The final question I want to ask of the psalm this week is this: Who should praise God? We might expect the answer to be "those whom God has forgiven, those whom he has rescued from the pit.” Certainly these persons should. But as we come to the last stanza of the psalm (vv. 19-22), we find that the writer is not satisfied with the thought that only the redeemed should praise God. God is so great that nothing but the praise of all creation will do. So he cries out: "Praise the LORD, you his angels" (v. 20), "Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts" (v. 21), "Praise the LORD, all his works” (v. 22), and "Praise the LORD, O my soul" (v. 22).
As we read yesterday, we should praise God because of "all his benefits.” David lists what he means by God's benefits in verses 3-5. Yesterday we looked at God's gifts of the forgiveness of sins and healing. Today we continue with two more of God's benefits.
Why should a person praise God? It is because of "all his benefits.” David lists what he means by God's benefits in verses 3-5.
1. Forgiveness of sins (v. 3). The first thing David is thankful for is the forgiveness of his sins. Rightly so! For this is the greatest of all gifts that we can receive from God, and the first we need to have.
I want to address a number of questions regarding this psalm, arranging them in such a way that the successive verses of the psalm give the answers. The first question I want to ask is this: How should a person praise God? The answer of this psalm is in verses 1 and 2. It is "with all my inmost being" or with all my soul.
Have you ever asked yourself to whom the psalms are spoken? To whom are they addressed? The first answer that comes to mind is that they are addressed to God, and it is true that some of them, probably most of them, are. But some are spoken to other people—some to the righteous, some to sinners, some to Israel, some to the Gentile nations and other groups. In Psalm 103 the psalmist is speaking to himself.
