As children of God, we know that our worship is more than what we bring on a Sunday morning through instrumental music and singing. Worship, as referenced in the opening verse of Romans 12, is best represented by the offering of our entire lives to a holy God. This idea of being a living and pleasing sacrifice to the Lord can sometimes feel like an impossible task, especially as we continue to work out our salvation daily by acknowledging, confessing and repenting of our sin (Phil. 2:12).

Yet, Psalm 103 reminds us that a life of praise begins simply by remembering who God is and what He has done for us.

Psalm 103 is a psalm of thanksgiving attributed to David, one of 75 psalms connected to him. While we do not know the exact moment in David’s life when it was written, many scholars believe it was likely penned in his later years. The preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote that in David’s later life, “he had a higher sense of the preciousness of pardon … a keener sense of sin … [and a] clear sense of the frailty of life” (The Treasury of David).

In this psalm, David’s worship becomes an invitation to all creation to praise God, beginning with the individual, then the congregation, and finally, everything under the Lord’s dominion in heaven and on earth.

The psalm begins with a call to the depths of one’s soul to praise. From the Hebrew bārak, the imperative command is more accurately translated “to bless.” Of course, as humans, we do not bless God in the way He blesses us. Instead, to “bless the Lord” is to give Him our adoration, reverence and thanksgiving. It is an invitation repeated twice at the beginning of the psalm and once more at the close (Psalm 103:1–2, 22).

This invitation to praise might seem simple to fulfill. Yet if we are honest, praise can sometimes feel like a routine, or even a burden. Perhaps David knew this feeling, as he urges his soul not to forget all the benefits of the Lord (Psalm 103:2). He begins to list the ways in which God has been good to him, offering us a pattern to follow as we bring our minds and souls into a place of true and holy worship. This is the only kind of worship worthy of our God.

David starts by recognizing the full healing and restoration that come from God. This includes the forgiveness of sins, the healing of our bodies, whether in this life or the next, and salvation from death and the grave (Psalm 103:3–4a). If we were to pause here and reflect on our own brokenness, the sinful deeds we’ve committed, the thoughts we’ve harbored and the ways we’ve failed to live up to God’s call to holiness, we would already have enough reason to bless His name.

But David continues.

God not only saves us from something; He saves us to something. He offers His persistent love and compassion. He renews our strength like the eagle, a symbol of vitality and endurance (Psalm 103:5; see also Isaiah 40:31).

Consider how the Lord has loved you with steadfast love and provided what you needed to endure hardship and live a life of godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

After stirring up his own soul to worship, David shifts to reflect on God’s faithfulness to all His people. He recalls the righteousness and justice of God on behalf of the oppressed, referencing how God revealed His character to Moses and the Israelites when He delivered them from slavery and led them toward the Promised Land (Psalm 103:6–7).

The psalm continues, lifting up the love and compassion of a God who is slow to anger, rich in mercy and does not treat us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:8–10). The Apostle Paul later affirms this truth: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NIV).

This grace and love are immeasurable. The psalmist poetically illustrates it: “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11–12 NIV).

Adam Clarke explains, “As the east and the west can never meet in one point, but be forever at the same distance from each other, so our sins and their decreed punishment are removed to an eternal distance by His mercy.”

Hallelujah.

David continues by offering two metaphors to describe God’s goodness.

First, he compares God’s compassion to that of a father toward his children: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13, NIV). As God’s children, we cry out “Abba, Father” to the One who made us and knows us. Verse 14 is a clear callback to Genesis 2:7, when God formed man from the dust: “… he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14 NIV). Scripture reminds us repeatedly that God not only formed us but lived among us through the incarnation: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14 NIV). We worship a God who knows and loves us intimately.

The second metaphor contrasts the brevity of human life with the everlasting love of God: “The life of mortals is like grass … But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him” (Psalm 103:15, 17 NIV). Thanks be to God that our lives, though fleeting, are enveloped in His faithful love when we walk in obedience.

The psalm concludes with a declaration of God’s sovereignty over all creation. The call to praise is extended to the angels, the heavenly hosts and all of God’s works throughout His dominion: “The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all … Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul” (Psalm 103:19, 22, NIV).

David closes as he began, with a personal command to his soul: “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name” (Psalm 103:1 NIV).

Let all that is within us praise His holy name. 

Questions for Reflection

• Has your recent praise to the Lord been out of routine or obligation? 
• Recount a sin you have been forgiven for or an illness the Lord has healed you from. How can you bless Him for the restoration He has provided? 
• How does the contrast of your short life compared with the everlasting nature of God’s love impact your perspective of Him? How can it change the way you worship?

AN OPEN INVITATION

You can receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ by praying something like the following:

Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I need Your forgiveness and grace. I believe that Christ paid the penalty for my sin, and He died in my place, and He rose from the dead. I invite Jesus Christ to come into my life as Savior. Thank You for saving me from my sin and making me Your child. Help me to grow and learn how to serve You. Amen.

Image via Getty | This article was originally titled “Bless the Lord, O My Soul: Psalm 103” in the November 2025 issue of The War Cry.