Meditation

Longstanding subscribers to Bible Copy Club will likely recognize this passage as we have featured it before- twice. But I'm going for it again, not only because it is beautiful and uplifting but principally because it is such an extravagant expression of the fullness of God's Mercy.

God’s Mercy isn’t a passive. It isn't reluctant. It isn't the absence of admonishment or punishment (as human mercy would be), but rather, it is the relentless, purposeful satisfaction of our deepest needs.

Take extra time writing out this passage today. It's exciting, energetic, dense, and...worth it. Give yourself the gift of wonder at this generous, extravagant mercy.

I've bolded the repetition of the word "all" to highlight the lavishness of His Mercy, which doesn’t stop at forgiving our sins (though forgiveness alone would be more than enough) but goes much further, healing all our diseases, redeeming us from the pit, and crowning us with love and compassion.

Even more than this, God’s mercy satisfies our desires with good things and renews our strength “like the eagle’s.”

His mercy works tirelessly to meet every need and transform every part of us.

This is not benign mercy—it is active, abundant, and relentless in its pursuit to bless and restore to crown and renew. It's extravagant and deserves to be honored with extravagant praise.

Today's text is Psalm 103:1-5

The verses to copy today are in black. Subsequent verses are in grey for context and clarity.

Psalm 103

Of David.

¹ Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
​² Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
​³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
​⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,​
​⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
​⁸ The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
​⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
​¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
​

¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
​¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
​¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

Encouragement

"To be loved by God, not merely pitied but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is."

C.S. Lewis. The Weight of Glory

​

Andy

God’s Word In Your Hand