Him BookSample

READ Psalm 103:1-22.

On a late July night in 2012, I was reeling. Earlier that day, my wife had undergone a kidney transplant. The living donor was my wife’s sister. Due to other complications, my wife also had to be given a trach to ensure an open airway. So late that night, I had two people I loved recovering from 3 significant surgeries - my wife was in the ICU, my sister-in-law was in pain, and I was a mess.

At the end of that long day, I could hardly vocalize any words, much less pray any coherent prayers. So I put some music on to occupy my mind. The first song that came on was a new song (at the time), Matt Redmond’s “10,000 Reasons.” As the song began, the chorus encouraged, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, worship His holy name! Sing like never before, O my soul, I’ll worship Your holy name.”

As I sang that song in the hospital that night, I wept tears of thankfulness for the provision of the day. The LORD was good and worthy of praise, no matter what. While I was singing this song, my wife was bleeding internally (unbeknownst to us at the time) and was truly in a life or death situation. I am so thankful that the LORD saved her life that night, and she has made a full recovery, but no matter what had happened, the LORD was worthy of our praise.

For those familiar with the Psalms, you realize that Redman’s “new song” is not really new at all. The powerful chorus is a quotation from Psalm 103 - a 3,000 year old song written by King David. This Psalm’s introduction is Redman’s chorus, and it serves as somewhat of a command to our souls. Rather than responding to our feelings like a feather in the wind, David commands his soul to “bless the Lord and forget none of His benefits.”

When all is going great or in times when you are reeling, may these words roll off our tongues. May we sing to our souls and call them to bless the Lord no matter what, forgetting none of His benefits.