeon:

“We should attribute it to his later years when he had a higher sense of the preciousness of pardon, because a keener sense of sin, than in his younger days. His clear sense of the frailty of life indicates his weaker years, as also does the very fulness of his praiseful gratitude.” David understood that true worship was something deeply inward, of the soul. It is not just about outward forms or expressions, but also about something real from the soul. “Only a holy man can delight in holy things. Holiness is the terror of unholy men; they love sin and count it liberty, but holiness is to them a slavery.” “David selects a few of the choicest pearls from the casket of divine love, threads them on the string of memory, and hangs them about the neck of gratitude.”

 

3 Shadow of your wings

Psalms 91:4  He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

Psalms 17:8     Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,

Psalms 57:1   Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

Psalms 61:4    Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!

Ruth 2:12    The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!”

Matthew 23:37     “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Genesis 15:1     After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.

Isaiah 43:1     But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Hebrews 6:17     So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,  so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Thank you God for giving us the promises of Your mercy, refuge, hope, strength and shelter.  Forgive us for only running to you when trouble arises.  Guide us on Your path.  Change our heart, mind and soul toward You.  Keep our eyes from straying toward things of this world that would replace time with You and Your purpose.  Strengthen and give us courage to do and say what Your spirit is speaking to us.  Use us to encourage others and confirm your steadfast love. Amen