Bless the Lord, 0 My Soul
The sermon emphasizes the importance of blessing the Lord and centering our lives in His love and praise, recognizing His forgiveness, healing, and glorious health.
A.B. Simpson emphasizes the importance of praising God with our whole being, as expressed in Psalm 103. He encourages believers to remember and celebrate the numerous benefits of God's salvation, including forgiveness, healing, redemption, and renewal. Simpson highlights that this psalm serves as a central theme in Scripture, urging us to maintain a posture of gratitude and worship. He calls for a heartfelt response to God's goodness, inviting us to bless the Lord in all aspects of our lives. Ultimately, he seeks to center our hearts in love and praise for God.
Text
Bless the Lord, 0 my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfeth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's (vv.1-5). Who so well can sing this thanksgiving song as we who rejoice in God's full salvation and praise God for the glorious health of a risen Lord and a continual youth? This psalm and its opening verses is in the very center of the Scriptures by an exact count of letters and verses.
So let it stand central in our lives, as we look backward and forward and upward in grateful thanksgiving.
Let us sing in the words of its closing strains, Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, 0 my soul (Psalm 103:22). Lord, center my heart in Thee and in the spirit of love and praise.
Sermon Outline
- The Call to Bless the Lord points: - Acknowledge God's holiness and benefits - Recognize God's forgiveness and healing
- The Reason for Thanksgiving points: - God's full salvation and glorious health - The risen Lord and continual youth
- The Importance of Gratitude points: - Centering our lives in God's love and praise - Singing in grateful thanksgiving
Key Quotes
“Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” — A.B. Simpson
“Who so well can sing this thanksgiving song as we who rejoice in God's full salvation and praise God for the glorious health of a risen Lord and a continual youth?” — A.B. Simpson
“Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, 0 my soul.” — A.B. Simpson
Application Points
- We should make it a habit to bless the Lord and acknowledge His holiness and benefits.
- We can center our lives in God's love and praise by singing in grateful thanksgiving.
- Recognizing God's forgiveness and healing can bring us continual youth and renewal.