
Five years ago, one of the most painful events in my life began. Church hurt leaves deep wounds—ones that can all be healed by the deep love of God.
As I reflect on all that God has done in my life—my soul, family, ministry, writing, books, academics, friendships—I’m reminded by Psalm 103 to resolve to not forget God’s kindness.
Psalm 103:2–5
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
This verse is a great example of preaching to our own souls, “Soul! Bless God! Remember what he’s done for you!” We can get groggy, lazy, and forgetful. We have to fight to remember. We must struggle in our souls to jog our memories of God’s heart and care for us.
Christopher Ash writes in his amazing commentary on the Psalms, “To forget means not just the absence of cognitive recall but failing to respond in trust and blessing…a proper remembering of all the benefits of God leads to a proper response from ‘all that is within me’ (Ps. 103:1).”1 Remembrance includes right responding—to the right One (God) about the right things (his benefits). Forgetting is misguided responding—to the wrong one (world, flesh, the devil) about the wrong things (sin, lies, fears, etc.).
Spurgeon was right, “Memory is very treacherous about the best things; by a strange perversity, engendered by the fall, it treasures up the refuse of the past and permits priceless treasures to lie neglected, it is tenacious of grievances and holds benefits all too loosely. It needs spurring to its duty, though that duty ought to be its delight.”2 So, how can we get our souls to savor God’s goodness? How do we spur our souls?
David gives us five things to not forget that God does for us:
1) “Who forgives all your iniquity” (v.3a)
How sweet it is to be washed in the blood of Jesus. Every sin—“not in part, but the whole”—pardoned. God is so good. Meditate on the real forgiveness you have from God.
2) “who heals all your diseases” (v.3b)
God is skilled to bring healing where we need it most. God’s care is comprehensive. Nothing is out of his expertise.
3) “who redeems your life from the pit” (v.4a)
Have you ever been somewhere—physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually—and thought, “I gotta get out of here.” God gets us out. Life isn’t over. He’s got more for you. Corrie Ten Boom was right, “There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still.”
4) “who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy” (v.4b)
Look at the extravagant goodness of God: He forgives, heals, redeems, and honors us with this love. He royalizes you. The crown jewels of unstoppable love and mercy our ours. They now define us.
5) “who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (v.5)
What a benefit! He gives us such good things—in quality and quantity, in soul and in life—that we are settled, satisfied, and living in the renewing power of his grace. This is where my mind goes today. Renewed.
God has satisfied me with so many good gifts, good people, good ministry, and good news. I’m soaring in his sweet mercy. I’m new. There’s pep in my step and a song in my soul. Partly because I’ve resolved to “forget not” what God has done, is doing, and will do. Journaling has helped me chronicle and recall. Conversations with my wife and friends also help me keep God’s goodness on the front burner.
If you are down, hurting, struggling, try to “forget not” his benefits to you. If you take my list from above, Benefits 1–4 are the core plan of every child of God. Benefit 5 is tailored to you. Go over both packages and see what God has done for you. Remember till you begin to respond with all that is within you—till you bless him. It may be through tears, it may be faint, it may be quick, but bless his name (v.1).
Christopher Ash, The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary, volume 4, 36.
C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David: Psalms 88-110, vol. 4 (London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers), 276.