Take a moment now to stop and consider all your failings, mistakes, and sins from the past week. All the anger, irritation, and impatience. All the selfishness, greed, and lust. Add to that list all the good you could have done but didn’t, all the moments of wasted time, missed opportunities for mercy, and worship ignored.

Imagine if the Almighty God was holding all of that against you, ready to judge, condemn, and punish you. It’s a terrifying and crippling thought, isn’t it?

But now consider this. Through faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ, all your sins and transgressions are washed away by the overwhelming waves of God’s forgiveness. Our many sins are forgotten and remembered no more. They are cast “as far as the east is from the west” (v. 12). Not only this, but we are treated with fatherly compassion (v. 13), we are satisfied with good (v. 5), and our youth is renewed like the eagle’s (v. 5)!

What is the only appropriate response to such good news? An outpouring of full-throated, unrestrained praise and worship! How can we not cry out “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (v. 1)?! How can we not demand our soul “forget not all his benefits” (v. 2)?!

Take time now to pause beneath the cross of Jesus Christ where God demon- strated his covenantal love and favor toward you. Thank him for his mercy and grace. Rejoice and tremble before him. Then rise up to tell those around you of this love, and invite them to join all creation in the never-ending song of blessing the Lord!

Bless The Lord, O My Soul by Sovereign Grace, from the album Unchanging God: Songs From The Book Of Psalms Vol 1. Reflections curated by Sovereign Grace Music.