Welcome to Day 155 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional! This series is about finding nourishment in the Word of God to get us through the day. In each devotional, I take a variety of scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses each) and build our understanding of what they teach via their context and connecting scripture. My goal is to help you understand how to be the type of human God created you to be.

Today’s passage is Psalm 103:1-2. Let’s talk about praising God and holding onto the good things he does.

Psalm 103:1-2

NASB	NLT	VOICE
1 Bless the Lord, my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.	1 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.	1 O my soul, come, praise the Eternal with all that is in me – body, emotions, mind, and will – every part of who I am – praise His holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, my soul, And do not forget any of His benefits;	2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.	2 O my soul, come, praise the Eternal; sing a song from a grateful heart; sing and never forget all the good He has done.

This psalm is one of David’s (as in King David.) David is praising God for his mercies, sharing that praise with his whole heart and with the hope of never forgetting the good things of God. What are those good things? “He forgives all my sins, and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death, and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things…” (vs. 3-5a, NLT). I want to discuss those things and how we can pray for and praise them.

To forgive is the Hebrew verb salach (saw-lakh’). It’s used when God forgives the sins of the individuals or the nation of Israel. This term almost always refers to God’s forgiveness. The goal of this term is to share the mercy and compassion of God so that he can have a right relationship with his creation. We will never be perfect, yet we are made perfect through the sacrifice of Christ. This doesn’t mean that we have to stop trying. This means we can find a source of perfection through Jesus and ask for God’s forgiveness of our sins (our shortfalls of God’s teachings); we thank God for the everlasting source of forgiveness that allows us a right relationship with him and a place in eternal living.

To heal is the Hebrew verb rapha (raw-faw’). It talks about physical healing, emotional restoration, and spiritual renewal. It’s the idea of making whole or restoring to an original state of well-being. In ancient Israel, healing was often seen as a divine act, with God being the ultimate healer. The Israelites believed that physical ailments could be linked to spiritual conditions. Thus, healing wasn’t only a physical restoration but also spiritual renewal. God is our ultimate healer – whether it’s from physical diseases, emotional dysregulation, or a weakened spirit. Healing is a divine act on God’s behalf, but it also requires the work on our behalf. If we’re physically sick, we take medicine and trust it works. Yet, we also need to rest, which is a mental process. Yet, we also need to hope to improve, which can be a spiritual process. What am I trying to say? (I’m unsure, but I’m letting the Spirit go). We can rest in knowing that we have someone who will restore us to our pre-sickness state and make us whole once more. This will look different for all of us, but God’s unity is the end goal. God will want to follow his guidance and command in that restoration. Still, the ability to be restored is something we can always praise him for.

To redeem is the Hebrew verb gaal (gaw-al’). It’s the idea of buying back or reclaiming something or someone, often as a familial duty. It’s the act of a close relative who restores the rights of another and avenges their wrongs. The kinsman-redeemer had the duty to redeem a relative who was sold into slavery, to buy back family land that was sold, and to marry a widow to preserve the family line. The role wasn’t just a legal obligation but a moral and social one. This was important to the communal and covenantal nature of Israelite life. We were repurchased from our slavery of sin and the punishment of eternal death so that we could have the right relationship with God. Our rescue from an eternal separation from God is always worthy of praise.

To crown is the Hebrew verb atar (aw-tar’). It describes the idea of surrounding something or someone with a crown or productive barrier. It’s often used metaphorically to describe an honor, blessing, or protection given to a person or group. Crowning was a physical adornment and a spiritual and social acknowledgment of one’s position and blessings. David is surrounded by God’s love and tender mercies (compassion). When we become a part of God’s family, he eternally gifts us with his grace and mercy, which grants us love and forgiveness. What a worthy thing to praise God for.

To fill is the Hebrew verb saba/sabea (saw-bah). This word is often used to convey a sense of fullness and contentment, both physically and metaphorically. Through God’s provision and blessings, it expresses the idea of having enough or more than enough. This concept was closely tied to God’s provision and the covenant relationship between God and his people. The Israelites understood that true satisfaction came from God, one that provided for their physical and spiritual needs. The provisions of God are abundant to an extreme. We can find contentment in our needs when we recognize that our needs might not be as extravagant as we assumed they were. The content and source of ultimate forgiveness is always something to praise him for.

BREATHE IN: God forgives, heals, …

BREATHE OUT: …redeems, crowns, and fills me.

Until next time, friends, stay blessed!