Psalm 103 - A Psalm of Praise (Orientation)
by Pastor Paul Dugan
Try entering into praise with this three-part rhythm:
Part 1
Become present to the presence of God:
Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend. (Psalm 5:3 The Message).
Pause in silence before God. Practice breathing slowly and deeply. As you inhale, invite the Holy Spirit to fill every part of your being- your body, mind, imagination, affections and emotions. As you exhale, release any burdens you are carrying into this time of prayer. Repeat this breathing prayer until you have brought your whole self -‘as is’ -before the presence of God.
Optional prayer of approach: “With all that I am, I worship all that you are: Creator. Sustainer. Redeemer. Healer. When I was dragged down by darkness, you searched for me, found me, set my feet on solid ground, clothed me in a robe of righteousness, surrounded me with mercy. In your presence, my soul is refreshed, renewed, raised to new heights…” (Endless Grace, by Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt: Psalm 103).
Part 2
Slowly read Psalm 103 (NLT) out loud: (for audio versions click here)
1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
6 The Lord gives righteousness
and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
7 He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
15 Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
16 The wind blows, and we are gone
as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children
18 of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!
19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.
20 Praise the Lord, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
Part 3
Use your own words to pray Psalm 103 back to God:
Begin by personalizing the pronouns in the psalm, turning the words about God into a prayer directly to God. For example, v. 3 (“He forgives all my sins becomes”) becomes “YOU forgive all my sins…” Pray your way through the psalm in this way.
Then gather these thoughts into your own psalm of praise and thanksgiving:
“Lord God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit- I praise you, for who you are…
“I praise you for what you have done. Specifically, I thank you for…
The psalms were originally written as lyrics, as prayers set to music. Throughout the history of Israel and the church, the people of God have sung the psalms. Song invites us to internalize the Word of God with the whole self- body, mind, imagination, emotions and affections. Take time to listen to a version of Psalm 103 set to music. Try taking the psalm song with you into your day.
From the album Worship and the Word, Vol 2 (2022) by Shane and Shane. shaneandshane.com
from the album ‘Unchanging God’ (2022) by Sovereign Grace Music. sovereigngracemusic.org