God Throws It Out – Psalm 103

A text – Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13

103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits–
103:3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
103:4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
103:5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
103:6 The LORD works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.
103:7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
103:9 He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever.
103:10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
103:11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
103:12 as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
103:13 As a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.

A reflection:

This psalm tells us clearly of our God’s deep love for us. It does so through a series of action verbs. Look at what God is up to: God forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies, works vindication and justice for the oppressed.

There are also things the Lord does not do: he is slow to anger, doesn’t hold our sins against us, doesn’t repay us in ways fitting to our sin.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.”

This is really good news for anybody who has done something wrong. When we live with guilt for mistakes we have made, we carry that around with us. But God picks it up off our back and puts it as far away from us as the other side of the world. If we were to live as though this were true, that even the worst thing we have ever done has been lifted off and blown away, like the seed fluff off a dandelion stem, what would we be able to accomplish in our lives? We might be able to let go of anger, resentment, and fear.

Let us try just one day believing that God has really and truly taken that mistake burden off our back and thrown it out. Let’s stand up straight and breathe freely. Let’s see how much room for joy we might now have in our daily lives.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for lifting the burdens of sins and transgressions and mistakes off our backs. Help us to feel the lightness and joy and even space for compassion we now have room for. You love us. We have the capacity to love others. Thank you for a true future. Amen.