RUSSELL SANDERS
9-9-2020
BENEFITS OF GODLY ADORATION
PSALM 103:1-5 (NKJV)
The Lord God Jehovah (Yahweh), and Lord Jesus, loves us greatly. He also is delighted when we show our love for Him with praise and adoration.
In Psalm 103 (NKJV) it says in verses 1-2, “Bless the LORD, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”
The original Hebrew word “bless” (barak) means to kneel as an act of adoration. We adore Him because His name is holy. To “adore” means to love and admire very greatly; to revere, idolize, to worship. God responds to our adoration of Him by giving us numerous benefits as listed in Psalm 103:3-5
1. He “forgives all your iniquities.” Iniquities are our sins, misdeeds, ill words, or actions. We are forgiven; our “slate” is wiped clean.
2. He “heals all your diseases.” Healing belongs to us when we put our trust in Him. Jesus paid for our physical healing with the bloody stripes laid by whips upon His body. Isaiah 53:5 says prophetically, “…with His stripes we are healed.” I peter 2:24 says in retrospect, “…by whose stripes you were healed.” Jesus already bore all sin and disease in His body. We must pray, trust him, receive it by faith, and believe it.
3. He “redeems your life from destruction.” The Hebrew word used here for destruction (shachath) means a “pit.” The “pit” would be indicative of “sheol” or an “abyss” which could be likened to the eternal destruction of the soul. Jesus shed blood and resurrection life “redeems” us from that destruction when we accept Him as our Lord.
4. He “crowns you with loving kindness.” He loves you more than any human ever could, even more than a mother, father, brother, sister, or child. He shows you that love with great favor of goodness when you show your adoring love for Him.
5. He also crowns us with “tender mercies.” This means compassion, tender love, or great mercy. We do not truly deserve mercy (release from penalty) for some of the things we have said or done, but His mercy to those who love Him has no limit to it. The “tender mercies” also means “the womb, as in cherishing the (fetus) unborn child.”
6. He “satisfies your mouth with good things.” He is not speaking merely of natural food. Rather, He will fill your mouth with good words, good speaking, as it flows from your heart (spirit) full of good righteousness. Criticism, or hurtful words, or words of doubt or fear will not be heard from your mouth.
7. He will cause “your youth (to be) renewed like the eagle’s.” The eagle is a symbol of strength, energy, and endurance. (Isaiah 40:31.) He thus enables us to get through our most difficult situations.
When we “bless the Lord”, we reap the benefits.
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